What's it all about?
Here's a link to a sound file
People with learning disabilities in Gateshead told us that they wanted the opportunity to have a "good night out" with their friends – The Lawnmowers decided to do something about it!
The Krocodile Krew project was set up to provide nightclubs for people with learning disabilities in Gateshead and the North East.
The project supports and trains the learning disabled Krocodile Krew in the skills they need to provide their community with a great night out.
History
In 1998 The Lawnmowers actors were bored; there was nowhere where they could go to have a good night out with their friends. They knew that everyone else they spoke to felt the same.
The actors were invited to London to do some work with a learning disabled group called Heart'nSoul. Afterwards they went to The Beautiful Octopus Club, a nightclub hosted by Heart'nSoul. They had a fantastic time and on their return to Gateshead they decided that they would have a go at providing similar clubs here in the North East.
Before running a project it is always a good idea to ask lots of questions and research the idea to find out whether it will work. The actors asked Dave Price, from Northumbria University to do some research for them.
The actors held workshops with people in Gateshead to see what they wanted and expected from "a good night out". Heart'nSoul came up to help us look at all these things and run a club.
Everyone decided to call the club The Krocodile Klub.
The first clubs were held at Winlaton Community centre and Live Theatre in Newcastle.
The Lawnmowers spoke to Gateshead Libraries and Arts, they thought the Krocodile Klubs were a good idea and said we could use Caedmon Hall to hold the Krocodile Klubs.
We had a permanent base and The Krocodile Klubs were born!
In the beginning the Klubs were quite quiet. Popularity grew as more people spread the word and the Krocodile Klubs became a fun and happening place.
As the clubs got bigger and more popular the actors felt that it was time to find a group of people with learning disabilities to take the work forward and develop the Krocodile Klubs.
Lawnmowers had already worked with Boo, and had absolute faith that she was the right person for the job. Boo and Andy visited people and asked lots of questions to find out what things we would have to do to find a group and train them to run the clubs. Boo wrote this information for a report.
We held workshops to find people who wanted to join the Krew and in April 2003 the Krocodile Krew were formed.
Since then the Krew have done lots of training and worked hard to improve the Krocodile Klubs. They have developed a chill out room and host regular open mic slots where people can get up and have a go at singing. The Klubs are very popular and always have the guarantee of a warm Geordie welcome!
The Krew wanted to do something special to celebrate the Year of Disability and so they decided to take on the challenge of hosting the biggest nightclub ever seen for people with learning disabilities in the North East. The Krew booked The Metro Radio Arena and asked Heart'nSoul to come up on the day and help them run the evening.
The Big Snapper Celebration was a spectacular success with over 600 people turning up to party the night away – everyone left asking "when's the next one?"
In March 2005 Big Snapper 2 was held. This time the Krew raised all the funds, organised and ran the event themselves.
The Krew also asked The Sage, Gateshead if they could run a Krocodile Klub in their fantastic new building on Gateshead Quay. In July 2005 the first Invade the Sage was hosted. This was a fantastic night attended by hundreds of people with learning difficulties.
The Krew have also worked for other groups in the community – running workshops to teach people how to DJ and run clubs, providing discos and parties, dance tents, training and set design.
Plans for the future
We are currently recruiting new members for the Krocodile Krew, and will deliver a programme of training and support to them.
Over the next two years the Krew will be hosting lots of Klubs including The Big Snapper, Invade the Sage and the Krocodile Klubs.
The Krew will also look at the best way to run the project as a social enterprise. This means that we will look at the best way to run the Krocodile Krew project as a non profit making business which is managed by people with learning disabilities.
The Krew want to make a better and brighter future for everyone.
We hope that you will visit the Krocodile Klubs – it will be the snappiest decision you'll ever make!
