But she is more than a pioneer of house music in the UK. Kym Mazelle – who grew up with the Jackson family in Indiana, USA – is also a fantastic soul singer, ‘disco diva’, and performer.

And who better an influence on her early life in terms of becoming an international performer, than the Jackson family. She sang with them before then went off to achieve worldwide superstar status – though ironically, she studied and trained to be an opera singer at university in Chicago.

But it was a path she chose not to follow, instead, turning her talents to soul and house music, and after landing a job with DJ International Records, she soon met producer Mashall Jefferson, and the two formed an association that resulted in her first two singles.

But it was her third single – ‘Wait’, a duet with Robert Howard of the Blow Monkeys – that gave her a first Top Ten hit, and she has been a consistent recording artist ever since.

She is best known to UK audiences for a fantastic, and successful, cover version of the 1970s hit ‘Young Hearts Run Free’, recorded for the 1996 film ‘Romeo and Juliet’ which starred Leonard DiCaprio.

In 2005, Mazelle took part in the reality TV show ‘Celebrity Fit Club’, when she lost over a stone in weight, during the programme. She also appeared on the BBC TV series ‘Celebrity Masterchef”.

More recently, she headlined Prince Charles’s Prince’s Trust Ambassador Ball in Glasgow, helping to raise £93,000.00 for the charity on the night.

She is still a regular performer, and her distinctive and powerful vocals, and a passionate style of performing on stage, Kym has established herself as one of the leading “disco divas”, among great names that include Gloria Gaynor.

Kym will be great entertainment at this year’s Walk In The Park, and will be sure to have the crowds dancing with her, and to her, as she entertains us at our big Family Extravaganza on July 5.

Inspiration FM is a volunteer community led and managed radio, multi-media broadcasting service, providing access, information, communication, entertainment, training and employment in Northampton.

And the Inspiration FM team will be on site for our Friday night extravaganza on July 5 – when the Bay City Rollers headline the entertainment – and again the following day, when they will broadcast live from our free Family Fun Day.

“We are so excited to be involved in the Walk In The Park 2013,” said Inspiration FM’s Mark Dean. “Walk In The Park is truly is a family community event for everyone, and Inspiration FM is being hailed as a true local community radio station, as it’s run by volunteers – so I guess we both go hand in hand.

“We’re really looking forward to the chance to promote ourselves around an event that attracts thousands of visitors, and we’re all really excited about moving around the park on the Saturday to meet lots of visitors to the event, talking to the variety of local acts who’ll be performing, and generally meeting – and interviewing – as many people as possible.

“The policy of Inspiration FM in it’s programming is that we’re ‘for the people, by the people’.”

Councillor Brandon Eldred, the chairman of the Walk In The Park organising committee, said he was delighted to give Inspiration FM the opportunity to promote themselves, and further raise their profile in the town.

“It will be great having them broadcasting live on the Saturday, and I am delighted to give them the opportunity to raise their profile through our event,” said Councillor Eldred. “Inspiration FM are just that – an inspiration!

“They provide a fantastic service of local news, information, and entertainment to a growing audience in the town, and they really are a community set up that cares about Northampton.

“What’s more, everyone who works there does it on a voluntary basis – because they love being involved with a local radio station, and because they love Northampton.”

Inspiration FM encourages and promotes a voice for those who are under-represented or socially excluded to provide an outlet for creativity, shared vision and expression. The station is non-profit making, and to succeed and remain permanently on the air for the Northamptonshire public, it is necessary to raise funds through donations and sponsorship.

Broadcasts from Inspiration FM’s studios in Sheep Street Northampton include popular genres like R&B, Reggae, Gospel, Rap, Funk, Dance, Old Skool, Soul music, Asian, African, Greek, Eastern European and Irish Folk music, the local Band Review Show on a Wednesday evening, and a regular Children’s show on Saturday mornings.

Programming is aimed at representing areas of the community that are currently under-represented by mainstream radio, this includes the Afro-Caribbean, Irish and Asian, although many more are also represented including Children.

