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A Flying Visit to Sunderland !
| Published: 1st July 2009 18:16 |
International kite fliers, Robert Trepanier, Robert Valkenburgh and Robert Brasington have been helping children in Sunderland to design and make their very own flying creations in preparation for this year's International Friendship Festival.
Children from Hudson Road and Valley Road Primary Schools and members of the Bangladeshi Centre in Hendon were given the opportunity to take part in a number of creative workshops with specialist kite maker Frances Anderson and each of the three Roberts. Each group was encouraged to design and build their own kites and create a number of wind instruments including bamboo organs, wind chimes and tin can harps. These will be displayed at Sunderland's International Friendship Festival on Saturday July 4 and Sunday July 5.
Kite Workshop at Valley Road Primary School in Sunderland.
In keeping with the festival's international theme, each of the professional fliers have travelled far and wide to share their skills and knowledge to inspire others to become interested in the art of kite making. Robert Trepanier, who is well known for his large scale figurative kites, has travelled from Montreal in Canada to showcase his kites of dogs and people, which can look very surreal, if skilfully manoeuvred in the sky.
Robert Brasington, who has travelled from Tasmania, has been making kites for over 16 years now and bases each of his kites upon architecture and the natural world. Several of his designs have won awards. Aeolian specialist, Robert Valkenburgh who makes chimes, instruments and vibrating strings that play in the wind, has been sponsored by DFDS Seaways to travel from Amsterdam to the North East to take part in the event. Robert first started to build kites in the 80's and then went on to make wind instruments in the 90's, several of which will be displayed at the festival.
The three Roberts & Catherine Jowett from DFDS join the kids outside Valley Road.
Robert Valkenburgh commented:
I'm sincerely grateful to DFDS Seaways for providing my travel to the UK, which has enabled me to take part in the workshops at Hudson Road and Valley Road Primary School and this year's festival. It's been really interesting spending time with each of the children and seeing how they interpret their own ideas when making kites and I'm looking forward to seeing the results on display at the Friendship Festival."
A total of 39 international kite fliers have confirmed attendance for this year's festival, which will take place at the Northern Area Playing Fields in Washington from 11am - 5pm on Saturday July 4 and Sunday July 5. As well as featuring the popular kite festival, the free event plays host to innovative street theatre, exhibitions, family craft activities, storytelling, international cuisine and world music.
Councillor James Blackburn, Portfolio Holder for Attractive and Inclusive City from Sunderland City Council, said:
Sunderland's International Friendship Festival is a really popular family event that people of all ages have been enjoying for the last 24 years. The free festival has always had really strong international ties and is a celebration of Sunderland's friendships both around the world and between local communities.
"There is a really strong creative focus to this year, with reading, poetry and music for people to enjoy and take part in, as well as the ever popular kites. All the elements for a fun-filled family event are there - we just have to hope that the sun shines and it will be perfect!"
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Related Content from AboutMyArea South Sunderland
Festival Programme Report of 2008 Festival
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