Connect in the North wins Government funding bid to help kick start The Learning Revolution in Leeds

Connect in the North is celebrating securing £23,960 from the Government as part of a‘learning for pleasure’ innovation spearheaded by the Department for Business, Innovationand Skills (BIS).

Let Rip - one of over 213 winning projects, will support 10 people with learning difficulties tolearn about the music business and set up a band.

In December 2009 40 people with learning difficulties auditioned at Host Media Centre in Chapeltown. People came from far and wide in the hope of developing their talents and achieving fame in the music industry. The project benefits from the musical skills and
industry knowledge and experience of Liz Leach, Sharon Horsfall and Lanre Phillip from
Standpoint. They formed the audition panel in December and are running the workshops
now. They were very impressed at the quality of performances and are looking forward to
the intensive work over the next 3 months. Auditionees came from a variety of musical
genres from easy listening and musical hall, through punk and heavy metal to modern pop
ballads and rap. The 10 successful people have now started rehearsing and learning about
the music business.

Their achievements will be celebrated at 2 public performances in March 2010. On 12th
March they play at Seven Arts in Chapel Allerton (0113 2626777) and on 26th March at
the Carriageworks (0113 224 3801) in the Centre of Leeds. Tickets cost £6 and are
available from the venues. Call Seven Arts to be added to the reservation list and tickets will
be available on the door on the night. Tickets are available from the Carriage Works for the
performance on the 26th March

Already the project has made a long term impact. Old Chapel studios, run by Mark Hubbard,
where the band is rehearsing, has a history of fostering local talent. The Kaiser Chiefs and
the Pigeon Detectives have practiced there. Now thanks to partnership working between Let
Rip, Standpoint and Old Chapel they have built an accessible toilet. This will mean that
other disabled people can use the facility in the future.

The band have decided to call themselves “The Outsiders” and agreed their set, but that will
remain a secret until the shows in March. This will be the start of something big.

To find out more about Let Rip contact Liz Leach 0794 972 6334 or 

Cathy Wintersgill 0113 270 3233

www.citn.org.uk