Get Set Kids Issue12

County Durham

Your local family magazine SUMMER 2012 FREE

Save £’s WIN! Jessie J & will.i.am Interviews

helping you make the most of family life DURHAM WILDCATS ADOPT A SCHOOL SCHEME LAUNCHED

Get Set Kids are proud to announce we will be sponsoring Durham Wildcats over the next season, watch out for our sponsored match, a ladies night plus player profiles over the next few issues. The Wildcats thought Get Set Kids would be ideal partners to promote their Adopt a School Scheme across the county. Businesses and organisations have an opportunity to help develop the next generation of North-East sports stars following the launch of this innovative sponsorship campaign in partnership with Durham County Council. The club is hoping to raise £10,000 to support the development of the British Basketball League (BBL) newcomers.

The aim is for 20 local companies to each invest £500 in the club and in exchange the Wildcats have pledged to introduce 10,000 local schoolchildren to the sport. Business backers will be invited to nominate the school of their choice to receive elite coaching sessions from the Wildcats team. Furthermore, the company would become match sponsor at an upcoming BBL fixture at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre. The Wildcats coach Dave Elderkin, explained how the youngsters would benefit from the programme. "Without exception all the pupils enjoy learning the skills and work very hard to master the game," he said. "They really love working with the senior Wildcats players. We concentrate on teaching passing, shooting and dribbling skills and introduce 3 on 3 basketball, making it as much fun as possible. "We also put together festivals for schools within their clusters and offer youngsters opportunities to play in front of a live audience before our own competitive Wildcat BBL games."

The Wildcats have faced tough competition since making the step up to the top level of English basketball this season, but the move has significantly boosted the clubs profile; attracting crowds of about 500 spectators and upping media coverage. Companies interested in backing the club should contact Richard Warburton, Wildcats operations manger on 0191 334 4737 or email [email protected] for more details WIN WIN WIN To win a family ticket to a Wildcats game next season just answer the following question. Apply on-line at www.getsetkids.co.uk by 20 August 2012. Where do Wildcats play their home games?

Page 2 www.getsetkids.co.uk Hello !... having now banked our Jubilee holiday celebrations in our ‘happy memories’, we can very much look forward to a Summer full of fun, sport and activity. When it comes to places to visit and things to do ‘our’ County Durham is clearly a gold medal winner! We hope our magazine encourages you to fly the family flag and enjoy experiences of Olympic proportions. Please remember to check out www.getsetkids.co.uk for all the latest news, reviews, interviews and all round Get Set Kids’ness! Enter the competitions online and follow us on Facebook too! Olympic torches, strawberries & cream & happy days!!! Emma Ord & Allison Mendelsohn This Summer Get Set Kids is Editors distributing to even more family venues across our region Just for you!

Front cover & photo below courtesy of Photography P.S. Take your copy with you/give it a home in for Little People Durham your glove box and have your own mini summer adventures!

Designed and printed by K&M Print, 106 Church Lane, Ferryhill, County Durham DL12 9PJ tel. 01740 651501 © Copyright Get Set Kids Magazine 2011 tel: 07971 577572/07534 997875 email: [email protected] We take great care to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this magazine and all advertisers are accepted in good faith. However, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors or guarantee any of the products, services or businesses featured.

In this Issue... Activities & classes : Holiday clubs & courses : Days out & about : Events calendar p16-17 : The Voice- Jessie J & will.i.am Interviews : Vouchers & competitions

FREE CHILD ENTRY when accompanied by a full paying adult Not valid on Bank holidays. One voucher per family. Not valid in conjunction with any other oﬀers or discounts. Valid until 30th September 2012.

