NEPA 80 YEARS

BIRTHDAY BLITZ AT STEREO

Pictured left to right, cutting NEPA’s  80th anniversary cake are: Laura Gillespie (NEPA Secretary), Karen Carr (Events organiser), Ronnie Burn (NEPA Chair since 2007), Siân Thomas (NEPA Chair 2001-2007), Gary Ramsay (NEPA News Editor 1988–1994), Jeff Jamison (NEPA Chair 2000–2002) and Dave Grey (NEPA News Editor since 1994).

Commemorating the past and looking to the future with celebrations and cake.

It doesn’t usually take much of an excuse to  get NEPA members out to the pub for a party and the opportunity to get together to mark eighty years was too good to miss.

Well over a hundred party-goers braved the chilly November night air on Friday 27th to enjoy a packed programme. After a busy afternoon of  setting up and stage dressing for the team and the turn, the doors opened at 7.30 with a queue already forming.

within an hour the atmosphere was buzzing and draft ale was running low. Just as well the venue was well stocked with bottles! By 8.30 the bar was packed so tight you could no longer see the huge anniversary banners displaying a selection of archive photos from the past twenty years of NEPA News. (Artwork by Blue Bottle Dave and print by PPD)

NEPA Chairman Ronnie Burn gave a short speech of welcome before handing over to event organiser Karen Carr for the first act of the night, Duly introduced by their ‘mentor’, the young trio ‘Cedar Way’ played a short but impressive set of their own compositions and justly impressed the growing crowd.

Next on the agenda came the ticket draw, with some magnificent prizes to be had ( sincere thanks to all the donors listed on the right). With so much noise and chatter Ronnie had trouble making himself heard, but the announcement that the buffet was open certainly got the desired result. The splendid catering by Jaspers was worth twice the ticket price alone yet it looked like there was still enough left over to feed another hundred! (Good call Laura).

A few words of thanks to the usual hard-working suspects (you know who you are) and to the management and staff of Stereo, a quick photo opportunity and the birthday cake cut, it was time for the main attraction.

NEPA’s ‘house’ band The Desperados took to the floor to deliver a high octane set of rock classics that had the girls dancing and the heads nodding for the next hour and a half.

Well done guys. Tight as a badger’s bum and now with lights and smoke to add to the effect, the band rocked us close to midnight when the Smooth DJ took over to play us into the wee small hours and see us off home with some mellow floor fillers.

Our thanks to everyone who turned out. Hope you enjoyed the do. We’ll try not to leave it another 80 years before the next one.

Raffle prizes:

• DAB radio - Smooth FM
• £75 gift card - Metrocentre
• A digital camera - PPD Print Group
• House of Commons’ bottle of Scotch whiskey
• Signed shirt - Darlington Football Club
• Afternoon tea for two - Lumley Castle
• Four tickets to a Falcons games and four tickets to a vipers game - David Simms at NCJ Media
• Buffet for six - Jaspers Catering
• Two tickets in the box for Sunderland v Portsmouth - North East Press!
• Bottles of gin and vodka - Statex Colour Print
• Round of golf for four at Morpeth - Potts Printers
• Four bottles of Cava - Ronnie Burn
• Bottle of champagne - King Design
• Selection of books - Mike Storey, InformNorth
• Laurent Perrier champagne - Room 501
• Dinner for two at Nando’s - White Hot Communications
• Kimmerston Design donated the birthday cake