Big Nutter 2: The Urban Adventure

This is the biggest Real Big Nutter. - The site, the length, the expectations, the hype, the entertainment, the embarrassing bits, Erm -This list.

The Reason

Phillipa talked about her experiences doing Evangelical work before Big Nutter was thought of. I was inspired by it. Soon after I wanted to know more. My youth leaders when around, got some information and application forms. One form was for me to The Message 2k1: The Urban Adventure, on here also known as Big Nutter 2: The Urban Adventure, Part 2! (Also known as 2k1)

The Important People - People who I thought are important to me.

I, Mike Sharpe am known as Big Nutter! These pages are my story. I went on to do Big Nutter 2.5 and Big Nutter 3 as soon as I finished this Big Nutter.

DNA Team – This is a group of young people who study theology and put their understanding to practice. Their course is a year long, these people had almost finished their year. I was to stay 11 Days with them.

Phil – This person’s job was to look after me. He got on Message TV with his new haircut.

Hannah Timms – One of 3 Hannahs on the Course. Like the other Hannah’s (or that should be Hannas), she is beautiful. She has dyed red hair. She is one Foxy Lady. Had the same phone as I had (Bosch 509e dual band).I hate the fact that she is slightly too old for me.

Cathy – sports the “Tomb Raider” look. (Both Game and “Bungee Ballet” Film Looks) I was so surprised, that I almost shot into a pillar, (like Garth on the film Wayne’s World) when I first saw her.

Xcellerate Team – This is another group of people who study theology and put their understanding to practice. However their course is 5 months long; these people had only just started the course a month before.

Jonathan – Dark haired guy, had just previously ran and helped lead Big Nutter. He accidentally the link from Big Nutter 1, to this Big Nutter.

Steve – This Guy is a kind of Leader of the Xcellerate Group; also was on Message TV whist on a Barney with Colette. Barney is really a code name for delegates that are looking after all the other delegates.

Colette – Ex-Tribe member, leads the Xcellerate Team, still trendy, sounds like the person to tell off Cameron Dante and Andy Hawthorne when they get silly. (As they do!) Got stopped by Message TV during a Barney with some of her group.

Scottish Steve – our local Scotsman, does wear a kilt, does a very good Weakest Link as demonstrated in Big Nutter 1.

Andy Hawthorne – A founder and Ex-Member of the Tribe. Started The Message Trust. Also currently employs Joe Kislauskis as Webmaster of the Message Trust, The Tribe and The Tribe Message board sites. Please look out for Big Nutter, and markeandrews on the Message Board.

The Tribe – Emma, Tim and Destiny Owen, Lindsey, Quinn and George – Originally called “The Massive World Wide Message Tribe” by Andy Hawthorne in 1988, about ten seconds after that the Group was Called “World Wide Message Tribe”, None of the current team was around then. Tim and Emma, husband and wife joined in 1997. Late 1999 Lindsey (“Lindz”) joined. Early 2001, Quinn and George joined replacing Dee, Clare, and Colette. Seeing as most people call the group “The Tribe”, they renamed the group. Destiny was born soon after 2k1 but was there because Emma was heavily pregnant.

Mike Rimmer – Cross Rhythms Presenter, I have personally given the DNA Web address on his show Rimmerama and possibly broke wind on the show too.

The Preparation

Day Minus ONE Sunday– I’m still unsure that is he is going to 2k1, so are my youth group leaders.

Day 1 Monday, minus 6 hours 9:00am – I’ve just got confirmation that I am going to 2k1. I just have enough time to pack and catch the bus.

DNA Training

Day 1 Monday, 3:00pm– I’ve made it to Manchester and now cannot find the place. It is a church around from the BBC North in Manchester. I up phoning a number off the e-mail that had got to me about 12:00pm. The people on the other end send James to get me.

I make my customary late entrance at the time of 1 hour late. Then at tea, Matt arrives later than I do. I also notice during tea, someone is chucking a white object around the room.