www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 3

SwimFin, endorsed by the Amateur Swimming Association, was designed by a highly qualified UK swimming instructor of 25+ years. Using his experience Kevin Moseley implemented his skills in producing a single piece of equipment that is fun, easy and practical to use. The Fin shape appeals to all ages but has many more functions than just a visual thing. For the beginner it will replace the armbands and life vests etc, for the improver it can be used to measure and improve stroke development, for the advanced swimmer it is used to detect common faults. In fact it will work for every member of the family at some, if not all stages in their swimming activity. SwimFin can be used on all the major strokes for one purpose or another. Not everybody immediately understands the concepts behind SwimFin but it has been proved that the time it takes to get a child to swim and be water safe can be reduced by upto a third.This is achieved simply because children learn faster when they are having fun. SwimFin was developed using the scientific principles in swimming and the psychological process in learning to swim, there has never been a better way to turn a swimming lesson into a FUN session. Unlike other buoyancy aids, SwimFin can be further used as a pull buoy and kick board. SwimFin offers fantastic value for money and you can rest assured it is a quality product, manufactured using the best materials available and enduring the strictest QC Ask your local stockist for more details or buy online at www.swimfin.co.uk/buy

See Page 21 to Win a Swimﬁn TOP AWARD FOR YOUTHY FOOTBALL

Newton Aycliffe Youth Centre Junior Football Club are very pleased to announce that they have been awarded the Teesside Junior Football Alliance League, Club of the Year for 2012. The magnificent trophy was presented by Alastair Brownlee at the recent awards night at The Tall Trees in Yarm.

League secretary Chris Ord informed the packed audience that this award was one of the most fiercely contested awards that the league gives out. He went on to say that the Club had made giant strides over the last couple of seasons to improve all aspects of the football club. They have been on the shortlist for a number of recent seasons and have been getting better and better, but they have now got to the top by sheer hard work and a willingness never to give up. Whilst some Clubs have had great seasons in terms of their administration and lack of sanctions, they couldn’t get anywhere near this Club in terms of continual improvement”

Management with the Club of the Year Trophies

This success off the pitch was matched on the field with a championship for the Under 15 Boys and promotions for the Under 13 & Under 12 boys. The under 13 girls finished runner up in the league cup final and the under 18 boys in their final season finished runner up in a very closely run championship. Finally the under 8’s under FA rules play in a non competitive format but were awarded the Fair Play trophy for an outstanding season of progress for all the boys

Football at the club starts with our highly successful development section for boys and girls aged 4-6 years old. The sessions are for all abilities and offers coaching that is fun and enjoyable for our young budding footballers

Page 8 www.getsetkids.co.uk Girls football continues to grow in Newton Aycliffe and the club has 3 teams competing in the Russel Foster Youth League and have started a new girls development section for current year 3, 4 & 5.

After our development sections, this season we had14 boys teams competing in the Teesside Junior Alliance and a further team competing in the Russel Foster Youth League. This ensures we offered team football from 7–17 years old.

The football club is not only about coaching and competing as we actively encourage and promote the social values of being involved in a team sport with end of season Go Karting, Camping Trips and BBQ’s as well as fund raising bike rides

For more information visit www.naycafc.co.uk

www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 9

Bring Your Occasion to Life with # VIP Characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Peppa Pig, Hello Kitty, Super Mario, Buzz lightyear and many more ##Face Painting Magicians # Balloon Modelling # Animal Themed Birthday Parties # Discos # Tempory & Glitter Tattoos # Puppet Shows # Punch and Judy # Chocolate Fountains # Bouncy Castles and more.... We listen to your ideas and match you to just the right services and entertainers to make sure that you get the entertainment package that is perfect for you. Exclusive Oﬀer! Get £5 oﬀ any party booking when you quote GetSetKids! Must be quoted at the time of booking, valid until end September 2012. www.partymania.org.uk Follow us on facebook 0191 415 4479 07970 064 069

Parent & Child Classes Monday 10.30am (Booking essential) Woodham Community Centre Newton Aycliffe. It is wonderful how a group of young people aged We also cater for after school clubs, 4-7 years or 7-16 years, who can be strangers to one another, can pull together in a week, to create a PPA cover and one-off workshops. piece of musical theatre that will amaze its audience (Classes are linked to the curriculum and support EYFS and KS1) with its quality. Long-term friendships can be formed and self-esteem and conﬁdence grow with Themed parties available those friendships, leaving a lasting beneﬁt - for only a week’s commitment. Main Workshop Week Aug 20th to 24th Separate Early Years Workshop Days from Aug. 13th to 17th

