Next Big Thing: Jack Garret, winner of the BBC’s Sound of 2016 poll announces UK Tour, forthcoming single and debut album.

Jack Garratt is pleased to announce details of a new single, Worry, to be lifted from his forthcoming debut album, Phase, released on the 19th February through Island Records. 

Worry is the song that started this incredible journey for Jack Garratt, some eighteen months ago. It was an undisputed highlight of a self-released debut EP that Jack put out back in 2014, and it’s long been an impressive highlight of the young British artist/producer’s live set. 

The unveiling of Worry coincides with the news today that Jack has been crowned the winner of the BBC’s Sound of 2016 poll. It smartly follows Jack being named the BRITS Critics Choice for 2016 at February’s BRIT Awards, and picking up the BBC Introducing Award at the BBC Awards back in December. 

The constant building and consequent success that Jack enjoyed in the UK last year was replicated across the globe too. Support slots in the UK and US with Mumford & Sons were also surrounded by sold-out dates of Jack’s own in the UK, US, and into Europe. It’s a live show that has mutated into a spectacle. Performing solo and armed with all the instruments Jack utilizes on Phase, it’s a breathtaking, multi-faceted performance that has already translated to far bigger stages (across the British and US arenas as a support act and at festivals), for which Jack is surely now destined to head by himself.

Soon after the debut album is released in February, Jack Garratt will head out on an eleven date UK/Ireland run, kicking off in Dublin at The Academy on the 30th March 2016, and concluding at a now sold-out O2 Academy Brixton in London on the 15th April. 

Remaining tickets for the UK/Ireland Spring tour can be found here: http://tickets.jackgarratt.com 

Pre-order Phase here: www.jackgarratt.com or from iTunes: http://jackgarra.tt/PhasePreorder4

Jack Garratt Live: 

• 30th March – The Academy, Dublin 1st April – O2 ABC, Glasgow 
• 2nd April – Liquid Room, Edinburgh 
• 4th April – University, Newcastle 
• 5th April – University, Leeds 7th April – O2 Academy, Bristol 
• 8th April – O2 Institute, Birmingham 
• 9th April – Albert Hall, Manchester 
• 11th April – O2 Academy, Oxford 
•  12th April – UEA, Norwich 
•  15th April – O2 Academy Brixton, London SOLD OUT 

www.jackgarratt.com

WHAT THE PAPER'S SAY

“A sonic assault of thunderous drums, deep bass and squalling guitar” – The Sunday Times

“A new direction in pop music” – The Telegraph 

 “Complex, multi-layered and impassioned.” – The Sun SFTW 

“Electro-folk sensation” – Q 

“A combination of incredible songwriting and multi-instrumental talents.” – Daily Star 

“Glacial electro beats and twinkling melodies. He’s created his own brave, new, rapidly expanding world.” – Evening Standard

Short Film: The Bideford Pilot - Out in the estuary whatever the weather.

Yes, the weather's dreadful but spare a thought for those whose work continues rain or shine, day or night and whatever the swell out in the Torridge estuary.  

The Bideford Pilot is an insightful and dramatic new short film showing the work of the pilot, Roger Hoad, who guides ships safely into Bideford, Appledore or Yelland.  In the film, Roger says "People from Bideford often open their curtains to find a ship down at the quay. They go to work while the ship is being loaded and the next morning it has vanished again."

The Bideford Pilot is one of ten short films in the Boat Stories series and local historian Peter Christie, who presented the Bideford premiere screening of the series, commented "I was delighted to see the films which really explored one of those parts of the North Devon economy that we all talk about yet very few see at first hand. It was especially good to see the film on Roger Hoad, the Bideford harbour pilot, whose essential work often happens at very unsocial hours (tides wait for no man not even Roger) and is often very challenging."

Before she began research on the film, Boat Stories producer Jo Stewart-Smith thought that escorting incoming ships over the notorious Bideford Bar would be the most difficult part of the pilot's job.  Jo commented "I know now that transferring the pilot on and off the big ships, gaining the trust of a new captain quickly so the pilot can effectively control the ship, guiding the ships up and down the tidal river through the narrow constantly changing channels and turning a 6,000 tonnes ship against a flood tide - are all tough, challenging tasks."

