What is BREAKOUT?

BREAKOUT is the new MAYC National Event, replacing London Weekend, the event which has inspired young people for over 50 years. The aim is to provide a high profile, motivating, focusing and inspiring Christian Youth Event for young people connected to the Methodist Church and also to the wider Christian and Youth Community.

As the name BREAKOUT implies, it will be new, innovated and refocused to involve all denominations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the colours still yellow and green?
Nothing has changed - you are free to come dressed however you like!! Many people will be in the traditional green and yellow but don't worry if you prefer not to wear those colours - there will be plenty of people in plenty of other colours.

Is the worship free?
Yes, however there will be a request for a donation (we're suggesting £5) to help us cover costs.

How can we get tickets for the worship?
Write to : Breakout Worship, 25 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5JR, saying how many tickets you would like.

Is there a limit to how many people can come to the worship?
We have already received a great many applications and are currently looking at video linking the service into another area at the NEC so that as many people as want to can worship together

Who is responsible for the young people once you are at the NEC?
Breakout is different in that we are all together for the whole weekend. We want people to mix and be free to circulate. However the youth leaders must be responsible for looking after their own groups. And of course each individual has a responsibility to act in a responsible and mature manner, appropriate to their age.

We've heard of the Griff Fund - can it help us?
The Griff Fund is available to make small grants to groups who would otherwise not be able to afford the cost of attending Breakout.
If you think that your group will meet the criteria for receiving a grant please write to the fund, care of James Peterson at the address below. You will need to detail your reasons for attending Breakout, the financial implications of this for the members and where the money is likely to be coming from. On past experience the fund is appreciative of other fundraising efforts, and of money being donated by the local church and circuit. The more information you can provide, the easier it is to make a decision.
The Fund is not incredibly well endowed, and it is anticipated that the average grant would be no more than £20 per person. This is not however a limit, and the amount given will depend strongly on circumstances.
If you've any queries please contact James Peterson at: MAYC, 25 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5JR - or email him at Petersonj@methodistchurch.org.uk

Can I buy a ticket just for the Saturday?
I'm afraid not - the only part of the weekend that can be booked separately is the concert on Saturday night.

Are you strict about the age limit - can I bring some younger club members?
We have already slightly reduced the age limit by welcoming the rising 13s (those in school year 8 in 1999/2000). We would not wish to lower this any further.

Does this age limit apply to the Sunday worship?
No - everyone will be welcome to join in this with us.

There is a specific church that we would like to stay in for Operation Friendship - is that possible?
Hopefully! If you put this request in the "Special Requirements" box the OF team will do their best to comply with your request.

Do all parts of the booking form need to be completed at the same time (i.e., Tickets, OF and Meal)?
Yes please - it would cause chaos at the booking agency trying to match things up otherwise.

I've booked some tickets but now I've got another 5 people wanting to come with us - is it possible to add them to our party?
Of course - however if you've booked for Operation Friendship be sure to put this in the special requirements box so we can add your parties together.

But will we be separated in the Arena?
There is no numbered seating so of course you can all be together if you want.

Innovative and new?

The NEC will be the venue and BREAKOUT will feature:

• One stop travel with everything happening at the same place; the National Exhibition Centre.
• Young people from all denominations.
• The best of Christian Music - from Gospel to Rock to Rap in a high tech multimedia setting.
• A time of worship and praise with a Worship Celebration service on the Sunday morning which will be led by the MAYC Orchestra and Singers and will also feature the best of British Gospel Music.
• Street Theatre on the Saturday.
• Wacky Saturday afternoon of fun and laughter in the huge indoor Arena with seating for over 11,000 people.
• Sports finals in the Arena area.
• World Action focusing on Jubilee 2000 campaign.
• Large youth resources exhibitions will be a feature with workshops aimed at specific ages and interests.
• Training and support activities will provide separate points of focus for youth leaders during sections of the day.

MAYC Breaks Out of London into Birmingham

MAYC, which is host to the largest denominational event for young people in Europe, is moving its flagship event from London to Birmingham. After 53 years, MAYC (the Methodist Association of Youth Clubs) breaks out of London to new ground in Birmingham at the NEC Arena. BREAKOUT, a national event, takes place from 1 - 3 October this year and is expected to attract up to 11000 young people between the ages of 13 and 25.

"It was not an easy decision for MAYC to make this radical change," says Mark Wakelin, MAYC's National Secretary. "We chose the NEC because it is huge, easily accessible from all parts of the country and in an attractive setting. The high class bands and the exciting programme that is being developed for BREAKOUT will make a huge difference for the young people and youth workers."

Destined to be the most exciting venture in its history, MAYC is offering a package for the weekend which extends from the Arena, into the Forum and Pavilion at the NEC. The Saturday evening concert, produced in partnership with Alliance Music, will no doubt be the main attraction. Appearing in the concert are Shine, the London Community Gospel Choir and the World Wide Message Tribe. For those interested in coming just to the concert, there will be a separate ticket available from the NEC Box Office at a cost of £15.

Other events at BREAKOUT include TGI Saturday, a fast-moving, interactive and multimedia event; Praise Party and worship for all ages, led by Noël Robinson and featuring the Kingdom Singers and the MAYC Orchestra & Singers; plus workshops, street theatre, sports and a resource exhibition. MAYC's Life or Debt campaign to cancel the unpayable debts of the world's poorest countries (part of the Jubilee 2000 coalition) will also be prominent in BREAKOUT.

A distinctly Methodist project, BREAKOUT will welcome young people of all denominations to celebrate the Christian Church in a lively, exciting and fun way.

The NEC welcomes MAYC

The NEC (National Exhibition Centre), known worldwide as the venue for mega concerts and sporting events, welcomes MAYC BREAKOUT in 1999.

Probably nobody has greater or more diverse experience in handling special events than the NEC in-house team. They're used to dealing with the best, the largest and sometimes, the extremely unusual. Now BREAKOUT is to be added to the list. Barry Cleverdon, NEC Chief Executive, said, "I am delighted that the MAYC National Weekend will be taking place here. We look forward to working with MAYC to help make this the most successful event ever, giving many thousands of young visitors a weekend to remember."

The NEC Arena seats over 11000 people and stages everything from classical concerts to world championship boxing. It has hosted top artists and bands like M People, Pulp, The Lighthouse Family, Robbie Williams, All Saints and The Spice Girls.