Local venues Nurseries Schools Parties

www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 11 HARRY’S FARM Open Weekdays 10am -2.30pm Admission £2 SCHOOL HOLIDAY CLUB (children age 5+) Weekdays throughout the Summer Holidays £5 per 2 hour session 10% DISCOUNT with this advert Quote GET SET KIDS! Call 07761826512 All staﬀ CRB checked GREAT FOR CHILDREN’S PARTIES!!! Low Martinﬁeld Farm, Hartbrigg Lane, Nr Bp Auckland DL14 0NA Find us on Facebook : search ‘Harry’s Farm’

tel: 0191 384 8028 Sidegate, Frankland Lane, Durham DH1 5SZ 25 July Theatre in The Gardens – The Brothers Grimm (prebooking essential) 29 July to 2 August – Pirates and Princesses 26 and 27 August – Bring a Teddy Day www.crookhallgardens.co.uk

Page 12 www.getsetkids.co.uk Ceramic Studio & Bistro Great Food Freshly prepared The Kilnrooms Home-Made Cakes & Pies 10% Spennymoor Leisure Centre [email protected] OFF WITH tel: 07828 390210 THIS VOUCHER No photocopies GSKKILN

9am- 8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat & 10am-3pm Sun The Kilnrooms - is a modern, light and airy facility with plenty of space to inspire and create or just enjoy the bistro facilities with great home made fayre or gourmet coffees. How it Works: 1 Select a piece of pottery from a wide range 2 Start painting (help always at hand) 3 Leave your masterpiece to glaze and collect at a pre-arranged time. 4 For a bigger project - If you don’t get finished, leave it with us and finish on your next visit Baby Hand and Footprints Wonderful gifts and keepsakes to treasure. They can be put onto plates, mugs, vases or anything with a big enough flat surface. You only get one chance to capture, those amazingly tiny fingers and toes. A unique gift for mums, dads and grandparents. A special message can be added to your creation. Anniversaries Birthdays Christenings Weddings Baby Keepsakes Children’s Parties Each child paints a piece from a range, if we haven’t got what you’re looking for we can make it specially. We have a choice of party buffets which can be tailored to suit any dietary requirements. All you need to bring is the birthday cake and we do the rest. And for you, no stress!! Other group parties – Schools Guides & Scouts Ladies Nights Adult Parties

www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 13 Sedgeﬁeld Community College Monday 13th to Thursday 16th August 2012

Greenﬁeld School - Newton Aycliﬀe Monday 20th to Thursday 23rd August 2012 10am till 3pm

Saturday 18th August

BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL NEW

LITTLE STRIKERS! SESSIONS FOR 3-5 YEARS

4 Day Course

Greenﬁeld School - Newton Aycliﬀe £25 Monday 20th to Thursday 23rd August 2012 10am till 12.30pm Especially for your little one that cannot manage a whole day.

Attendees receive a free ticket to Darlington ﬁrst home game. Please remember to bring a snack and plenty to drink. BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL

These courses give us a snapshot of how quickly your children can improve and we’d love to continue to develop their skills at one of our weekly Academy sessions (First session free).

Greenﬁeld School Sedgeﬁeld Community College 5 - 8 years Tuesday 5.30pm - 6.30pm Thursday 5.00pm - 6.00pm 9 - 12 years Tuesday 6.00pm - 7.00pm Thursday 6.00pm - 7.00pm Little Strikers Tuesday 5.30pm - 6.30pm Saturday 9.00am - 10.00am

