ACTUAL TOTAL: £2500 Original donations here:https://www.justgiving.com/helpforcobaltX1

Help keep Cobalt alive because culture & community really matter !! Cobalt is family run, not for profit art studios, live music, education and club space that provides immeasurable contributions to Newcastles culture and incomparable memories for its attendants.

They are struggling to fund their program and need help to survive. Without funding it could become too difficult and activities may need to be drastically reduced or cut altogether as soon as January 2024.

The cost of living crisis has hit everyone hard, but its not just households its affecting. Rising energy costs and a fall in tickets & drinks sales due to people having less money to go out with has had detrimental effects on nightclubs and all other cultural institutions across the UK. On 7th August, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) revealed that a report by CGA Neilson found that 31% of UK clubs were forced to permanently close their doors between June 2020 and June 2023. The report states that the worrying development comes "in the face of an ongoing and relentless wave of cost inflation."

We can not allow Cobalt Studios to meet the same fate, anyone who has been lucky enough to visit knows how truly special this place, with a rich program hosting an array of workshops and live music, were it to face closure Newcastle would lose one of its most valuable cultural assets and the city would truly be worse off for it.

Which is why I am taking on the rather stupid and equally ridiculous challenge of cycling from Newcastle to Manchester on a CHILDRENS BICYCLE in hopes of raising funds to keep this place, thats very special to me, alive and kicking just a bit longer, so more people have the chance to come through its doors and experience the same things I have over the last few years.

The journey is expected to take at least 2-3 days of cycling roughly 150 miles hunched over a bike that would've been too small for me even 10 years ago nevermind now, chiropractor appointment booked in upon arrival :/. It will be recorded and documented for proof on my instagram @benreido so tune in for the journey and some lovely reviews of any pubs that I pass along the way. Any donations are massively apreciated.

https://cobaltstudios.co.uk