Join in with WaterAid's Big National Ceilidh - Saturday 16 October 2010

David Oliver and his son Joey, who came up with the idea for WaterAid's Big National Ceilidh.

Credit: WaterAid/Georgie Scott

8 June 2010

On Saturday 16 October 2010, thousands of people across the UK, and around the world, will be dancing for water at WaterAid's third Big National Ceilidh. 

A type of barn dance with a live band, a ceilidh is a fantastic social occasion that anyone can join in with.

The idea behind WaterAid's Big National Ceilidh is that ceilidhs are organised up and down the country on the same night and, to unify them all, at 10pm everyone will be dancing the Circassian Circle – one of the simplest, best-loved and most inclusive of dances – to the tune of "Jamie Allen".

• Find out more about the Big National Ceilidh 

Proceeds from the evenings will be donated to WaterAid.

The Big National Ceilidh was the brainwave of father and son David and Joey Oliver, of Hexham, Northumberland. Both involved with the folk scene, the idea was to bring the social and physical benefits of ceilidh-dancing to a wider audience, while raising money for a good cause.

David is a prominent figure in folk music education and Joey is the whistle player in the BBC award-winning band 422. Funds raised over the last two years by the nation-wide event exceed £60,000. 

David Oliver said: "We chose to support WaterAid because of the fantastic work it does, bringing a simple, major, permanent improvement to many people's lives. We are thrilled that WaterAid have taken on the Big National Ceilidh and we hope that as a result, more and more people will go to ceilidhs and will think of them as wonderful, stimulating community events – and effective fundraisers too."

Joey Oliver added: "Ceilidhs are something everyone can enjoy, and no experience is necessary. They are proven to be physically, mentally and socially healthy, so it will do us all a lot of good as well as the communities WaterAid work with." 

This year WaterAid are hoping even more people will feel inspired to organise a ceilidh, so that over a two hundred events will take place on the night. 

WaterAid's Clare McTaggart said: "This year WaterAid's Big National Ceilidh has gone global – we've already heard about ceilidhs being planned for Saturday 16 October in Hong Kong, Beijing, India, Bolivia, Australia, New Zealand and the USA, as well as across the UK!" 

David and Joey, together with WaterAid, have created a step-by-step guide on how to organise your own ceilidh.  To find out more, or to request a Big National Ceilidh pack, visit www.wateraid.org/ceilidh or call 020 7793 4594.

Ends

For more information, images or interviews contact Brenda McIlwraith on 020 7793 2245 or brendamcilwraith@wateraid.org 

Editors notes

David Oliver is available for interviews, please call Brenda to arrange.

WaterAid enables the world’s poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. Our vision is of a world where everyone has access to these basic human rights which underpin health, education and livelihoods forming the first, essential step in overcoming poverty.

• At least 4000 children die every day as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation.
• 884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world's population.
• 2.6 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation, this is almost two fifths of the world's population.
• WaterAid projects providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education cost just £15 per head.

For information on WaterAid visit www.wateraid.org

Definition of a ceilidh: 

Pronounced to rhyme with 'daily') a ceilidh is an informal social evening involving a combination of music, song and/or dance and sometimes storytelling and other activities. It is a convivial, totally un-solemn occasion, usually involving food and drink as well as good company and participative entertainment.

Traditionally, particularly in Scotland, dance was not a requirement but drinking, singing and storytelling were. In recent decades, though, the term 'ceilidh' has tended to replace 'barn dance' in England as a description of an evening of traditional social dancing with a live band.