.Contact Martin Gray 07738 131914 for more information Give your child the chance to shine ...Experience the Martin Gray Football Academy

www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 15 Summer 2012 E vents JULY 9 Monday Garden Tour of Crook Hall & Gardens, Durham - join Keith Bell on a tour of the gardens (pre booking essential) Tel: 0191 384 8028 www.crookhallgardens.co.uk 14 Saturday and 15th. Fairytale Weekend at Hall Hill farm, come and meet some of your favourite characters. www.hallhillfarm.co.uk, tel 01388 731333 11:00 - to 2 pm, Summer Fayre at Byerley Park Primary School, Newton Aycliffe 14:00 - to 4 pm, Marvellous Mini Beasts at Botanic Garden, Durham - go on the hunt for bugs and creepy crawlies and make your own mini beast mask. www.durham.ac.uk/whatson 20 Friday Outdoor Theatre at Raby Castle - The Twits by Roald Dahl. Set in Raby's idyllic walled gardens this is sure to delight and enchant the whole family, bring along a deckchair and a picnic to enjoy this classic children's story brought to life. Tickets should be booked in advance, adults £12.50, children (1-15) £10.50. www.rabycastle.com, tel 01833 660202 25 Wednesday 11:00 - to 3 pm Family Crafts At Hardwick Park, Sedgefield.EVERY WEDNESDAY IN SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. £2. Come to the visitor centre to make a different craft each week. 18:30 - Theatre in the Gardens, Crook Hall & Gardens, Durham - The Brothers Grimm performed by The Pantaloons (pre booking essential) Tel: 0191 384 8028 www.crookhallgardens.co.uk 27 Friday Community Festival Event to mark opening ceremony of Olympics, Shildon Athletics Track - opening ceremony will be shown on large screen 28 Saturday Family Fun Day at Raby Castle, celebrate the start of the Summer holidays and the Olympics with a mini sports day, bouncy castle, lots of garden games, have-a-go archery and a special treasure trail in the beautiful walled gardens. www.rabycastle.com, tel 01833 660202 29 Sunday to 2nd August - Pirates & Princesses at Crook Hall & Gardens, Durham, Tel: 0191 384 8028 www.crookhallgardens.co.uk 13:00 - to 3.30 pm, Photography Workshop for Children at Hardwick Park. £5 per child. Come along and talke a walk, learn basic wildlife photograhy skills. Suitable for children aged 7+. Please bring a camera. Booking essential. www.durham.gov.uk/hardwickpark

AUGUST 1 Wednesday 10:00 - to 4 pm, Teddy Bear's Picnic, Botanic Garden, Durham - all day event with special activities. Enter your bear into the most loved teddy bear competition. Enjoy bear stories and bear-y artwork activities. www.durham.ac.uk/whatson 3 Friday Outdoor Theatre at Raby Castle, HMS Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan. Tickets should be booked in advance. www.rabycastle.com, tel 01833 660202 4 Saturday 15:00 - Sleeping Beauty Outdoor Theatre at Hardwick Park, Sedgefield. £12 adults, £8 child, £35 family, booking essential. www.durham.gov.uk/hardwickpark 7 Tuesday 13:00 - to 3 pm, Olympics at Old Fulling Mill, Durham - have a go at some ancient and modern Olympic sports and make your own medals. www.durham.ac.uk/whatson 9 Thursday 13:00 - to 3 pm, Olympics at Old Fulling Mill, Durham - have a go at some ancient and modern Olympic sports and make your own medals. www.durham.ac.uk/whatson 11 Saturday Sedgefield Show, www.sedgefieldshow.co.uk 19 Sunday Vintage Vehicle Rally at Raby Castle, www.rabycastle.com, tel 01833 660202 22 Wednesday 10:00 - to 4 pm, Teddy Bear's Picnic, Botanic Garden, Durham - all day event with special Page 16 www.getsetkids.co.uk activities. Enter your bear into the most loved teddy bear competition. Enjoy bear stories and bear-y artwork activities. www.durham.ac.uk/whatson 24 Friday The Paralymic Flame at Beamish - a splinter of the English Flame will be brought from London to Beamish where it will be on view before being combined into the paralympic flame. Enjoy an evening of paralympic sports demonstrations. Full details at www.beamish.org.uk 25 Saturday and 26th, Great Aycliffe Show, Newton Aycliffe 10:00 - to 3 pm and 26 August - The Romans Return to Hardwick Park, Sedgefield - traditional craft stalls, falconry displays, ballista demonstrations and dramatic battles. £4 each, £12 per family. www.durham.gov.uk/hardwickpark 30 Thursday to 2 September, Power From the Past Festival of Agriculture at Beamish Museum. www.beamish.org.uk, tel 0191 3704000

