Fifty school children launched the final countdown to the arrival of The Tall Ships’ Races in NewcastleGateshead this July by singing sea shanties beneath a new specially built poster advertising the event.

The poster created in conjunction with Grainger Trust PLC, the official city branding sponsor for the event in NewcastleGateshead, is a specially commissioned 3-D hording situated close to St James’ Metro station, Strawberry Place, Newcastle, depicting one of the ships taking part in the Races in full sail.

The 48 sheet site will be seen by thousands of commuters and passers by from now until the ships leave NewcastleGateshead at the end of July.

A second new special build poster was also unveiled today in Gateshead on the approach to the Tyne Bridge.

Peter Couch, Director at Grainger Trust, said: "As a company with its headquarters in the North East we couldn't resist the opportunity to become part of an event which means so much to so many people across the region. Grainger Trust is heavily involved in a number of regeneration projects around the area and is firmly committed to supporting arts and culture as part of this. The Tall Ships' Races will provide a great window to showcase the North East and the cultural diversity that lies at its heart.

"There's a real sense of excitement amongst staff at the company now the countdown to the festival has begun and I think the unveiling of this fantastic, eye-catching poster marks the beginning of Tall Ships fever in the North East."

As part of the city branding campaign launch, new window stickers promoting the event have also been produced. These are available free of charge to anyone including shops, businesses, restaurants, organisations and venues who would like to demonstrate they are eagerly awaiting the ships arrival.

Anyone who would like a sticker should email a request to sticker@ngi.org.uk or alternatively pick one up from Newcastle and Gateshead Tourist Information Centres, Eldon Square,  and MetroCentre, Customer Services Desk, Green Mall next to House of Fraser and Blue Mall next to the UCI cinema.

Images of The Tall Ships’ Races will also become a fixture in major cities across the UK as NewcastleGateshead Initiative’s 2005 Alive poster campaign rolls out nationally. From mid June, large format posters of NewcastleGateshead will begin to appear in Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh revealing why the city is one of the hottest new city break destinations.

Phil Payne, Tall Ships Manager for NewcastleGateshead, said: ”With just 30 days to go now until the first of the ships is due to arrive the real countdown has now begun. Visitors and local people alike will begin to see the streets completely transformed with banners heralding the arrival of the ships as the event gets ever closer.”

Miles Clarke, head teacher at Hotspur Primary School, said: “We were delighted to be asked to get involved with the celebrations today. The children have been rehearsing sea shanties for some time now in conjunction with a project at The Sage Gateshead but we also performed a special rendition of When the Boats Come In particularly for this launch as it seemed rather fitting.”

The children were taken to the poster sites by one of the NewcastleGateshead city sightseeing buses which will be operating an enhanced service for visitors throughout the duration of the Races.

The Tall Ships’ Races will be in port on both the Newcastle Quayside and Gateshead Quays from July 25th and July 28th.

Over 100 ships, including just under 30 of the world’s largest vessels will arrive on the Quaysides, attracting around and anticipated 1m visitors to the area.

The last time NewcastleGateshead hosted the Tall Ships’ Races in 1993 it was the biggest single free visitor attraction that year.


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