Inspiration FM broadcasts on 107.8 FM and online http://www.inspirationfm.com/

Walk in the Park 2013

Visitors to this year’s Walk In The Park Friday night extravaganza will be able to bring their own alcohol.

Organisers have relaxed a recent ruling that no alcohol was permissable, other than that bought on the night at the event, after listening to the opinions of local people.

Said Councillor Brandon Eldred, chairman of the organising committee: “We know a lot of families bring picnics with them on the Friday night, and some like to bring champagne and their favourite wine.

“We know people were disappointed when we had to impose a ban on alcohol being brought in to the event, and we totally sympathise, so we have now ended it.

“The only reason we took the decision was on advice from Health and Safety people, and the previous year, a small number of individuals had spoilt things by taking liberties and acting foolishly,” said Councillor Eldred.

“Our security team will continue to have the right to stop people bringing in alcohol if they think they might act irresponsibly, and that is purely to protect all our visitors who wish nothing else than to have a pleasant, peaceful, and thoroughly enjoyable evening out.”

The only stipulation to anyone bringing their own alcoholic drinks to this year’s Walk In The Park Friday night extravaganza – where the Bay City Rollers are the headline act – is that no glass bottles will be allowed.

Said Councillor Eldred: “This is an important Health and Safety issue which we respect. What we don’t want is broken glass anywhere around and about the park – the safety and security of our visitors is paramount, and I have no doubt that people understand this.

“So bring your champagne, wine and any other drink you wish to, but if you don’t mind, not in a glass bottle.

“All we wish for is that our visitors, and the local community, have a fantastic night out with the family on July 5, enjoy our star acts, and do it while supping their favourite drinks!”

Supporting the Bay City Rollers are last year’s X Factor favourites MK1, US soul singer Kym Mazelle and Katrina – formerly the lead singer with The Waves. Doors will open at 6pm.

For tickets: book online, or visit the Community Hall in Curtlee Hill (01604 705055)

Les Mekeown

Back in the 1970s the Bay City Rollers were as big as – if not bigger – than One Direction or JLS are nowadays.

For three years they dominated the pop charts. They had their own TV series. Their concerts were sell outs – packed with teenage girls screaming for Les, or Woody, or Eric, or Derek, or Alan.

‘Rollermania’, as it was known, had gripped the UK. The Bay City Rollers were everywhere. And it even spread abroad, with the group becoming just as popular in North America, Japan and Australia.

Les was the lead singer – Les McKeown. And he still fronts the band, that might not dominate the charts any more, but still play to sell out crowds around the country and beyond.

Their old songs are still as popular: ‘Bye Bye Baby’, ‘Give A Little Love’ and ‘Shang-a-Lang’ among them, which they perform with a new collection of songs they’ve written more recently.

As for the teenage girls – well now they’re likely to be the daughters, or granddaughters, of those who screamed their heads off back in the mid 1970s. But while the mums roll back the years, and remember when, their daughters enjoy Bay City Roller nights just as much.

Walk In The Park is very excited about welcoming Les and the Rollers to our event this year. They’ll be our headline act at our Friday Family Extravaganza on July 5.

Said Brandon Eldred, of the organising committee: “I had heard so many good things about Les and the Bay City Rollers, that I decided to find out more, and was highly impressed. They’re fantastic entertainers, and that’s what we want at Walk In The Park.

“Sure, there’ll be some mums – even grandmas – rolling back the years, and remembering when they used to rush home from school to watch them on TV. But they’ve a new audience now, and youngsters enjoy their concerts just as much. Most importantly, they’ll be a great finale to our night, and have everyone on their feet dancing.”

Walk In The Park’s 2013 Friday extravaganza is on July 5, gates opening at 6.30. Tickets – which cost just £12 for adults, £6 for under 16s and £25 for a family ticket for four – can be bought on line from this website, or by calling in at the Wootton and East Hunsbury Parish Council in Curtlee Hill, Wootton Fields (01604 705055).

Don’t forget our FREE family day, at Wootton Rec, on Saturday, July 6, with all the popular attractions.

