Lending his support to the event is Take That star Jason Orange. Having been raised in Wythenshawe and having first-hand experience of how talent can be discovered to kick-start a successful entertainment career, Jason is now encouraging residents of all ages in the area to register and get involved.

Jason Orange said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for people from my home town to showcase their talents and perhaps go on and have careers in the entertainment business.

“Knowing Wythenshawe and the people who live there, I’m sure it will be a great event and I’d encourage everyone to get involved and most importantly, really enjoy it!”

Now in its third year, the variety show is open to people of all ages who live or work in areas with M22 or M23 postcodes and aims to build on last year’s success when over 1,000 people took part.

Bringing the community together

Wythenshawe’s Got Talent has played an important role in bringing the Wythenshawe community together and giving residents an opportunity to showcase their abilities.

Joe Doherty, Chief Executive at Willow Park Housing Trust, said “We are delighted to support the Wythenshawe’s Got Talent Variety Show.

“The event is a fantastic opportunity for the Wythenshawe community to showcase and celebrate local talent.

“It also provides contestants of all ages and abilities the chance to broaden their horizons and realise their true potential, something which creates a tremendous ‘feel good’ factor for the whole Wythenshawe community and beyond.”

Parkway Green Housing Trust’s Chief Executive, Nigel Wilson, said: “It is fantastic that a star as big as Jason Orange is willing to lend his support to the local community and we hope he inspires residents of all ages and abilities to take part.

“Events like Wythenshawe’s Got Talent play a huge role in bringing communities closer together and I’m really looking forward to seeing the talent we have and hopefully we’ll unearth performers who may go on to be the next big stars from the area.”

Applications process

The closing date for applications is the 24th September with auditions being held on the 9th October at Wythenshawe Forum.

On the 11th October, the 15 successful acts chosen to perform in the grand final on November the 6th will be notified.

Application forms and more details are available online at http://www.wythenshawesgottalent.co.uk/
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She said: “I really like Take That – I’ve not met them yet so I’d be really excited if Jason turned up.”
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Founder of Mix-d, Bradley Lincoln, stood his ground on the topic due to his own experience growing up in Manchester.

He said: “We are not an activist organisation bleating about injustices visited on broken people. We explore, we support, we work through some identity issues.

“Be aware that mixed race people in the UK are grossly over-represented in many statistics, including those for mental ill-health and school exclusions. We go about our business looking for practical ways (to help) away from these kinds of realities. The model contest is a bit of fun.”

Hundreds of supporters of the project including Take That’s Jason Orange, Coronation Street actress Tupele Dorgu and Waterloo Road’s Tachia Newall, gathered at Gorton Monastery on Saturday 30 October for the Mix-d: Face competition.

Nineteen finalists, as selected from hundreds by Boss Model Management, took to the catwalk and were judged by a panel of Boss Model Management judges plus Confidential’s health and beauty editor Lynda Moyo and BBC Weather presenter, Eno Eruotor. Entertainment came by the way of the Manchester Singout Choir and singer Julie E. Gordon featuring J. Mack.

The fundraising event included a catwalk show styled by Harvey Nichols Manchester. The winners were announced as 15-year-old Florence Cassidy from Whitefield and 15-year-old Graham Scaif from New Moston. They each won a 12-month modelling contract with Boss Model Management. Runners-up were Calcin Calloghan-Clarke, 16, from Droylsden and Jessica Hannay, 16, from Timperley.

The event raised over £2,000 for the Mix-d: education pack on the night through the raffle and auction of Take That gig tickets offered by Jason Orange. The education pack is aimed at increasing understanding of current mixed-race issues. For more information visit www.mix-d.org
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A sell-out crowd at Wythenshawe Forum saw former X-Factor finalist Laura White perform five songs as part of the Variety Show on Saturday night.

She kicked-off the show with the aptly titled ‘Let’s get this Party Started’ and returned to the stage at the end to sing covers of Alesha Dixon’s Let’s Get Excited and Crazy for You by Adele before finishing with Take That’s Greatest Day as she was joined on stage by all the acts and organisers.

Laura is currently putting the finishing touches to her debut album which is due out in 2011 and paid tribute to the acts and the event.

She said: “It was a fantastic night and although I knew the acts were really talented after seeing them at the auditions, I was amazed at just how good they were and how well they coped with performing in front of such a big crowd.

“It was really nice to be back performing in my home city but the night was all about the acts and their family and friends who came along to support them – it was a brilliant advert for everyone connected with Wythenshawe.”

Organised by tenants and staff at the town’s two housing trusts; Willow Park and Parkway Green, over 650 people witnessed acts that included a variety of singing and dancing routines.

The 18 acts were chosen by eight tenant judges who were led by Laura White and Jerry Tse from professional dance and arts studio, Sunshine Dance Studios, after auditions in October that saw over 70 acts take part.

Wythenshawe’s Got Talent was also supported by Take That star Jason Orange.

Having been raised in the town, and having first-hand experience of how talent can be discovered to kick-start a successful entertainment career, Jason encouraged residents of all ages in the area to register and get involved.

Jason Orange said: “Wythenshawe’s Got Talent is a fantastic provides a great opportunity for people from my home town to showcase their talents and perhaps go on and have careers in the entertainment business.

“Knowing Wythenshawe and the people who live there, I knew it would be a great event and I hope everyone really enjoyed it!”

Joe Doherty, Chief Executive at Willow Park Housing Trust, said: “The role Wythenshawe’s Got Talent is playing in bringing the east and west of the town’s communities together is invaluable.

“The event was a great testimony to the tenants who organised it and of course, all the acts who took part on the night and in the auditions. There’s so much talent in the Wythenshawe and we hope it inspires them to go on and really develop their skills.”

Chief Executive at Parkway Green Housing Trust, Nigel Wilson, said: “Seeing so many people from across Wythenshawe, young and old, together enjoying such a great night’s entertainment was incredibly pleasing.

“The event is a fantastic occasion for the Wythenshawe community to showcase and celebrate local talent and having stars like Laura and Jason supporting it really inspires people to get involved.”

The variety show was open to people of all ages who live or work in areas with M22 or M23 postcodes.
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