March 2010 - Adobe PDF - Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

28
news
Strong
<strong>Stockton</strong>
Communities
Sing for your supper
Are you
ready
for the
General
Election?
The Council is urging
residents to follow
simple advice from the
Electoral Commission to
make sure nothing stops
you from voting.
The invitation is out for everyone to
come together in song in an exciting
new project.
Based at ARC in <strong>Stockton</strong> and managed by
<strong>Stockton</strong> Council’s Tees Achieve, Sing For Your
Supper unites the community through gospelstyle
singing and tasty food in a unique
project.
Hosted by Mike McGrother – of The Wildcats
of Kilkenny and The Diaspora Vocal Collective
(DVC) – the monthly evenings bring together
the Borough’s newer residents – refugees,
those seeking asylum and people who have
come to the UK to work – with longer-term
residents.
The first event, in January, saw more than 80
people, aged four months to 78 years, enjoy
themselves.
The evenings are very informal, completely
free and fun – designed so anyone can join in.
“Sing For Your Supper is as much about
friendship and sharing what we have in
common as it is music,” says Mike, who
formed The Diaspora Vocal Collective (DVC)
over a year ago.
“The DVC meets weekly and is always open to
new members but we thought these events
would open up what the choir is about to
a wider audience. It was amazing to see a
78-year-old lady from <strong>Stockton</strong> chatting and
laughing away with a young man from the
Congo, and lads from Billingham singing
and dancing with others from Iran, Iraq and
beyond!”
Annabel Turpin, ARC Chief Executive, says: “It
is great to be able to offer a free activity open
to absolutely anyone. I was delighted to see
such a large gathering of the community in
our venue.”
Sing for your Supper forms part of the work
the Council does to help migrants settle
into the Borough. Tees Achieve are now
developing sports and festival activities.
For details of the Diaspora Vocal Collective,
contact Mike at dvc.mike@stockton.gov.uk
The next Sing For Your Supper event is on
8 April, 6 – 9pm, at ARC. Entry is free but
children should be accompanied by an adult.
For details, contact the ARC box office on
(01642) 525199 or visit www.arconline.co.uk
If you are concerned you
may find it difficult getting
to your local Polling Station
on Election Day, you can
make use of voting by post
or proxy.
Postal voting is done entirely
by post. A ballot paper
is sent to you, which you
complete and return by post.
Proxy voting allows you to
apply for someone else to
vote for you. Your ‘proxy’
then votes at your polling
station, or they can even ask
to vote on your behalf by
post.
If you would like to apply
to vote by post or proxy
you need to contact the
Council’s Electoral Services
team on (01642) 526196 or
email electoral@stockton.
gov.uk Alternatively you
can download and complete
an application form at the
Council’s website www.
stockton.gov.uk
If you are not on the Voter
(Electoral) Register, you will
not be able to vote, so act
now and make sure you are
on it – especially if you have
moved address recently. You
can print a registration form
from the Council’s website,
or request one from the
Electoral Services team,
details above.