During tea, which was beans plus something else, I start on the first day page. I had considered doing an animated video, but had to stop due to the lack of animators. This now may still happen although I’ve not started it at time of press.

I got talking with some people, including Chris Secker, one of the few pranksters in the DNA Team. I tell Chris that I am best known on the Net as the WindyTWIT, and that tea was the best noisemaker I had in ages.

After Tea, Phil introduced himself to me and soon after Cathy wearing her blue/green tank top, shorts and walking boots. Yes, she had very dark hair. She did look like Lara Croft, the girl off the Tomb Raider Games, (No guns or knifes though).

At bedtime, Woody and Tom, start as they mean to go on, get to bed late in boys’ dorm. I have trouble sleeping and don’t fall asleep until quite late, plus the white object makes a quick appearance.

Just to help you, most people have sleeping bags and there are no proper beds! (This is regularly the case on these events!)

Day 2 Tuesday – I didn’t have much sleep, wake up first. As I was walking back to the dorm from a wash from the loos, wearing just jeans, a vicar is opening his office, which is opposite his Dorm. I told him that he might see less clothed people at this time.

As I re-enter the Dorm, a foul smell hits me. The WindyTWIT Scale Of Flatulence rates the smell as 6G – A Group Averaging Level 6.

I finish getting dressed. I then find the kitchen. (Still there, where I left it on Day 1) I go in the Kitchen but because I wasn’t 18 at the time I couldn’t go in the Food Prep area. Seeing that I was still half-asleep, I didn’t recognise Colette because the only photo I could remember is a dodgy one on Get God 2000. Thinking that she is one of the DNA Team Girls in the kitchen. I tried chatting to Colette but the words just come out as a jumbled mess.

Less than a minute later, I was given some cereal and a bowl. Then the real DNA Girls come. They said that their room stank (WindyTWIT SOF 9GA (Extra Stinky)(I went down after breakfast)), because they couldn’t open their window.

After breakfast, we had a day of teachings. But first all the Xcellerate Team had to arrive and introduce themselves. One looked very familiar. At break Jonathan, came over to me and said, “I didn’t know anyone from Pennington was here!” I ask what had been happening at the Big Nutter’s site, but he had left soon after Big Nutter so he could not tell me anything.

Just before lunch, the Xcellerate Team left whilst we had something else that makes those noises at Night.

The afternoon when smooth as it does on a day full of lectures. Not good, I can’t stay still.

In evening, the DNA Team split up to groups and went across Manchester to Salford, to meet some vicars. Some small groups played football or simply hang around like mine.

During Supper, Ged and Gavin phones me expecting to get an amusing voice mail, but I is just was phoning James, then hangs up before he gets hold of his phone (known as Pranking). So he answers it and, passes the Dave “remark”.

Day 3 Wednesday – Not much happened in the morning that is different from day before, other than I almost got the wrong shower room and Chris lé Spriggs does some very amusing poetry. I also didn’t see Colette.

Soon after lunch (again something that makes noises (Beans, I think)), in our small groups went to the vicars that we met last night. He had given us a job to do, clean a back street. As we work on the street, I notice that Cathy “Lara Croft” has a small rucksack.

After two hours attacking the street, which had shown great improvement, we head to the Vicar’s house. Some time to clean up our selves, my small group and I have lunch. Good news, a break from the gas producing stuffs.

Later the small group heads to park, and like yesterday they play football. I am known as, Michael “Own Goal”, decides not to play. Instead I chat to the girls, and make more progress than I did with Colette (see Day 2).

At dark, we went to a church, which was in middle of an industrial estate. Most of the Team started playing games or doing some card tricks and I just mess around.

“Whoops,” “That stinks!” or some other phases I came out with, at late at night.

Day 4 Thursday – Most things happened like the day before. With the exceptions below:

Day 5 Friday – The Xcellerate Team are in early this morning. Considering there is half morning of teachings today. And Colette is in the kitchen. In the session, I think I "skidded" and grab some spare pants. I shoot pass Colette on the way to men’s.

