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Festival of Thrift Steams ahead with Regional and National Support

Screen Shot 2015-09-10 at 10.59.39A MIX of creative businesses, organisations and funding bodies have jumped on board for this year’s national celebration of sustainable living in a unified bid to support this highly acclaimed unique Festival, grown in the North East.

The Festival is expected to attract 50,000 people to its founding host site at Lingfield Point in Darlington this month, thanks to the support of 13 funders and partners.

The nationally-recognised Festival was recently awarded the 2015 Arts and Culture Observer Ethical Award and will this year be supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and hosted and supported by Lingfield Point, Darlington Borough Council and Creative Darlington.

Major partners include Darlington Building Society, County Durham Community Foundation, Thirteen Group, SwapBuy and Teesside University as well as kind support from Lexus Teesside, Northumbrian Water, Tracy Kidd Photography, DFDS Seaways, Cummins Engineering and BBC Tees.

Festival director, Stella Hall said: “We’re thrilled to have such a diverse range of supportive funders and partners supporting Festival of Thrift 2015. Each year we work hard to build partnerships with organisations that are committed to a sustainable ethos to really complement the spirit of the Festival of Thrift.

“With the backing of our supporters, this year’s Festival is set to be bursting at the seams with a wonderful mix of thrifty entertainment and artists. We are anticipating 50,000 visitors will travel from all corners of the country and even from overseas to Darlington over the course of weekend, which will offer a real boost to the local economy.”

This year’s festivities will start on Friday 25 September 2015 in Darlington Town Centre with the rebuilding of Darlington Rail Station’s iconic clock tower forming part of the town’s celebrations to mark the 190th anniversary of the world’s first passenger steam train that travelled between Stockton and Darlington in 1825. The Festival of Thrift will then open its gates at the unique business park, Lingfield Point, on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2015 for a weekend filled with free frugal fun.

Amongst Festival of Thrift’s programme will be nationally known scrimpers, leading and emerging artists, musicians, special installations, demonstrations, debates, workshops and stalls offering upcycled, recycled, sustainable and of course thrifty goods and tasty foods, to help people live a happier, more sustainable way of life.

For more information on Festival of Thrift 2015 visit the website at www.festivalofthrift.co.uk and register for updates.

By admin