The 37-year-old met with dozens of RockCorps volunteers in Sneinton
Tinie Tempah met fans in Sneinton who gave up their time volunteering in exchange for tickets to his gig (Image: Jenny Stoch)
Rapper Tinie Tempah joined runners on a gentle jog around Nottingham ahead of his Rock City gig.
The 37-year-old chart topper met with dozens of RockCorps volunteers in Sneinton, who have been giving up their time on community initiatives in exchange for tickets to his exclusive live music event at the Talbot Street venue.
Dressed in a black Strava T-shirt and grey shorts, the singer hit the pavements around the city centre for The Movement UK’s run club.
RockCorps is a global initiative using music to inspire people to take action by getting involved in their local communities. In Nottingham, 2,500 people gave up their time at 22 events over a three-week period.
More than 100 people joined Tinie Tempah for the run club
Tinie Tempah, who rose to fame in 2010 after releasing popular tracks, including Pass Out, which entered the UK singles chart at number one, and Written In The Stars, later performed to the hundreds of volunteers at Rock City.
For volunteers, the experience is more than just the free ticket. Many describe it as an opportunity to meet new people, learn skills and make a positive difference in their community.
Ryan Frake, a volunteer for the Tinie Tempah Rock City concert ticket, said: “I heard about the free gig tickets through my college, and if another opportunity like this came up again, I would definitely do it. Volunteering definitely brings people together.”
Ed Attenborough, the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, who was involved with the project, said: “It feels like we’re all part of a family here at RockCorps.
“There’s great community and spirit in this event, it’s nice to get together and do something like this, and we definitely want it to become an annual event in Nottingham, hopefully in a bigger venue next year so that more people get the chance to volunteer.”
Stephen Greene, the chief executive of RockCorps, was pleased to see people working together. He said: “These events always have a really good vibe to them, you can come to an event like this and see how people come together for a good cause.”
Previously, RockCorps has only made an appearance in London, with Nottingham being the second UK city in which the initiative has been held.
Gary Godden, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire, spoke about the importance of volunteering: “This brilliant event really changes the narrative of Nottingham’s young people.
“Volunteering is powerful; it can definitely change lives.”