At the beginning of lunch, Tom, Woody and Chris Secker, start acting like monkeys. They run in to the kitchen and take a bag of bananas. Then head to mid floor level and as some of the ladies must go their dorm on the ground floor. It ends up, Woody scaring Becca (a DNA Lady who was not pleased), as all the rest of the “monkeys” scoff bananas.

After lunch the DNA Team decide what to watch that night. I start act out an impression for each film on the list: “I’m Stinkifootus Maximus. General Dave of the Head in Siberia.” (Gladiator (skit on the Answer to “What is your name, Gladiator?”)); “Schwing” (Wayne’s World & Wayne’s World 2)

After we’ve decided, we go out into Manchester. First stop Starbucks (there are said to be 6 in Manchester, I counted 4). The mochá was about average. Hannah and James decide to start singing “cum by Ayr”. I take a look at the WC.

Meanwhile, (this has not been confirmed) Andy Horne, the DNA leader, walks in to a Gay Bar. This is not hard when the Manchester Gay Mardi Gras happens the following day.

Some time later, I take Hannah and few other girls to Aflec’s Palace. I was the only person to buy any thing there. I bought a bracelet. Hannah had to get some red hair dye from the small Boots opposite Piccadilly Gardens. I also got some batteries for my Sony Walkman at the small Boots.

We arrive back and I start flashing my bracelet around and to Colette, who was in the kitchen. Not only she does like it, but also I am surprised that she is cooking tea.

Also Phil and Woody got their haircut. Both go for a mohican, while I was watching the film.

2k1: The Urban Adventure

Day 6 Saturday – Get up get ready to go and go. I was faster than “The Tribe” track “Fit to Burst”. We got a mini bus to the event from outside the BBC in Manchester.

The DNA Team arrives to Bulie Hill Park (where all the tents are) and both of DNA and Xcellerate Teams has some friendly bantering. (“Thanks!”) As Big Nutter events are actually organised by other people, and I just attend them, there can be, will be and have had admin errors. The first is about to appear. My address is wrong. I said it was due to my writing. Now I was in……

AT this point I would like to say, that most people doing 2k1 would start around here.

I soon go in the Cross Rhythms/Show tent, Phil and Hannah started to make the DNA stand. Mike Rimmer was not in the tent then. The Morning Event was just about to start in the main tent.

Phat Fish, (Me: “Who’s the beautiful little lady with those strange glasses?”),

It was a good show. I have a vision during the Morning Event. The Vision will not be published without all the people’s, (who appeared in the vision,) permission. The editor will say it is very personal to me, so until I feel it needs to publish.

When the Morning Event was over. The DNA Team has problems with lunch and Tea. I whilst waiting for news on food, spot the Xcellerate Team taking this Photo. I missed this one by seconds.

All the DNA Team was relieved when the food details were sorted out, especially me, I love my food.

As all the teams were eating they were given the official 2k1 T-shirts. The sizes are Large or Extra Large. The large is slightly baggy on me, but I had to have an extra large.

The Police were looking for DNA Team after lunch. All the girls were pleased that we got police escort to the Duchy estate. The Xcellerate Team was making sure that all the teams like the “Yippy Yippy Yeah” team were well watered. (Barney was the name given to the people who did Colette's task for this day)

The Afternoon was just simply litter collecting in the Duchy Estate. We were slightly different teams but Phil and Chris Secker were still in my Group.

As the teatime approached, the DNA team went to the pub. I’m really a non-drinker and never been in a pub before, was surprised and pleased. Due to I was 17 at the time of Big Nutter 2, I did not have alcohol.

Cameron Dante (About Andy Hawthorne on a Plane, “This is what he Said, “Your Gonna Die!””

I bumped in Colette at the beginning of the event, seen as she had bit of floor space to bounce around in, so I stayed with her.

