England Netball is introducing a new online membership system and we need your help in coming up with a new name for it. The person who chooses the best name will win tickets to the Vitality Netball Superleague Big Easter Weekend! If you’re an existing member you may have previously used a system called MyNet, this will soon be replaced with a new system which will have new features and benefits, enhancing your whole experience. The person who submits the winning name for this competition will win two tickets to the highly anticipated Vitality Netball Superleague Big Easter Weekend on Saturday 20th April at the Ericsson Indoor Arena in Coventry. You don’t have to be a current England Netball member to submit a new name for the system. Read the full terms and conditions here. Please fill in the below form to enter the competition and to be in with a chance of winning. [gravityform id="19" title="true" description="true"]
The Vitality Netball World Cup’s opening ceremony is set to be a celebration of the world in one city – with its distinct Liverpool twist being beamed to a global audience.
Due to its reputation for staging major, crowd-pulling events, Culture Liverpool, Liverpool City Council’s events experts, will produce and deliver the opening ceremony for the 10-day tournament.
Taking place in the M&S Bank Arena, located on the city’s world-famous waterfront – dance, music, projections and pyrotechnics will wow an arena audience of more than 6,000 people and an international TV audience of hundreds of thousands.
An impressive display of colour, costume and choreography will welcome players, officials, fans and spectators to the city as part of the 45 minute display which takes place on Friday 12 July during the second session of the tournament.
The ceremony will open with inspirational female voices, signalling a unique parade led by ‘Lady Liverpool’, portrayed by local artist Jennifer John, dressed in a flamboyant purple dress featuring an illuminated Liverpool skyline. She will welcome the 16 competing nations by singing Across the Universe by The Beatles.
This will be followed by the arrival of all the netball teams, who will enter the arena to a soundtrack of covers of famous Liverpool songs, such as Ferry Across the Mersey, Twist and Shout and The Story of the Blues – set to a South American, dubstep or Caribbean beat.
Following speeches, including a welcome by Minister for Sport Mims Davies, an interactive dance, projection, pyrotechnic multi-media show will take over the floor, along with stunning aerial performances by Wired Aerial. Dancers from Iceland, Spain, Russia and Mexico will form part of the troupe, and have been rehearsing for the ceremony for several months.
It will include the appearance of a special Liver Bird who will emerge to the sounds of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. A rousing finale will come courtesy of a 250-strong choir made up of Sense of Sound, Liverpool Signing Choir, Pop Vox and Voice to Voice.
The closing ceremony will take place on Sunday 21 July, which will focus around the medal ceremony and the official handover to the Netball World Cup 2023 hosts, South Africa.
The entire ceremony concept has been produced and directed by Culture Liverpool, which was recently named as the UK’s top event organiser, and 15th in the world overall, by the Eventex Awards.
The city council team has worked with globally acclaimed specialists including choreographers Darren Suarez and Valentina Temussi at the Institute of Arts in Barcelona, musical director Andy Frizell, Mary Lamb and Fabrication Studios who created the costumes along with projection experts Illuminos and world-renowned pyrotechnics company Titanium.
Event Director Lindsay Impett, said: “The opening and closing ceremonies are set to be spectacular events, and I know that Culture Liverpool will deliver fantastic experiences for all involved as we welcome the world to their city.
“I am delighted that so many inspirational performers and individuals are getting involved, ensuring that 2019’s tournament will be opened and closed in style.”
Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for culture, tourism and events, Councillor Wendy Simon, said: “The Vitality Netball World Cup is bringing the world to Liverpool and that’s exactly what the two ceremonies will reflect.
“It will be a celebration of the game, the city and the incredible sportswomen who will themselves put on an incredible show across the ten days.”
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