Roadmender and Mario’s Ice Cream team up for ice-cream giveaway across Northampton

A music venue and ice cream company are teaming up to bring festive cheer to children across Northampton next week.

Staff from the Roadmender and Mario’s Ice Cream will be heading to 16 locations across the town over two days to hand out free frozen treats to children and at the same time providing the opportunity for a ‘socially distanced’ photo with Santa.

Dave Norris, who runs the Roadmender with his wife Natalie, said: “Nat and I, alongside with help from Mario’s Ice Cream, put this together last week after cancelling our Christmas shows.

“The rising infection is worrying and bringing people together in our venue is not the best thing to do considering the current situation.

“My involvement was negotiating with Santa as he's very busy and spreading the word.

“Mario’s have been very generous by donating the ice cream van and supplying us with treats.”

Ice cream will be handed out on Tuesday, December 22 and on Wednesday, December 23, at different community centres and shops.”

The Roadmender is using a small part of the budget it had set aside for its Christmas shows to fund the events.

Explaining his thinking behind the move, Mr Norris said he wanted to try and put smiles on the faces of people during what has been a challenging year.

He said: “When we (the Roadmender) are open, I sometimes stand on the balcony and observe the gig goers coming in.

“I would see the smiles on their faces when they came through the door. That’s what music does.

“So, I thought we can't do this at the moment but we can put smiles on kids’ faces during these challenging times.”

The ice cream van will be followed by Inspiration FM as it works its way across Northampton and playing Christmas songs.

While the Roadmender has not hosted any gigs since March, Mr Norris said they were looking at the practicality of socially distanced shows at the start of next year and hoped by the summer, they would be returning to “some kind of normality”.

The Roadmender and Mario’s Ice Cream tour heads to the following locations next week.

Tuesday, December 22:

1. Briar Hill Community Centre: 10:00am

2. Far Cotton Library: 10:45am

3. St James Community Centre: 11:30am

4. Spring Boroughs Community Centre: 12:15pm

5. Kings Heath Community Centre: 1:00pm

6. Old Five Bells Kingsthorpe: 1:45pm

7. St Matthews Church Kingsley: 2:30pm

Wednesday, December 23:

1. Abington Community Centre: 10:00am

2. Church Avenue shops: 10:30am

3. Standens Barn shops: 11:00am

4. Lumbertubs shops: 11:30pm

5. Thorplands shops: 12:00pm

6. Blackthorn shops: 12:30pm

7. Rectory Farm shops: 1:00pm

8. Ecton Brooke shops: 1.30pm

9. Bellinge shops: 2:00pm