The work has its rewards as well as its challenges and crew member Thom Flaxman says "I get to see some lovely sunrises and sunsets and appreciate the beauty of the river at all hours of the day and night. Some winter nights the deck of the Pilot Boat is just a sheet of ice. When you're hauling on a line it's worth hanging onto the boat as there's nothing to stop your boots from sliding straight over the side."

John Pavitt is coxwain of the pilot boat and it's his job to keep Roger safe, positioning the boat so they are not in danger of squashing him or breaking his legs.  He tells us "For all the technology that has come along nothing has changed from the pilot’s point of view. He is still hanging on to a rope ladder on the side of the ship under any conditions and it’s the crew of the pilot boat that have to get him safely off and on..."

During the recent storm 'Frank' the pilot crew were out working in winds up to 30 knots, escorting the Celtic Warrior out from Yelland Quay. The ship's master was concerned that transferring the pilot down the long ladder would be too dangerous due to the pitching and rolling but as Roger Hoad said in typically understated fashion "in the event all went well and the crew did a good job in quite testing conditions."

Watching the film has had a lasting impact on Instow resident Jim McCormack "I can see the estuary from my garden and when I'm outside at night I look out across the bar and spare a thought for the Bideford pilot - remembering that dramatic scene in the film where he takes his life in his hands as he jumps from the small pilot boat onto a rope ladder dangling from the giant cargo ship."

You can watch the Bideford Pilot along with the other nine Boat Stories short films at www.boatstories.co.uk.

Magic Cooking. A new cooking club for children in North Devon

A new cooking club for children in North Devon will be launched at taster (!) sessions in Braunton and Barnstaple on 15 and 19 January 2016.

The Magic Cooking Pot is a cookery club for children aged 7 – 14 in North Devon and will be run by local charity South West Family Support. They plan to run 6 week courses after school in Braunton and Barnstaple, helping children to cook meals which can be taken home as a family dinner. The groups will be small and focussed so every child has the chance to get hands on experience and learn how to cook. The club will try out a new recipe every week, so that by the end of the course members will be confident and safe in the kitchen. The charity want children to find out more about food, flavour and where our food comes from, so there is a focus on healthy and more unusual foods – and tasting and experimenting is all part of the fun!

The income earned from the Magic Cooking Pot goes to support the charitable work of South West Family Support who help support families in North Devon when things are difficult to find a way to move forward.

The taster sessions on Friday 15 January in Barnstaple and Tuesday 19 January in Braunton are only £5 to cover the cost of tuition, ingredients and use of the venue. At the session everyone will be invited to join the club. Club members will receive an apron, the chance to book any of our courses and exclusive access to a secret page on our website. On the web page we share all the recipes we cook in our classes week by week and our members log on to add comments, their advice and make suggestions for extra ingredients or side dishes.

The Magic Cooking Pot can also run sessions for individual groups – so please do get in touch with organisers if you would like to request a session at a venue near you or for a group for your agency. Remembering that all profits will be reinvested in supporting families in need in the local area.

1st Taster Session 
  15 January 2016 4pm St Anne’s Arts Centre Barnstaple 

2nd Taster Session 
19 January 2016 4.15pm Braunton Academy 

Places must be booked in advance by contacting: South West Family Support booking@swfamilysupport.org.uk or text or phone to 07805 642268. 

The office opens again for the new year on 4 January 2016 

A six week course for members will begin at the end of January and run weekly at 4pm 

Places need to be booked in advance 

About South West Family Support

South West Family Support is a charity working with children, families in their communities. We help support families when things are difficult to find a way to move forward. The charity offer a flexible and creative family support service across Devon. Our family support workers offer practical and emotional strategies to support children and their parents and help coordinate support around them. South West Family Support formed in March 2001. As a social enterprise we invest all income back into our work with families. South West Family Support is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.