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NEWS 4 October 2011

A visit from CREATE and the Trinity Festival

The end of September and early October sun enabled FRCA to welcome their Australian friends from the CREATE Foundation in shorts and t-shirts as we began a busy week of visits and performances.



Jacqui, Rosemary, Gerry and Amanda arrived on Tuesday 27th and it was straight down to business as we travelled to Huddersfield to meet with Scott Deacon and the Children in Care Council in Kirklees. Much of CREATE's work is to lobby the Government to help establish systems to support looked after children and young people across Australia, and they wanted to see how this works in the UK. With local authories across the UK expected to develop Children in Care Councils, it was good to visit Kirklees whose CiCC is well established and working well. After a really productive time in Huddersfield and a classy ride home in my very clean Toyota Corolla it was time to get some rest.




The following day was "Visit Hull" day, as Jess and Kay met the Aussies and proceded to take them on a tour of our vibrant City, (Amanda just wanted to go to Primark!!!), taking them to the Marina, the Old town and of course RAPP. The night however was what we were all waiting for as we had booked Fudge for an evening of entertainment from the Freedom Road Collective and a meeting with old friends. Caine, Becky and Matty who had all visited CREATE in Australia in 2009 had all promised to turn up to add to the special occassion, and they didn't let us down as we all enjoyed a cracking evening!



Thursday saw Jacqui leave for London to continue her tour, (Geneva next stop), and it was left to Jess and my SatNav to take Rosemary, Amanda and Gerry to Goathland, Whitby and Scarborough to show off the wonderful North Yorkshire Moors. Friday saw the party visit Flamingo Land, a meal out and a get together in the evening before Saturday signalled the end of the Hull leg of their journey. It was so good to meet again and plans are tentatively in our minds for a return to Sydney in 2013.


However the fun in Hull was far from over as the Trinity Festival, which had started on the Friday evening was about to continue, with the Freedom Road Collective taking residence at the Kingston Hotel Market Place. With 5 hours of performances to cover over the weekend, we contacted our Tribfest friends Joe Mckenzie, Molly Brown and Stevie Mould to add to an already strong line up.

Saturday was opened by the Gleeks which included excellent solo perormances from Emmy and Celine, followed by the ever improving, confident and superb Sammie Watson who concluded her set playing guitar and singing Jessie J's "Nobody's Perfect".



Next up was a set which included a strong performance from Sam Blackhurst accompanied by Illona Cairns on guitar, and then a first time public vocal performance from Illona who sang Cold Plays' Fix You to huge applause, (well done Lou!). Saturday's afternoon performances were concluded by the brilliant duo of Jess and Livi who's harmonies and style brought the house down. Follow that!!!

Sunday therefore had to keep the standard up, but as we all saw at Tribfest, the talent in these young people is endless. The Gleeks again opened the afternoon followed by Joe Mckenzie who performed songs such as Paulo Nutini's "Rewind" as well as his own material. What a talent!!



The Collective's own Danielle Gray and Shauna Pearce were next up performing new numbers in their sets such as Green Day's "When September Ends" and James Morrison's "Pieces dont fit Anymore". Simply outstanding from the two girls!!



Stevie Mould followed with a set that we first heard at Tribfest but with a couple of new songs too, and what a set she delivered. For someone so young Stevie performs with the maturity and confidence that makes you stand and listen right until the end of the last song in her set!

To complete a hugely successful weekend and sign the Freedom Road Collective off in style was Molly Brown. I am running out of ways to describe how amazing these young people are, however with Molly it is quite simple, "Awesome"! After a summer full of festivals and performances Molly provided a fitting end with a set which included a beautiful version of Sia's "Lullaby".

When I went home that evening and watched the X Factor I just kept thinking back to all the performances that we had witnessed over the weekend in a small pub in Hull and I knew where I would rather be and who I would rather listen to! - Ian