UNISON – supporting Tolpuddle KX 2009

Local yoof to take the stage…

Details coming soon, the two primary schools next to Edward Square in King’s Cross and the local youth arts, culture and sports project are starting to work on their performances for Saturday 25 April’s live stage show to be enjoyed by marchers commemorating the 175th anniversary of London’s great demonstration in support of the Tolpuddle Martyrs…

We need your cash!

TolpuddleKX is organised and run by local volunteers. We need donations to pay for equipment (stage, PA etc) and other essential outgoings- we are keeping costs to the bare minimum and we can provide our budget and accounts on request. Please give generously!

Stop Press: John Hegley confirmed!!!

20 April 2009 sees the big comedy night for the TolpuddleKX festival at the Cross Kings on York Way behind the station… the great news is that the funniest man alive has confirmed – John Hegley, hurray!!! Watch this space as we reveal details in the coming days……..

Stop Press: Billy Bragg confirmed!!!

25 April 2009 is the culmination of a week long festival commemorating the 175th anniversary of the great demonstration in support of the Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1834. We will march down the Caledonian Road from Caledonian Park to Edward Square where music and activities of all kinds will be headlined by Billy Bragg. Do not miss this!!!

The history lives on…

Of all the martyrs James Hammett was released last – in 1837. Meanwhile the others moved to Essex and then to Ontario in Canada where there is now a monument in their honour and an affordable housing co-op / trade union complex named after them. They are buried in a small cemetery in Ontario. James Hammett remained in Tolpuddle. He died in the Dorchester workhouse in 1891. His family live on and regularly attend the annual Tolpuddle Festival in Dorset (to be held in July this year). We are so pleased that the Hammet family will be with us at TolpuddleKX on the day of the big march – Saturday 25 April.

Online postcard available now

South West TUC are working hard supporting the week long festival 18-25 April 2009 in King’s Cross to commemorate the great demonstration that took place here in 1834. They have donated the postcard that has been distributed far and wide promoting the festival finale, the 2009 march and music event to take place on Saturday 25th April 2009. The postcard gives all the details of the march and is now available for download here..

The plan is coming together

So far we can confirm comedy night, film night and the big march and music event and there’s more to come… Keep watching this blog for news…

Funding appeal now in top gear

We need to raise nearly £7,000 and fast. Costs for the festival are being kept to the bare minimum – thanks to everyone that’s donating time, expertise, equipment, venues etc etc etc. Meanwhile there are some things we just need to raise the cash for (a stage and PA for example). Can you help? Donations, however small will make a huge difference. Do you have a mailing list, contacts, members that you could ask to donate? You’ll get your reward in Tolpuddle… The funding appeal letter can be downloaded here, please feel free to circulate it far and wide. We’ll soon have a Paypal account set up so that you can donate online, meanwhile the letter has all the details you need to send in a cheque – don’t wait for the Paypal option, we need your money now!

Thankyou!!!

Islington tribune freebie publicity

Our Dick Muskett is interviewed about the festival in the local freesheet.