SEPTEMBER 18 Tuesday To 22 September Book Fest 2012, Newcastle Castlegate and City Hall Check out www.book-fest.co.uk for more information and quote GSK2012 for 20% discount. A great place to meet your favourite authors and get your books signed. Check out our web site at www.getsetkids.co.uk for the latest events Information is correct at the time of going to print but we suggest you check with the venue before travelling as events can be liable to change or cancellation. Just for fun! How many Union Jack flags are hidden throughout the magazine? WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN To win a family ticket to see Michael To win a Treasure Trail around Morpurgo at Bookfest, Newcastle City Hall Durham City just answer on Saturday 22 September just answer the the following question following question Name one of Michael Name one tourist attraction in Morpurgo’s books Durham City Enter online at www.getsetkids.co.uk Enter online at www.getsetkids.co.uk by 20 August 2012 by 20 August 2012

www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 17 Page 18 www.getsetkids.co.uk www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 19 Award-winning Hall Hill Farm was National Farm Attraction in 2010, and is currently, Best Small Visitor Attraction. The farm celebrated its 30th Anniversary last year with the opening of the Playbarn, a fantastic 6000sq feet undercover area, with soft play, slides and pedal tractors, and plenty of space for the adults to sit and enjoy a cuppa. This year the indoor play for toddlers was extended. Also new this year is an additional polytunnel to house the pigs, and for pony grooming. Come rain or shine there is always lots to do, with a wide range of animals and activities, chicks to hold, rabbits and guinea pigs to cuddle, donkey rides, barrel train, tractor and trailer ride, puppet shows, and bottle feeding the pet lambs. Other animals include llamas, alpacas, the magniﬁcent Highland Cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and piglets. The Farm Tearoom serves homemade cakes, with hot food also available, and the outdoor adventure play area oﬀers panoramic views of the countryside. Hall Hill Farm is now open every day until September 30th from 10.30am –5.00pm. Admission is £5.25 for Children, £6.25 for Adults, Family 2+2 £18.75, Under 2’s go free. Voucher on page 3. For further information visit the website www.hallhillfarm.co.uk or look on Facebook and Twitter or telephone 01388 731333.

Page 20 www.getsetkids.co.uk A SUMMER DAY OUT at Beamish Pack a picnic, put the kids in the car and head to Beamish this summer for a great family day out. There’s something to keep everyone happy – ride on the trams and the steam train, see how dark it is down a real coal mine, explore the shops and houses and take a ride on the beautiful steam gallopers. It’s a great way for children to discover their heritage and find out what life was really like in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian times – at Beamish, history is fun ! And with a Beamish Unlimited Pass, it’s great value for money too. For a one-off admission charge you can visit as many times as you like for a whole year. Catch one of the many special events happening throughout the year, pop in to see what’s new or simply enjoy a day on the beautiful Beamish site.

For more information visit www.beamish.org.uk or telephone 0191 370 4000. WIN WIN WIN To win a family ticket to Adventure Valley, Durham answer the following question What is Adventure Valley’s newest attraction? To win a family ticket to Adventure Valley’s 18 hole adventure golf course answer the following question What page is Adventure Valley’s advert on in the magazine? Enter online at www.getsetkids.co.uk by 10 August 2012 WIN WIN WIN To win a Swimfin answer the following question and apply online at www.getsetkids.co.uk by 20 August 2012 Who designed the Swimfin?

www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 21 SUMMER CAMP DATES

WEEK 1 23rd - 27th July WEEK 2 30th July - 3rd August WEEK 3 6th - 10th August WEEK 4 13th - 17th August WEEK5 20th - 24th August WEEK 6 27th - 31st August

Drop oﬀ between 8.30am - 9.30am

Pick up between 4.30pm - 5.30pm

Catterick Leisure Centre Gough Road Catterick Garrison Call 01748 831030 North Yorkshire DL9 3EL