The Bay City Rollers – one of the country’s biggest bands in the 1970s – headline this year’s Friday night line-up, along with MK1 from last year’s ‘X Factor’, the American soul singer Kym Mazelle, and Katrina Leskanich, who was a big star in the 1980s as the lead singer with Katrina and The Waves.

And the great news for visitors to the Friday extravaganza on July 5 is that ticket prices have been reduced from last year, with an adult ticket now just £12, £6 for under 16s, and £25 for a family of four.

“Basically we’ve listened to local people, and we know times have been a bit tough for some, so we’ve reflected that in the cost of this year’s tickets,” said Councillor Brandon Eldred, chairman of the organising committee.

Entry for Walk In The Park’s Family Fun Day on Saturday, July 6, is free, as usual, with the normal outstanding line-up of local talent performing for visitors throughout the afternoon.

You can buy your tickets online via the Walk In The Park website (www.walkintheparkfestival.co.uk) or buy popping in to the Wootton & Hunsbury Parish Council Offices, at the Curtlee Hill based community centre.

“Along with Friday’s musical entertainment, we’ll also have a Fun Fair and lots of other attractions, which will also be a part of the day on Saturday,” said Councillor Eldred.

“I am pleased to announce – and again, responding to popular demand – that the Fun Fair will be staying until Sunday (July 7) this year, so it will be a fantastic weekend of family fun, which is the sole purpose of putting this event on every year.”

Walk In The Park 2013 takes place on Friday, July 5 from 6.30pm to 11pm, and on Saturday, July 6, from 12 noon to 8pm.

“Once again we have something for everyone – for the mums, the dads and the youngsters, and all four acts provide tremendous entertainment, and will wow the crowds for us as S-Club, Real Thing, and Midge Ure, among others, have done in the past two years.

“Our event is a locally run festival for local people, and that we’re now attracting visitors from all over the town, and the county, is a bonus. Essentially, we want people to come along, and have a great evening out with friends and family, and being able to attract acts such as the Bay City Rollers, Katrina, Kym Mazzelle and MK One is great.

“And it’s really exciting that this year’s Walk In The Park fires the starting gun for what is a great month of music for Northampton – there’s so much to look forward to in our town this summer, and our event is proud to be launching it all.”

Walk In The Park was praised by last year’s headline act Midge Ure, and the great news for local people is that this year ticket prices for the Friday night extravaganza have been reduced.

Said Councillor Eldred, who is also in charge of the Paul Weller, James Morrison and The Wanted concerts at Delapre Abbey, and then the town centre music festival at the end of July: “It will cost £12 for an adult – down £3 from last year – and £6 for children under 16, with a family ticket for four costing £25.

“We have listened to feedback from local people, and while last year’s was really, really positive, we understand that there’s been some ‘belt-tightening’ over the past year for many, and reducing ticket prices is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to local people for their support.

“We take feedback very seriously, and act on it, and this is another example of that. We want Walk In The Park to be a great night out for everyone, with top class entertainment to enjoy – it’s an event run by local people for local people, and we’re proud of that.”

Walk In The Park’s ‘Family Friday Night’ is followed the following day with the free family day out, which this year runs from noon to 8pm. As ever, local schools and bands will be providing the musical entertainment throughout the day on July 6, with top local band Odd Child bringing the event to a conclusion.

Said Councillor Eldred: “Our family Saturday day out will be another great day out, with a return of all the popular attractions, including a fair, which will be even bigger this year. We’ll also be welcoming back the sports ‘have a go’ activities which proved so successful last year, there’ll be the usual stalls for local people and charities, and of course musical entertainment throughout the day, with the excellent Odd Child bringing it all to an end.”

* Les McKeown’s Legendary Bay City Rollers remain a big hit nationwide, with the group’s frontman and one time international heartthrob covering all the big hits of the 1970s including their million selling Number One hits Bye Bye Baby and Give A Little Love.

* MK One – the urban musical duo Charlie Rundle and Sim Dixon – reached the final six of last year’s X-Factor, and are now in demand throughout the country, and beyond.

