Recent updates
The latest news from our projects
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We did it...thanks to all of you!
An update for Victoria Klewin & The TrueTones debut album
Nov 10 2015
Amazing...we've made it, and even gone over the goal of £4000 way before the deadline! Every single penny will go to making and releasing the album, and every extra penny over the target will go to making it even BETTER! You can expect a special thank you from all of us later on, but this is just me for now. I can't quite believe it to be honest. Not only is it so exciting to have the resources to do this album properly, it's also been so reassuring to know there is demand and support out there for us. Sometimes being a musician/songwriter/promoting a band can feel like you're shouting into an abyss with not even an echo back...it's hard to maintain self-belief sometimes and to keep going. When that infamous and illusive 'big break' doesn't occur, and yet you're working so hard, you start to wonder, "why am I doing this?" Well, this process has proven to me that our music IS wanted and appreciated, and in many ways that's much more important than all the money in the world.
So THANK YOU. It's a pleasure to have you on board the good ship VKTT. It's going to be a fun journey!
Victoria xxxxxx
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WOW! £10,265 raised!!!!
An update for Calais Refugee Solidarity Bristol
Nov 9 2015
You are all amazing! Nearly 6K members in the group and over 10K raised in cash donations through our Fundsurfer campaign.
Also a HUGE 'THANK YOU' to the hardworking and enthusiastic volunteers that helped us to do one last sort of our donations, which are going to Calais in a few days. It was hard work but very important as it will enable things to be distributed more quickly when we get there. We've also been able to put aside a huge amount that is unsuitable for Calais but will be donated to groups helping the homeless in Bristol. Overall, an exhausting but very successful weekend!
Here's the unit at Big Yellow - just a fraction of what is being sent in total!
Please keep sharing everyone, it really helps! Next stop 15K!
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Woweee!
An update for Victoria Klewin & The TrueTones debut album
Nov 7 2015
Hello everybody! I hope you're all gearing up for a great weekend. Four of us are playing on the SS Great Britain tonight for a private party...we'll try not to go overboard! ;) Haha, oh dear. Less jokes Victoria...less jokes!
Well I just wanted to check in with you all really. We've just been tipped over the £3000 mark so it's all looking very promising and very exciting! We will be looking round some potential recording studios and setting some dates very soon. In the meantime we're still pushing really hard to get those pledges in...there may even be some radio interviews coming up. I'll be sure to let you know when... ;)
Victoria x
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Convoy to Calais - The Big Send Off!
An update for Calais Refugee Solidarity Bristol
Nov 4 2015
Time for Convoy to Calais !!
The Calais Refugee Solidarity Bristol campaign was set up about 8 weeks ago in response to the horrendous reports in the media of children being washed up on beaches, boats sinking and people dying on their journey to safety - right on our doorstep ! The accompanying media hype from politicians was racist, scaremongering about swarms of immigrants coming to our country. We wanted a different narrative and the group in its formation called on people to help, alongside other groups formed across the country with the same ideals.
We could not have forseen the help we would get from the people of Bristol ! It has been truly amazing and heartwarming that so many people care about other human beings who are fleeing violence and war.
The remit of the group was two-fold: As a grass-roots organisation we aimed to A: to collect unwanted goods, clothes, shoes, sleeping bags and tents for the people in the Calais camps , closest to our door, and deliver them to Calais. And B: to fundraise for goods too cheap or impossible to transport., such as firewood, food, shelters etc.
The campaign has been very successful, so far. We were innundated!
A Fundsurfer campaign was set up to raise money and in that short time has raised over £9600! We have had a varity of events and gigs and raised a further £3000 ! We have donated money to Doctors of the World; bought 3 UNCHR fully equipped tents; bought waterproof jackets; medication and firewood.
We did recieve a lot of stuff that was not needed in the Calais camps, particularly women's and children's clothing and some of that has been distributed to various Bristol Charities, including Homeless and Refugee groups. Some of the rest was sold at a pop-up shop on Stokes Croft and raised £1000 and there are plans for shop No.2 :)
So the goods that are suitable are all sorted, boxed and stored in TWO whole warehouses ! And we are now proud to announce that after a few weeks of logistics we are READY TO GO TO CALAIS !!
On Wednesday November 11th the lorries will load up at the warehouses and leave for Calais. That day and the next , a car and three minibuses full of volunteers will go to Calais to help in any way needed - in the warehouse, in the camp, litter picking and everything that helps for a few days !
We cant let this go un-noticed ! The people of Bristol have been so generous, so many people have volunteered in Bristol, the response has been overwhelming. So we are going to send the convoy off ! The press will be there so let's get Bristol out to send it off and make some noise !!
