Volunteer with us
We couldn’t do it without you. Our amazing volunteers and supporters are the jewel in the crown of the Gateway Studio community. People come to help, but find friendship, purpose and plenty to do.
Here’s a few recent highlights:
Local Insurance Brokers, Talbot Jones Ltd gift their time through gardening for Corporate Social Responsibility in COVID-19.
Did Someone Say Weeds?
Here at Gateway Studio, we're thrilled to have such incredible supporters in our corner, and in our community
After months of working from home, and in lockdown, we've been working hard to get our premises at the Trinity Centre ready for the new academic term.
Thank you to the wonderful humans (and Insurance Brokers) at Talbot Jones Ltd for helping us with our unruly gardens and weeds!
When you're a charity, there's ALWAYS a long list of things to do, and we're so grateful to Clare, Richard, Miranda and Sue for donating 3 hours of their time as corporate volunteers
That's 12 hours of their support which makes such a HUGE difference to our organisation (and which could have been billable hours if they'd been in the office!)
Thank you to the hardworking Eva and Alex who gave up the last of their school holidays to do a good dead in their community!
It's so nice to meet young people who care about the environment, the planet and the community!
4 wonderful volunteers
2 awesome kids
1 staff member
21 hours of work (done and dusted in only 3)
A whole lot of leaves!
10 bags of weeds!
1 bottle of weed killer
+ a whole lot of liquorice of all sorts and spicy Doritos consumed!
Local Community Makes a Splash at Painting Party for Dance Organisation Supporters
In February 2019, Gateway Studio whose premises are based in the Trinity Centre on Gateshead High Street, was vandalised with the front door of the iconic building damaged and a few items were taken. The community of Gateshead rallied round to support the organisation and £2,700 was raised through a fundraising campaign ‘Secure the Gateway’. This enabled the locks to be fixed and other urgent maintenance work.
Like many hardworking couples and charities struggling for resources, Studio Directors, Martin and Debbie Hylton felt the impact of this vandalism in a very personal way, and this experience caused great disappointment to Gateway Studio, who are working hard to provide an important space for people to improve their health and wellbeing through dance within their community.
Despite generous financial contributions, there were many people who expressed their wishes to help in a non-financial way through volunteering and donations of their skills and time.
It was decided to host a Painting Party for Gateway Studio Project Supporters, with event organisation and communications support from Ashleigh King of new start up AK Creative Consultancy.
Nando’s Trinity Gateshead kindly provided sponsorship by feeding hungry volunteers, which was a hit with the young dancers who went along to pick up the food and thank the restaurant in person for their generosity.
Marco, the Patrao (Portuguese for ‘Head of the family’) at the Gateshead Trinity Store shared how Nando’s like to keep their Fundraising local and offered a warm welcome to Gateway Studio staff.
Gateway Studio Project Artistic Director and Newcastle University Creative Arts graduate, Martin Hylton said:
“It is great to see so much support from young dance students who really do care about their learning environment. We feel like we have a brand new studio, thanks to all we have achieved working with dancers, parents and friends of Gateway Studio.
We knew we wanted to work with Nando’s because of their similar ethos to our own. With Nando’s and Gateway’s focus on ‘family’ as key values, we knew it would be a good match.”
Organisers Ashleigh King and Debbie Hylton, were delighted at the turnout:
“Asking people to give up their time, particularly on the weekend is no small task, and even if someone expresses their interest their attendance cannot always be guaranteed. In planning the event, we hoped for around 10 volunteers - we were delighted when 35 people showed up throughout the day. Not just Gateway dancers, but friends of the organisation, members of the Advisory Board and parents of dancers. We had helpers from ages 4 to 60+ and there was a job for everyone, with a lovely atmosphere and community spirit.”
Dancers and volunteers when asked about why they had decided to come along all gave similar responses: they wanted to be part of the Gateway Studio Family, and work together to make a space they could feel proud of which would be tidy, clean and inviting to all who use it.
Igor Tavarez and Marcio Inacio of new Capua Gate Dance Company (based at Gateway Studio and sponsored by Sport Tyne and Wear) helped to tidy, paint and tile a new Girl’s Changing Room for their female dance colleagues.
“Gateway Studio is our home, and we have been part of the Gateway family for over seven years. We want to improve the building of the place we create new performance pieces within.”
With so many volunteers, the task list for the day was quickly completed! Costumes were sorted and catalogued, all facilities were cleaned and tidied. The dance studio was painted, an outside drain and guttering unblocked, the gardens weeded and leaves shovelled as well as drilling and maintenance jobs.
Two young dancers (insert names) were delighted when while sweeping leaves outside they each found a £5 and £10 note, which shows that volunteering, as well as providing a feel good factor has its own rewards!
The Painting Party has come at a good time as a new programme of dance classes begins! With Adult Contemporary, Afrofusion, House Dance and Yoga to name a few! Gateway Studio are offering a FREE dance class for anyone who would like to give dance a go! All ages and abilities are welcome – use the code CHRONICLE19 when booking.