* Kym Mazelle is known worldwide as theh ‘First Lady of House Music, and is an internationally acclaimed soul singer. She was brought up in Indiana, USA, and lived on the same street as the Jackson family. To many, she is best known as the singer of the cover version of ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ in 1996, for the film ‘William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio. Two years ago she also appeared on national TV in the UK as a contestant in ‘Celebrity Masterchef’.

* Katrina Leskanich was the singer in the hit group Katrina and the Waves, who won the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest for the UK with the song ‘Shine a little Love’. In 1984 they had a top ten hit with ‘Walking On Sunshine’. She now fronts a new band, which tours throughout this country, and Europe.

Walk In The Park 2013 takes place on Friday, July 5 from 6.30pm to 11pm, and on Saturday, July 6, from 12 noon to 8pm. Tickets can be booked online from Tuesday 19th February: www.walkintheparkfestival.co.uk or by calling in the office of Wootton & Hunsbury Parish Council, Curtlee Hill, Northampton (01604 705055).

Walk in the Park 2012

Organisers of this year’s Walk In The Park festival have hailed another great year, and thanked all the thousands of people who supported the event over Friday night and Saturday.

Headline act Midge Ure wowed the crowds on the Friday extravaganza, while the crowds flocked to support Armed Forces Day, support local schools and bands on stage, have a go at archery, and even enjoy the surprise of the Olympic Torch being brought along for an hour for photo opportunities.

“It was another great weekend, and I can only thank all those who made it happen: the organising committee, the volunteers, the fantastic acts we had on Friday night, the security team, the local Police and everyone who contributed,” said chairman of the organising committee, Councillor Brandon Eldred.

“We had thousands flock through the gates on Friday night and throughout Saturday, and this year there was very much a family feel to the occasion, which is what we want.

“It was lovely to walk around the park, seeing everyone having fun and enjoying themselves, and enjoying all the many attractions we had this year.

“Hosting Armed Forces Day was a privilege, and I’m delighted so many people went and paid them their respects.

“Having the Olympic Torch turn up on Saturday afternoon was a real bonus for us all, and a big surprise as well, and I thank Northampton Swimming Club for that.

“The ‘have a go’ archery was a popular attraction, and I thank Northampton Archery Club for their support and enthusiasm, and the local athletics club for coming along too.

“But all in all, from the acts to the archery, from Fun Fair rides to the food outlets, everyone made a great effort to make it another great weekend for the people of Wootton, and Northampton.

“As an organising committee, we’ve learnt a few more lessons, but this year there were no queues for toilets, the bar was well organised, and the feedback we’ve had has been fantastic, which makes it all worthwhile.”

The entertainment runs throughout the day, from 11am to 7pm, and is part of a fantastic programme of entertainment that includes Armed Forces Day, Olympic and Paralympic sport ‘have a go’s', Fun Fair rides and many other attactions.

Local schools, groups and local bands will be gracing the stage and entertaining festival visitors, starting with Wootton Primary School at 1105 after an introduction from DJ Lynton.

Hunsbury and Towcester Music are next up, at 1135, followed by Preston Hedges at 1215, Melissa Jackson at 1235, CCS Primary School at 1.15, CCS Jazz at 1.30 and Ross Harmon at 1.45.

Northampton Rock School take to the stage at half past 2, while S-Cluive Dance (4.20), Social Status (5pm), Emily Driscoll (5.45) and Ocasan, at 6.15pm, bring the day to a close.

“It’s a great line-up showcasing some fantastic local talent,” said organiser Jenny Evans. “Visitors to Walk In The Park on Saturday are going to be highly impressed, and I’m delighted with the enthusiasm of so many local bands who want to be a part of our event.”

Entry to Walk In The Park’s Family Saturday is FREE!

Walk in the Park 2012

Walk In the Park organisers have been putting the finishing touches to preparations for this festival, which takes place on June 29 and 30. And they have taken on board feedback from visitors, and local residents.

So this year, organisers have DOUBLED the number of toilets from 12 months ago, and – by request – will also be segregating them into a men’s and women’s area.

