It’s Magic - Celebrating 20 years

For 20 years Tim French MBE and It’s Magic have brought big names and first-class entertainment to Haywards Heath.

It first started when he helped to organise the Haywards Heath Town Day in 1993 but has since grown to include summer concerts in Victoria Park and music events in The Broadway showcasing local bands.

Tim said: “It started when my wife Sue was mayor and wanted to do a town day. Then we made it into a town week and it has grown and grown since then. We do Christmas events and things throughout the spring and summer. We also support the Focus on Crocus campaign raising funds for a polio charity.”

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It’s Magic is a charity and its ethos is to ‘uplift and entertain using the power of music to strengthen the existing community values. Musical concerts are used as a platform for residents, businesses and charities and It’s Magic engages dedicated volunteers and local business support to provide good value good quality music for all’.

Tim said: “We just want to put on the best. We have the local connections and are part of the community. It brings people to Haywards Heath that never would have come before, some people say ‘Oh we knew you had a train station but we didn’t know how nice it was here’.”

Over the past 20 years the events have got bigger and bigger attracting big names to the stage including Lesley Garrett, Blake and favourite Katherine Jenkins who has performed a number of times.

“I first saw Katherine on a daytime show I think in 2005, the presenter said ‘Here to play us out is Katherine Jenkins’. When I heard her sing I just thought I need her to play in a concert, I need to contact her manager,” he said. “So I called him up and we had a bit of banter about how much I was going to pay and then eventually we sorted it all out. She came over to perform, just her and her tour manager, and she said that she had never been treated so well before and she has come back again and again. It is always nice to have her back and the crowds love her.”

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All the events are heavily supported by volunteers with many students from Central Sussex College Haywards Heath helping back stage.

“It is good to see our volunteers, such as students from the college, getting close to all the stars. We work it so that they all get a chance to get a glimpse. We just couldn’t do it without our volunteers,” he said.

Tim spoke about how he had seen other similar companies fold in the last few years. He believed focusing on one area and having strong ties to the community were part of their success.

He added: “I think it is integral to be a part of the community and know people as you never know when you might need a favour. A lot of companies have gone bust, possibly because they cover such a wide area or travel a lot but we have stayed pretty much in Mid Sussex. Obviously if someone wanted us to do an event elsewhere we would but we have stayed where we are. We want it to be the best and we provide the best infrastructure.”

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This year It’s Magic is putting on a big event over the summer with Peter Andre performing on the Friday, Katherine Jenkins on the Saturday and a Super Sunday event.

Tim is also excited about hosting ‘Only Schools Allowed’ which will see a number of student musicians from various schools across the district play, along with a choir.

It is not just people from Mid Sussex who enjoy the events - Tim spoke about how they have people from Newcastle coming down to see Peter Andre and that over the years he has met people from London who have come down to see bands play.

On Super Sunday Tim is planning to reunite some bands who played in the first few years including TC and the Soul Cats and Boogie Wonderland. There will also be a big screen which will be playing a slideshow of photos from over the past 20 years.

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Tim said: “It has been 20 years of dedication to the community and providing quality entertainment and 20 years of big events. We have learnt a lot over the years, it is all a bit more professional now including the stages we use and everything really.

“It’s just all about the entertainment and the music. Working with the community, we let people give out leaflets at our events and we hope we have helped people along the way.”

Other events this year include Broadway Sound on Sunday, May 26, and Making Waves on Broadway on Sunday, August 25. Any local bands interested in playing should contact [email protected]

For more information visit: www.itsmagic.org.uk