McFly, The Feeling and Eddie Izzard line up for biggest volunteering legacy event in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Join McFly, The Feelingand Eddie Izzard in a star-studded music fiesta at the newly re-opened Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
With fifteen consecutive top ten singles in the UK, including seven number ones, this is a unique chance to see the top-selling band while re-living the atmosphere of the 2012 Games, all for a mere £7.50.
McFly will perform alongside comedian and Join In patron Eddie Izzard, who will perform a special Olympic-themed set and Ivor Novello award-winning band The Feeling who have stormed the UK charts with several Top 10 hits and performed to a packed audience in Hyde Park at BT London Live last summer.
The Pandemonium Drummers, who wowed the world with their performance at the Olympic Opening Ceremony, are set to get the show off to a rousing start, whilst the Games Maker Choir will help to evoke the team spirit, excitement and unity that captured the imagination of the UK last summer. Other star acts on the billing include: Spelbound, BOND Quartet, The James Riley Band, Robbie Boyd and Greatest Hits of the West End, with more acts to be announced.
Sebastian Coe, the Mayor of London and London 2012 medallists and sporting heroes will also feature, inspiring the crowds, recognising the valuable contribution that volunteers make and inspiring more people to get involved. Go Local, presented by BT, is hosted by Join In and Team London, the volunteering initiative of the Mayor of London (http://volunteerteam.london.gov.uk).
It is majority funded by the Big Lottery Fund, with additional funding from government grant and Presenting Partner BT. As well as live performances, Go Local will provide ideas and practical advice on how people interested in volunteering can make a real impact in their local community, whether or not they were involved in the Games.
The event is a curtain raiser to a summer of activities being delivered by Join In to build on the enthusiasm for volunteering in the UK as a result of the Games. Over the summer, Join In will play matchmaker to local clubs and community groups and potential volunteers by offering them opportunities to do something great in their local community.
In addition, Team London’s Ambassadors will be back on the streets of London with the Visitor Welcome and thousands of volunteers will be taking up opportunities in their communities.
The event comes on the back of a recent study, commissioned by Join In and run by YouGov, which showed that almost a third of the population (32%) said the London 2012 volunteers positively changed the way they view volunteering, with 31% saying that, looking back, they would have liked to be a London 2012 volunteer themselves.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "This is gearing up to be the ultimate fiesta of volunteering at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is the perfect reminder of when the world looked to London and saw an incorrigibly happy, diverse, multicultural, dynamic city that was animated by the hospitality and good nature of tens of thousands of volunteers. Team London""s motto is go local and do something great for your city, which is why we are supporting the Go Local event. We’ve worked hard to maintain the tremendous volunteering spirit and I hope everyone leaves this event armed with tons of new opportunities.”
Alice Hunt, Chief Executive Officer, Join In, said: “The London 2012 volunteers have had a lasting legacy on volunteering in the UK but was it’s only the start. Go Local will put volunteering firmly in the spotlight once again and prepare the UK ready summer set to revitalise the volunteering legacy of London 2012. I’d like to thank our partners BT and the Big Lottery Fund for sharing our vision and supporting Go Local. With their help, we’ll be offering thousands of opportunities to this willing army up and down the country.”
Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society said: “Last summer the Games showed us what is possible when people come together and we were incredibly proud of the commitment and dedication of the 2012 volunteers. We have always said that we wanted to see a long lasting volunteering legacy inspired by 2012. The Go Local event is the first step on this journey to celebrate volunteering and encourage more people to get involved in their community this summer.”
People can buy up to four tickets, to encourage volunteers to spread the word among their friends. A pair of tickets costs £15 available fromwww.ticketmaster.co.uk/go-local.
More information can be found at: www.london.gov.uk/priorities/volunteering
What: Go Local, Presented by BT– a celebration of volunteering one year on from the Olympic and Paralympic Games with music, comedy and entertainment – and guest appearances from Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister’s Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Ambassador Sebastian Coe and TeamGB and ParalympicsGB stars
Where: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London
When: Friday 19 July, 16:30hrs (13:00hrs doors open)
Tickets: £.7.50 eachwww.ticketmaster.co.uk/go-local
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