There will be TWO bars on site this year, to relieve the queues that build up during last year’s festival.

Although it is generally trouble free, an event of this size inevitably attracts a small minority of individuals who try to spoil the enjoyment of others, so this year security has also been doubled, and there will also be CCTV cameras on site to identify mischief makers. The event also receives good support from the local Police, who will also have a presence on Friday evening and during Saturday.

And the Saturday Family Day ends at 7pm this year, with the organisers also taking on board feedback from local people.

“We had an enormous amount of positive feedback last year, but at the same time we were also aware of one or two things that upset people: too few toilets, and long queues for the bar,” said Councillor Brandon Eldred, the chairman of the organising committee.

“Last year we under-estimated how many people would turn up, but this year we’re ready for it, and we have proved that by organising more toilets, and adding an extra bar on site.

“As for security, well last year we had just five arrests, and we earned praise from the Police for our security arrangements. But as ever, there are always one or two individuals likely to make a fool of themselves, and if they do, they will be dealt with quickly. This is a family event, for everyone to come along, enjoy, and have a great time.

“We also took on board the noise that continued around the area after the event finished at 10.30pm on Saturday event last year, and the last thing we want is unnecessary inconvenience to local people,” said Mr Eldred. “So again, we acted on their feedback, and that is why we are finishing at 7pm this year.

“As I say, the organisers simply want everyone to come along, have a great time, and enjoy the event, and this year there’s so much to look forward to, with Midge Ure headlining our Friday night line-up, and so much going on during the Saturday Family Day.”

The gates open at 6pm on Friday, June 29, with the entertainment getting underway at 6.30. The Saturday Family Day opens at 11am and runs through to 7pm.

And this year her dream has come true. Because Leanne, 33, will be appearing on the same line up as the legendary Midge Ure on June 29 after impressing festival organisers with her potential as a singer.

Leanne, who lives in Hunsbury, will open this year’s Friday evening extravaganza with a 15 minute set that she hopes will open doors to her as a regular performer on the local stage – and then who knows!

“I’m absolutely thrilled to get this opportunity, and I really am so excited,” said Leanne, who works locally for the Crown Prosecution Service.

“Walk In The Park is a fantastic event, and I’ve been involved for the past few years now. I’ve always loved singing, and used to watch the performers thinking that maybe one day I could be up there on the stage with them. So to get this opportunity is just fantastic.

“To think I’m appearing on the same line-up with Midge Ure is something else, and I really can’t wait to get on stage and justify the organisers’ faith in me with a great performance.”

Brandon Eldred, the chairman of the Walk In The Park organising committee, has no doubt that Leanne will do just that.

He said: “I heard Leanne singing locally, and she was so good she earned herself a very well deserved standing ovation. I then recommended her to the organisers of the Christmas Lights switch on in the Town Centre last year, and once again she went down a storm, so I decided to offer her the chance to sing at Walk In The Park.

“We’re very keen to encourage local talent – that’s why we’ve also got Anyone Out There and Odd Child on our bill for our Big Friday extravaganza, and I shall be as proud as punch when I see Leanne up on stage proving to local people once again how good she is – and if it leads to bigger and better things, then all the better!”

Leanne will be the first act appearing at this year’s Walk In The Park Friday extravaganza on June 29, followed by Odd Child at 7.15, last year’s X-Factor favourites Two Shoes at 7.45, former China Crisis singer Errol Reid at 8.15, Anyone Out There at 8.45, with Midge Ure headlining with an hour on stage from 9.30pm.

“It’s a fantastic line-up and everyone associated with this year’s Walk In The Park festival is really excited,” said Mr Eldred.

Tickets for the Friday family extravanganza on June 29 cost just £30 for a family of four. An individual adult ticket is £14, and £6 for children. There will be a £1 additional cost for tickets purchased on the day.

As ever, admission on Saturday, June 30, which this year will run from 11am to 7pm, is FREE!

Tickets can be purchased online: www.walkintheparkfestival.co.uk, or via Wootton Community Centre (01604 705055)