Telephone 01748 831030

Page 22 www.getsetkids.co.uk MIDSUMMER KNIGHT DISCO 23RD JUNE FALCONRY DISPLAY BETWEEN 12 /4 ON 24TH JUNE / FREE ADMISSION MURDER MYSTERY WEEKEND IS 13 AND 14 JULY FROM £159 PER PERSON FOR 2 NIGHTS DINNER BED AND BREAKFAST Christmas brochure now available. CLASSIC CAR SHOW 15TH JULY / FREE ADMISSION Either call the hotel or download at MURDER MYSTERY DATE IS 20TH OCTOBER £28.95 www.bw-walworthcastle.co.uk

www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 23 N THE OPE EN FOR NOW OP AYS! R HOLID SUMME DS KE PO ARAO K & ST l UES ssentia ER Q oking e LAS Pre-bo L www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 25 The refurbished community centre at the Neville Parade Newton Aycliﬀe has rooms for you to hire to organise your own event - birthday party, wedding reception, sales, activities, exhibitions and commercial use. FAMILY LIFE FOR LESS To view ring Peter Beaty 01325 313924. We can also arrange food if required.

FAMILY LIFE FOR LESS Best Western Walworth Castle Hotel A free bottle of house wine when a table of 4 people is booked in HEALTH AND LEISURE CLUB Hansard's restaurant. FAMILY DAY PASS (Is located within Best Western Walworth Castle Hotel.) 2 adults and 2 children Valid until 2nd September 2012 tel 01325 485470 Please ring to book and present this voucher at Health Club Reception when you visit the club. Terms and conditions apply

tel: 0191 384 8028 10% off family entry with £1 OFF this voucher. No photocopies. admission for a Expiry 1st September GSKCH maximum of two people. No photocopies.GSKADV

Page 26 www.getsetkids.co.uk HELPING HANDS

Here’s a few local services that could be handy to have at your ﬁngertips! To advertise here please contact Ally or Emma on 07971 577572 / 07534997875

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www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 27 Get Set Kids have been exceptionally lucky to get interviews with all four superstar coaches from BBC’s The Voice. We’re featuring Jessie J and will.I.am in this issue and watch out for Sir Tom Jones and Danny O’Donoghue in our Autumn issue.

Jesse J exploded onto the UK music scene as the BBC Sound of 2011 and already has 6 top 10 singles, a platinum selling debut album, 4 MOBO awards and 2 sell out tours under her belt. A critically acclaimed singer-songwriter – who better to be a mentor than pop’s hottest property ...?

When you landed the job, what was your reaction? I was overwhelmed to be asked to do The Voice UK, but I felt ready to work hard and be part of something exciting. What makes The Voice UK the show for you? The title explains everything, it's about “the voice”, and that's what I'm about which is a perfect combination. You’re an artist with a very strong/distinctive image. How important is style to you, and how much is it truly about “the voice”? It's always about the voice, I would much rather people remember the performance than the outfit. Style is amazing to have fun with but I never want my style to define me, I want my music to define me. What did you oﬀer to the artists on your team whichwas unique from what was oﬀered by the other coaches? I don't think it's what I can offer that the others can't. It's what I can bring to the table, which is someone young and living it right now, I'm very much in the thick of it - I have an album out, I'm writing my second album, I'm touring around the world, I'm at the Grammys, at the Brits. I'm living it. I understand how it is for people to pick you apart; these are all things that anyone who wants to be in the music industry needs to know. Had you met the other coaches before? I had met will.i.am before, but hadn’t had the honour of meeting Sir Tom or Danny. It was lovely to meet them and hang out with them – they’re wonderful people to be around. Who is the most competitive? Tricky... none of us are naturally competitive people, but different things bring out the competitive side in each of us. Pitching to the artists on the show was funny, everyone made jokes with each other – but it was more jokes than serious competitiveness! Do you get nervous doing live TV? Especially as on The Voice UK you’re a coach as well as a performer. I always get nervous. I think it's a natural thing, I definitely feel I have something to prove to myself and my fans. I always want to raise the bar. 2012 is the most amazing year so far. I’ve already had the most amazing opportunities thrown at me, which I'm catching with open arms. I'm enjoying every minute, I'm definitely having more fun this year – it's nice to be making music for a second year and people still liking it! Page 28 www.getsetkids.co.uk A founding member of global super-group The Black Eyes Peas, songrwriter and 7 time Grammy winner, will.i.am is also an established producer working with some of the music world’s biggest hitters on both sides of the Atlantic.

