A NEW programme of events for 2014/15 was officially launched by a Communities First group in Newport this week.

Performers from groups based across the Newport Central cluster took part at the event held at the Pill Millennium Centre.

The Newport central cluster manager Lee Robson said the event on Tuesday, which attended by about 170 people, was “really good.”

He said: “When it took off it was like a wild party without the agro. It’s quite magical when people come together and pull things off.”

Performances were given by children from St Woolos Primary School, regional TeenStar finalist Kieron Marsh, and by choirs made up of people who are originally from Zimbabwe and Slovakia but now live in the city. The G-Expressions dance troupe also performed. The group was recently awarded £3,000 to help with their costs at the Your Voice, Your Choice event funded by the Gwent High Sheriff’s Community Fund and money from Gwent’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Ian Johnston.

And the resident producer at The Riverfront’s recording studio Pentalk Lab, Jamie Winchester, provided workshops over the afternoon.

The branch of Communities First, which is based at Pill Millennium Centre and funded by the Welsh Government, will run job clubs, which it has running this week to help people find employment, fitness programmes and other events for people in their area.

To take part in Communities First’s events in the Newport central cluster, get in touch with Communities First on 01633 264157.