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- 18th Feb 2025
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Kynren at 10: Wendy Wilshere on community, legacy, and her Tourism Superstar Nomination
Kynren’s Wendy Wilshere talks to HLN about the tenth anniversary of the North East attraction, the importance of community and being a finalist in the prestigious VisitEngland Tourism Superstar competition.
For a decade, Kynren has been a staple in the North East calendar, encapsulating the spirit of the region with incredible dedication, organisation and ingenuity to put on a spectacle to remember for audiences who travel from all over the country.
Kynren – deriving from the Anglo-Saxon ‘Cynren’, meaning generation, family or kin – is an outdoor live event like no other as volunteers take the audience on an immersive 2000-year trip through British history.
One of the standout features of Kynren is the commitment by everyone from the CEO to the managers to over 1,000 volunteers from the region.
Wendy Wilshere, head of volunteer casting and engagement, is one of the thousands of people involved in making Kynren one of the top attractions in the country.
Wendy has had a rich and diverse career and brought the traits and experiences she has learned over the years to excel at Kynren.
With a background in sports development alongside managing leisure centres, Wendy has the ability to oversee and organise busy schedules – crucial for Kynren’s hectic organisation.
“Alongside this, I was also a martial arts instructor for several years, and as the chief instructor, my role was to teach classes – from private clients to seminars. At Kynren, I use my coaching experience to support the choreographers at rehearsals and teach the movement and dance to the other volunteers,” said Wendy.
“I also feel very lucky that I have been a part of Kynren since the show’s very first season, so I’ve experienced what it’s like to volunteer here. I’ve been able to take my experiences and learnings to make sure every single person has an incredible time during rehearsals and on show nights, just like I did.”
Wendy
As a result of her hard work and dedication at Kynren, Wendy won the Durham Tourism Superstar last year and was recently announced as one of the ten finalists for the prestigious VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar 2025.
Reflecting on her finalist position, she beamed that it was a “wonderful privilege to represent the North East” at the national competition and even better that she’s achieved this doing a job that she loves.
“I absolutely love my job and I’m incredibly passionate about Kynren and the important role it plays in the region – as well as delivering a standout performance to our amazing audiences,” said Wendy. “And to be honest, working alongside so many wonderful people at Kynren doesn’t ever feel like hard work. I’m so lucky to support the volunteers and to help spread the word about Kynren at different events too.”
Wendy has been part of Kynren since its inaugural event in 2015 and has watched it grow to one of the best attractions not only in the region but throughout the country.
The growth of the event was encapsulated by the excellent, ‘Return of the Vikings’ – an enhanced pre-show experience with authentic sights, sounds, and interactions in a recreated settlement.
“Here visitors can watch sparks fly at the blacksmith’s forge, witness the characterful sheep, donkeys and real Icelandic chickens and practice battle cries with the magnificent Viking warriors themselves as they prepare for a raid,” said Wendy.
She added: “It was a popular addition, which will be returning in 2025 too, and demonstrates Kynren’s dedication to enhancing the public’s experience – now our visitors have even more to see and experience before they even take their seat for the show.”
The unique beauty of Kynren is that over 1000 volunteers from the region get involved and this number is consistently growing every year. This dedication has been recognised at the North East England Tourism Awards 2025 as Kynren was nominated for ‘Volunteers of the Year.’
“Volunteers are essential to the success of Kynren – without them, the show wouldn’t be what it is today. Their dedication and enthusiasm shine through in every single scene and I really do believe it elevates the experience for the audience,” said Wendy. “They know that the entire cast and crew aren’t there because they’re getting paid to be, but the volunteers are there because they want to be – they enjoy being involved in something truly special and believe in the show’s importance for the region too.
Kynren celebrates its 10th season in 2025 but the event has big plans for the future as it continues to grow and showcase the beauty of the North East with an unforgettable trip back in time.
“2025 is going to be a milestone year for the show, as it’s celebrating its tenth anniversary season, and I feel very privileged to be playing my part in such a momentous occasion. Kynren will have some special surprises in store, and I can’t wait for everyone to see them!” Said Wendy.
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