Why did you want to get involved with The Voice? I loved the concept of getting to work with singers where the audition is just based on their voices. I have watched the American Voice and I love it. It’s amazing. The fact you can’t see the artists when they audition is what this show is all about. I am so glad I have got on board and I really hope the British viewers were blown away by it. What are you bringing to the table? I really enjoy producing, composing and arranging and I hope I have transferred my insight and experience onto my the team. What kind of coach are you? Fair, tough talking, kind...?! Throughout my career when I have coached people, it has always been all about being someone’s friend. I wanted to go about The Voice with the same perspective in the sense that a friend is better than being a mentor or coach. I really wanted to be able to give my team my perspective on the music business. What did you think of the artists’ talent during the blind auditions? I was blown away and the thing that has surprised me most about doing this show is the standard of the singers. I thought I’d get a couple of good singers on my team, but to have ten incredible singers is just fantastic. Undoubtedly The Voice is all about the singing. But is image important to you? No. For me, I think it is amazing we are listening to everyone’s voices. Truthfully, there was not a bad act that came up to audition. Were you looking for anything speciﬁc? I didn’t necessarily press the buzzer (every time there was a strong voice). I was focussed. I was looking for something unique in the artist's voice and there weren’t any shocks at all. I haven’t been disappointed either. How do you get on with the rest of the panel? Great. I get on with them all. Danny and Jessie have a lot to offer and I really admire Tom’s longevity and talent. I spoke my mind during the auditions, for sure. You need to step up when necessary! Is there anything you have found tough? Just the early wake-up calls! Seriously though, I have enjoyed this experience so much. Can you see yourself settling in Britain permanently? I don’t know what the word ‘permanent’ means anymore as I am always travelling! The jet lag is ok to deal with though.

www.getsetkids.co.uk Page 29

Amy’s LIP GOSS Hi Everyone, How is the summer treating you guys?...... For us at TFM Radio the summer seems to be bringing out all the music stars. Just the other day we had Misha B, who was on X-Factor last year, stop by for a quick chat, her new song is due out any week now. Then Cheryl dropped in for a cuppa, while she was in she told us she’s dropped “Cole” from her name, so now she’s simply known as Cheryl. And then the girls from Stooshe, Karis, Courtney and Alex arrived! They are great fun. We started by asking the girls when was that all important moment when you knew you had really made it?...... I think it was when we went into a shop one day and saw a big double page spread in a magazine, which was comparing us to the Spice Girls, they were saying we were the modern day girl power. Then a few days later Mel C, who we all remember as Sporty Spice, told a reporter we were a really good girl group because we had a great attitude! You have a very diﬀerent image to the Spices, is image very important to you?...... Yes, we like to live by our own rules and embrace who we are and we want to get that across to other young girls as well, we want them to know it’s ok to just be yourself and look the way you want to look and have confidence in yourself and who you are. Your new song Black Heart is amazing, it’s doing really well in the charts, it’s very diﬀerent to everything else that’s out at the minute, with it’s slightly retro feel!...... Yeah it’s got a Motown feel, we love Motown music and Black Heart has that 60’s vibe. We have all been broken hearted at some time and so we decided to sing about it. We think as long as you mean what you sing and it comes from your heart it will come across in the music and people can sympathise with that. The girls were great fun. Coming up next time Cheryl tells us why she loves it when her hair is dirty!.....Who’s the most WIN WIN WIN annoying member of Girls Aloud…..and To win a family pass to Beamish just answer the what she loves to cook for tea when she’s following question. Apply on-line at having a night in!...... Don’t miss her chat in www.getsetkids.co.uk by 10 August 2012. September’s issue. Which three periods of history Bye for now Amy x can you discover at Beamish?