Back festival of sail call

Jun 5 2009 by jez Davison, Evening Gazette

BUSINESSES large and small are being urged to back what is likely to be the biggest free event in the UK next year.

Organisers of Hartlepool’s Tall Ships said they ‘fully understood’ that it was hard for firms facing recession and redundancy to commit cash to the jamboree, which aims to raise 10% of the £3m budget from corporate sponsorship.

But Michelle Daurat, Hartlepool Council’s project manager for the Tall Ships race, said there were still “lots of opportunities for those who want to be exposed to up to one million people”.

“We’ve adjusted the sponsorship packages. It’s not just cash we are looking for, but contributions in kind - it’s still saving us on the bottom line.”

Four corporate partners have signed up so far. Mobeus, a locally based independent jeweller is to cast the captains’ trophies on behalf of all four ports hosting what is anticipated to be anything up to 100 ships competing in the race.

Greatham’s Huntsman Pigments and the Hartlepool Partnership have also pledged to support the event and, most recently, Real Radio climbed on board. Several more firms were “still in the pipeline”, said Ms Daurat.

Around one million visitors, mostly from the North-east and South-east regions are expected to descend on the town over four days in August 2010 to watch the final stage of the Tall Ships competition. It is expected to pump millions of pounds into the local economy, with other attractions, including Stockton’s Riverside Festival, which takes place the following week, hoping to benefit from a spillover.

Some local hoteliers have already reported being fully booked for the Tall Ships weekend.

For more information on sponsorship packages, call 01429 284390 or visit www.hartlepooltallships2010.com