Mark Goldbridge

Football stadium adding family entertainment centre St Mary’s Stadium, the home of English football side Southampton, who compete in the Championship, is set to open one of the largest mixed entertainment locations on the south coast in October. The new 12,000sq.ft entertainment centre, called Level1, will combine competitive socialising with what it describes as “premium design and broad appeal.” Read more: https://ow.ly/iNFS50WFRA2 #InterGame #News #Amusements

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Northampton to make history with the first combined music festival and disability event of its kind in the UK. The collaboration sees NN Fest, produced by MOSounds Ltd, providing the music festival infrastructure and atmosphere, while Nick’s Access Outdoors CIC is bringing cutting-edge all-terrain mobility technology and accessible adventure experiences. Suzy Jones, Operations Director from MOSounds, said: "We believe music has the power to unite people, so collaborating on the UK's first combined music festival and disability event feels like a natural step forward. We had such fantastic feedback on accessibility at a few of our previous events and feel it’s really important to show people how outdoor festivals can make minor adjustments that make a huge difference to wheelchair users. This shouldn’t be special and exciting, it should be the norm. This partnership allows us to create something truly groundbreaking - where great music meets innovative accessibility, ensuring everyone can be part of the celebration at Delapré Abbey." Nick Wilson commented: "We're bringing together two things that can help us get through tough times - music and getting outdoors. Combining a disability event with a music festival is totally unique and takes it away from being a solely disabled and fairly formal affair, to a fully inclusive and fun event for everyone." Pre-registered guests can experience the fun and freedom of an all-terrain around Delapré Abbey grounds, alongside free access to the festival. The experience caters to newcomers to adaptive mobility, showing them what's possible in a vibrant, celebratory atmosphere. Additional features include: • Live music programme • Live demos of latest mobility technology • A mobile Changing Place by RevoLOOtion • A quiet sensory zone ran by Virtual Reality Therapies and supported by SENDS 4 Dad • Representation from local access to work and disabilities coaching, Empower Access Thrive Richard Clinton, Chief Executive of Delapré Abbey, said: “We’re proud to be hosting this collaboration between NN Fest and Access Outdoors here at Delapré Abbey. Our grounds are for everyone to enjoy, and this event helps spark conversations and connections between different communities, showing how much can be achieved when people come together to share experiences in a special place like Northampton.” The locally designed extreme all-terrain prototype, RockClimber by Rock Engineering, which enabled Nick to achieve his solo ascent of Yr Wyddfa, will also be on display for people to take selfies. #Accessibility #AccessOutdoors #Disability #MusicFestival #Northampton

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Brilliant to see announced that the WMCA will accelerate support for our world class creative industries through new funding for the region - following just a couple of weeks on from news of our renewed MOU with the BBC bringing investment to the regional screen sector. Thanks to Rachael Wadsworth and Eleanor G. for your work to bring this to life in DCMS and to the many colleagues who have supported us in making the collective case for creativity in the West Midlands. The West Midlands Combined Authority is one of six UK regions with strengths in creative industries that have been awarded £25 million as part of the Government’s Creative Places Growth Fund. This funding will grow the already booming creative industries of the West Midlands - including film and TV, video games, createch, music and performing arts and design. The region is home to over 15,000 creative enterprises, including Digbeth Loc Studios and BBC StudioWorks, while Birmingham, the biggest city in the region, has World Craft City status. The fund was announced in the Creative Industries Sector Plan in June, as part of Industrial Strategy, where the Government shared their intention to invest £150 million in the creative industries of six regions outside of London - Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, West of England, West Midlands and West Yorkshire. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy revealed that the fund will be split equally across these regions to drive growth, innovation and investment.The fund will empower local Mayors to support creative professionals, businesses and young people in their communities with access to finance, mentoring and networking opportunities to help them connect with investors and skills programmes. Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary, said: “Creativity has no postcode - whether it’s a musician in Birmingham, a filmmaker in Coventry, or a video games developer in Wolverhampton. “We know that it is not one size fits all. That’s why we are committed to growing our creative industries in every corner of the nation as part of our Creative Industries Sector Plan, and hope that this devolved funding will be just what these regions need to make their creative industries the best that they can be.” Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Our region is well known for its grit and graft as the manufacturing heart of Britain. But our film and TV sets, gaming studios, music venues, theatre stages, and digital workshops are also fast becoming a major part of our regional economy. “We have the talent, the locations and now the government’s backing to write a new chapter of growth - one that turns more of our stories into exciting jobs and new opportunities. This is about putting our people and places centre stage in the UK’s fast growing creative sector.”

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USW and Sound Progression – a youth music development organisation – have launched a strategic partnership focused on nurturing emerging music talent, creating meaningful opportunities for young creatives, and strengthening the music industry in Wales. Based in Cardiff, Sound Progression is a leading organisation supporting children and young people aged 10 to 25, especially those from diverse and socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Through participant-led music projects and training delivered in community studios, Sound Progression promotes creative expression, empowerment, and confidence building for aspiring singers, songwriters, producers, and sound engineers. The Ed Sheeran Foundation awarded a significant multi-year grant to Sound Progression in January 2025, providing financial stability and enabling growth for the youth music charity. Their partnership with USW forms a key part of this ongoing growth strategy. Carole Blade, Company Manager at Sound Progression, said: “This partnership is a vital step towards creating sustainable pathways for young artists in Wales. Working closely with USW allows us to enhance opportunities for our participants and strengthen the local music sector.” Lucy Squire, Head of Music and Drama at USW, added: “Our collaboration with Sound Progression embodies our commitment to connect education, creativity, and community. Together, we are fostering an inclusive environment where emerging talent can thrive and contribute to Wales’ cultural and economic future.” The partnership will be launched with a free live music showcase at the USW Students’ Union, Cardiff campus, on Thursday 9 October from 5pm. The event is open to both students and the wider music community. Link to full story in comments.

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Out of Sight, Out of Mind One of the most interesting challenges I’ve faced in my career running sites and productions is the way ADHD interacts with the high-pressure world of live events. In environments where everything is constantly moving — from suppliers and logistics through to health & safety checks and client expectations — the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” becomes more than a saying; it becomes a very real hurdle that I’ve had to learn to navigate. For me, ADHD doesn’t disappear when I walk onto a site. It comes with me into the planning rooms, the spreadsheets, the schedules, and the build. The difference is that the margin for error in this industry is razor-thin. When you’re responsible for structures, safety, and delivery, you don’t have the luxury of forgetting. That’s why I’ve had to build systems that go beyond the average way of working. Double-checking and triple-checking plans, drawings, schedules, and risk assessments isn’t optional — it’s survival. Over-communicating with teams, embedding constant reminders, and creating strong visual cues are part of my daily toolkit. These extra steps aren’t a weakness; they’re the adaptations that allow me to thrive in a world that otherwise might move too quickly past me. What I’ve learned is that ADHD requires me to approach leadership and production differently. I don’t rely on memory alone; I rely on systems. I don’t take processes for granted; I stress-test them. And I don’t assume that once something is “done” it’s truly complete until I’ve seen it through again with fresh eyes. That discipline, while born from necessity, often ends up being a strength. It forces me to create layers of resilience in projects that might otherwise be vulnerable to human error or oversight. The truth is that ADHD doesn’t make me less capable in this industry — it makes me more conscious. More aware of the gaps, more tuned into the details, and more disciplined about structure. In some ways, it sharpens the very skills that are essential to delivering live events where nothing can fall through the cracks.

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