We would like you to join us on College Green on the 11th at 2.30 pm.
The vans and minibuses will be decorated with messages of support for the people in the Calais camps and then the vehicles ( except the lorries !) will cavalcade round an area of Bristol from 3pm till 4pm whereby we can distribute publicity about the campaign.
The motorcade will then return to College.Green for a rally,spee ches, music, circus troupe and more - all to be added to ! This will end at 5pm and then afterwards there will be a memorial service for the thousands that have died " on the journey "
Come along, add your voice that says "Refugees are Welcome here" - "No-one is illegal" and Bristol Cares !!
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It's a wrap!
An update for Bristol Festival of Literature
Nov 2 2015
On behalf of the Bristol Festival of Literature team, just a quick update to say THANK YOU!
Our 10 days of literary loveliness were great fun with the events being well attended, many sold out.
The team are meeting this week to discuss what went well, what didn’t go so well and what we could do next year.
We hope you enjoyed the events.
If you have anything to add, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from the people who supported us.
If you have any images, video, blog posts etc. that you created during the festival we’d love to see them. Please contact us via the website: unputdownable.org if there is anything you’d like to share.
I still have some unclaimed Goody Bags and T shirts so please get in touch to arrange collection for your unclaimed rewards.
A few of us went on Ujima Radio during the event and you can listen again here at these links:
Hour 1 - Wednesday 14th October 12pm: http://listen-again.ujimaradio.com/index.php?page=64
Hour 2 - Wednesday 14th October 1pm: http://listen-again.ujimaradio.com/index.php?id=25688We were also on BBC Radio Bristol and Made in Bristol TV
I wrote a blog post last week with some links and shout outs for some of the people involved in the festival: http://authorpreneur.amymorse.co.uk/the-power-of-collaboration/
And here’s a few images…
Once again, thank you so much to everyone involved in organising the festival, those who contributed, got involved, gave up their time and visited the events.
See you again next year...
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We're over the quarter mark! Thank you!
An update for Victoria Klewin & The TrueTones debut album
Oct 28 2015
Hello all you lovely people. I'm trying to keep in touch with you all individually as much as possible, but just wanted to send a general thank you too.
23+ of you have given us a total of £1,250 so far!
I've been really touched and pleasantly reassured by the amazing response and support from you all. Every single penny made will go into making the album better and giving it the release it deserves. I for one am so excited to see what can be achieved in this way, with no financial backing from any label or agency. I think it's potentially a very powerful new direction for the music industry and professional musicians in general! ;)
I will be in touch like this at regular intervals with news on our progress and our general news, but I promise not to spam you with annoying messages every 5 minutes! If you're a social media user, please do continue to help us spread the word about this venture using the hastags #vktt and #fundsurfer, if that's your thing! Likewise, email and good old-fashioned word-of-mouth are equally helpful.
T H A N K Y O U ! ! ! !
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NEW STUFF!
An update for The Bristol Music Show
Oct 26 2015
We've not only added 2 weeks onto our end date, but we've added:
A pair of tickets for Alan Barnes Octet: A Jazz Christmas Carol at St. George's - 17th December - £25
4 tickets to see London based music and art group Beaty Heart at The Louisiana. More acts tbc. + a "thank you" in our credits - £5
Please continue sharing our campaign and letting your friends know about our wonderful rewards!
Thanks so much to all that have pledged so far :)
Harriet & the BMS team. x
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GOOD NEWS!!
An update for The Bristol Music Show
Oct 23 2015
We've extended our deadline until 12th November!
We felt like some people were only just getting their heads around our project, so we've given everybody a little more time to pledge and support The Bristol Music Show.
Please do tell your friends, family and anybody that loves music about us and ask them to pledge!
Still lots of amazing rewards left that need to go somewhere!
BONUS INFO:
Easy link: fundsurfer.com/bristolmusicshow
First show: Friday 6th November - 8.30pm
First session artist: Genie Marie
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Latest update!
An update for Calais Refugee Solidarity Bristol
Oct 17 2015
Hi everyone!
Amazing to nearly have hit 9K. Thanks and keep sharing the project so we can push up to 10K which is our next big milestone.
Our next PUBLIC MEETING will be held next Tuesday 20th October at 7.30pm @ The Palestine Museum, 27, Broad Street, Bristol.
We'd really like to see you there and we have lots to tell you about our Week of Action, our pop-up shop in Stokes Croft, our November convoy to Calais, volunteering opportunities (both in Bristol & Calais) and the latest fundraising & campaign efforts.
Thanks for your support!
