Newington's Festival of Light
incase you missed it
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incase you missed it 〰️
Video created by Colin Welsh
“Community gatherings are so important and so much fun.”
“So fabulous for the children”
About Starlings Support CIC
Starlings is a Community Interest Company, set up to enable communities and not-for-profitorganisations access the support that they need to drive dynamic, sustainable and resident-led change. We work with communities and organisations.We work with people to create resourceful communities, where individuals have the skills,confidence and knowledge to make different, healthier decisions for themselves, theirfamilies and their communities. We are inspired by people, supporting them to unlock theirpotential, harnessing individual skills and building local leadership to act as agents of changeand to promote innovative solutions to local challenges.
https://www.starlingssupport.org/
About Cohesion Plus
Cohesion Plus is a diverse-led arts organisation based in Gravesham, Kent who organise events around Kent with the aim of connecting communities through the arts, creating shared experiences with the intention of celebrating the diversity of Kent and promoting cohesion and understanding.
Festivals and events produced by Cohesion Plus range from Lunar New Year to Saint Georges Day to Mela in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells to lantern parades across North and West Kent. All of the events and activity at their heart are about celebrating the local community and what unites us as residents of Kent rather than what divides us. We focus much of our work in areas which have traditionally had low levels of engagement with the arts.
https://www.cohesionplus.com/
About Future Foundry
Future Foundry is a social enterprise to help young people establish or grow sustainable businesses and events. Future Foundry projects bring young people together within their communities creating connections and highlighting pathways to success. They promote the creative industries and encourage other people to be inspired by and make a local impact. Young people can access training, resources & cultural events throughout the year. Creative people forging futures.
https://futurefoundry.org.uk
Residents sea of lights swarm the streets.
On 18th October 2024 Newington residents swarmed the streets for the second year producing a sea of light for Newington’s festival of light.
Starlings Support CIC led a partnership to secure funding and to deliver the Newington Lights Festival. It was led by local residents, through a collaboration with Newington Big Local, Starlings Support CIC, aim4 Partnerships CIC, Future Foundry, Cohesion Plus, RoyalHarbour Academy, Ramsgate Arts Primary School, Laleham Gap School and Newington Community Primary School.
The extraordinary parade procession was led by resident Catherine Curtis driving her hearse, which was lit up and decorated with a Mexican day of the dead theme. She was followed by Ms Polly Billington MP, the deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Clive Stevens and the Ramsgate Town Mayor, Cllr Patricia Moore. Who was then followed by many residents and local people who took part and joined the festival.
Local people came out to carry brightly lit lanterns and chandeliers through Newington estate.
Over 500 lanterns were created through workshops with Future Foundry and Newington Big Local totalling over 300 hours of work with local schools, community groups and local people.
Participants in the workshops learnt to make and decorate the lanterns. Which were then displayed on the green behind Newington Community Centre for locals to come and choose a lantern to carry on the day of the event.
At 5pm locals gathered at Newington Community Centre to collect lanterns and enjoy some entertainment from the children of Ramsgate Arts Primary School who performed an amazing dance.
Photos by Matt Wilson photography
At 6pm the procession begun and was joined culturally diverse artists, including Native Oysters Brass Band, stilt walkers, Uzambezi Arts, African djembe drummers, DDFK, a brass band and Cohesion Plus Folkin Fusion, Kings of Dhol drummers. Producing a euphoric carnival style atmosphere.
The procession continued through the estate and residents joined in or watched from their gardens and windows.
Photos by Matt Wilson Photography
The Procession ended at The Royal Harbour Academy with a spectacular firework display.
Residents of Copperfields who were unable to enjoy the parade were made small table lanterns created by attendees of the Creative Newington 2 community group. Which were displayed on the tables in the lounge whilst they were treated to a visit from Ramsgate Arts Primary School Choir who sang a variety of songs, followed by a performance in the garden where residents danced and sung along to songs from the DDFK Brass Band.
“It was so lovely to hear the children sing. ”
We would like to thank everyone that got involved from the organisations, schools, entertainers, bands, volunteers, all the residents and locals who made this event truly spectacular.
A big thank you to the funders ArtsCouncil England, Ramsgate Town Council and Orbit Housing. Who made the event possible.
