May day 2013 was another sell out year. We had a fantastic time and hope you did too! 400 tickets were sold prior to the day and many more on the door. It was a tough job having to turn away the hundreds of people who came along on Sunday hoping to get in. We are so sorry if you weren’t one of the lucky ones and didn’t make it in this year, but for those who did come along we feel we need to say a huge thank you to all the hoards of people who helped make May Day a huge success.
1) Firstly and importantly we want to thank you, our local community, for coming and being a part of what we do at Inkwell. You are helping us challenge and break down the stigma associated with mental health, helping people and communities to flourish and celebrate creativity. Buying food, Ale, cakes, taking part in the activities or just buying your entrance ticket helps raise money to keep our service running which has such a positive impact on the lives of people with mental health issues. So thank you to each and everyone for coming along and making the day so special and worthwhile. This year we have raised a staggering £4500 with your help, this is a new record since our May day event started three years ago. So thank you.
Photo courtesy of Christian Smith
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
2) Thank you to our wonderful volunteers who work hard planning and preparing for the big day. May Day planning starts months in advance and our volunteers have helped shape and create what the day has become with their imaginative ideas, initiative, dedication, skills and hard work. Without the help from volunteers prior to and on the day, May day would not happen. We owe thanks to those who set up for the event, to those who built our new stage, prepared food and cakes, shopped for supplies, helped with the promotions, marketing, social media and advertising and all the extra admin work necessary. On the day there were those working on the bar, the gate, in the cafe and kitchen, the raffle and tombola, all the kids activities and crafts, caricature drawing, DJing, photographing and documenting the event and not forgetting all the tidying up afterwards! There were so many roles and duties on the day that relied on the good will and hard work of volunteers, without which it couldn’t have been such a success, so we owe them all a really huge thank you.
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
3) May Day just wouldn’t be the same without the talented musicians who come along to entertain us on the main stage and indoors. This year the music entertainment was organised by Cloth Cat who we also work with to bring you the brilliant Instrumental every month. We would like to say thank you to them for organising the sound engineers, comperes and all the wonderful musicians and bands this year:
On the main stage:
Moose
Dave and Ros
The Black Sox
The Seven Arts Jazz Choir
Traveller
Amy Claro
Cosmic charlie’s Big Mouth Jug Stompers
Speed Dinosaurs
Indoor stage:
Dave Lynch
Isolde Freeth-Hale
Moose
Kog Moorcroft
Tez Beulah
The Fringe Sisters
Trieste
The Mo Mo’s
Poetry readings by Ewan Povey
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
4) Thank you to all the other organisations who came along, gave up their free time and were a fun and exciting part of the day. The colourful Leeds Children Circus for helping us juggle, stilt-walk and diablo throughout the day. Time to Change for creating a beautiful patchwork tablecloth and campaigning against the stigma against mental health. Swarthmore for providing brilliant and creative children’s activities. Thank you also to our First Aider who helped make sure everyone was safe and cared for in any emergency ( which we are pleased to inform there were non)
Photo courtesy of Donna Cutting
Photo courtesy of Donna Cutting
5) Part of what makes May Day so special are the beautiful surroundings that Inkwell provides, particularly the garden, and for that we owe a massive thanks to TCV ( The Conservation Volunteers) who have worked hard helping us get the garden looking it’s best for the big day. They were here on the day providing activities for the children and helping everyone to be a little bit more green fingered.
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
6) Thank you also to the wonderful team at Ridgeside Brewery whose Fine Ales are now a regular feature at our events. We are proud to be working alongside the guys at Ridgedside who brew vegetarian Ales especially for us. Their pints always go down well!
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
7) Our food this year was made by both our volunteers and Rocket Catering. Thanks to Julie of Rocket Catering the kitchen and food service ran smoothly all day and the food was just delicious! Thank you also to all our kitchen volunteers and bakers who made such delectable cakes and treats for us to sell at the bar.
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
8) The colourful selection of beautifully handmade arts and crafts that were on sale added to the festivities of May Day. We would like to thank all our crafts stall holders for being part of the day and providing us with a feast of handmade crafts to buy.
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
Photo courtsey of Ali Wilson
9) We would like to say a massive thanks to all the generous local businesses who donated such wonderful prizes for the Raffle. We will be writing a separate post on the raffle donors soon. Not forgetting all the folk who just popped into Inkwell and donated prizes for our tombola.
10) We have had such great support from our followers on twitter too who have helped us spread the word, promote and advertise this worthy cause - Dig Yorkshire, Leeds Inspired, Yor Inspired, Yorkshire Hour, Leeds Hour, North Leeds Life and Chapel Allerton News to name but a few.
11) The artists who took part in our fundraiser exhibition this year made the gallery space look spectacular with the gorgeous artwork on display. Don’t forget the exhibition will run until June so you still have a chance to see the show.
12) Thankyou to The Friends of Inkwell for all their support and all our new members who signed up on the day.
And last but not least, thank you to the sunshine who made a dazzling appearance in the afternoon and helped make the day even more glorious.
The photographs used in this post have been produced by InkwellArts Media, Christian Smith, Donna Cutting or Ali Wilson Photography.