Message TV, an informative video on the day’s events, Phil and Tom were on the intro of the day’s Events.

Andy Hawthorne introduced Cameron. As soon as Andy was off Cameron, started talking about Andy on a plane. Colette says she doesn’t remember it, although she said it could be before her time.

The Tribe came on did one song and then started “Jumping In The House Of God”. As Colette corrected my moves, (I was not much out too) the music stopped suddenly. Someone had pulled one of the cables.

I had to go a few times. On the one of the times I fell over Scottish Steve, my local Scotsman. Soon , Hannah and a few of the DNA Team come over to me to check on me. So I introduced Scottish Steve to most of the team before I returns to the event.

As I was leaving the first evening event with Phil and Tom, Steve (Xellerate) came up to the trio and said, “Can I have your autograph? You are quite famous!”

Later, I got my kit from the luggage store. I then went into the Cross Rhythms/Show tent; the DJ (I was still excited to note his name) was saying that he was at 2k1 and trying the sleepy DNA Team to shout at 11pm. (No Need!)

After a ten minute wait for the bus, the DNA Team was stuck in traffic in the Manchester Gay Mardigra. The DNA’s church just happened not only to be near Manchester Metro University, and the Main Mardi Gras area. We also have heard of a rumour of a Male DNA Member has a tight pink armless T-shirt. I thought I saw Sara Cox (from Radio 1’s Breakfast Show) on a phone, but she looked few years older than I had her seen on the webcam on Day 1 Monday.

The DNA Team returned back to their church. The team had a drink of hot chocolate and hit the floor.

Day 7 Sunday – Up early for several reasons: 1. The bus is earlier than usual; 2. The boys have to move their kit, due to their room being a teaching room for the local YPC.

Mike: (Me)	Boy, I am hungry, is it time to grab breakfast?
Phil:	Mike, I’ve seen you have breakfast and went back for seconds.
Mike:	I know, but I usually have a third breakfast.
Phil:	Do you always think about food?
Mike:	Nope, but you know I have at least 6 meals a day. OK Ok. But sometimes I do think about girls, Beautiful like Miss Croft. Where is Hannah? Is she having a make over, you know I could of played “Suit you, sir” gag on her if went in the big Boots on Friday.
Phil:	(Laughs) You are crazy, Mike, you know that.
	Hannah leaves the building and is wearing a large T-shirt and an anklet (a bracelet for the foot). She has her trainers in her hand and her shorts are hidden by her T-shirt.
Mike:	Ah here she is. Phil, are my eyes playing tricks or she’s got nowt on but her T-shirt?
	Hannah climbs aboard and greets Mike and Phil. The bus begins to move.
Mike:	Hannah, are you fully dressed? You are turning Phil on! I think it looks like you’re wearing a nightie.

Andy Hawthorne (…“there’s ‘Andy’s Rant’ mentioning no names, Joe Kislauskis, but it is annoying, lets leave that”…)

The He@t Band (“Second Friday,” “Second Friday,” (not said at this event but usually most worships))

The Guy In charge of the Salford Eden (About a person under his Care: “Have you met a person like him?”)

Salford City Reds Rugby Team (Grunts of various size. Hanna: “Look at those legs”)

As the tent is filling up, the video screen starts playing a clip with Lindz with a Wigwam Acoustics Case, and some unsuspecting members of the public. (Sounds familiar (Ed: Trigger Happy T.V.))

Andy did his usual chat about being for Jesus. I did hear his quote above that is partially fabricated. We sneaked Joe K in.

Andy also introduced The Salford City Reds Rugby Team, and prayed that they win the game at tea time.

After all this we had lunch and I met Mike Rimmer for the first time, he had to finish the link before the News before I could speak to him.

Later we head back to the Dutchy Estate and started Mine and Phil’s speciality: Back Street Clearing. After a few hours of this, we found it was getting late in the afternoon.

We started heading to McDonald’s for a cheeseburger for tea. It is a mile walk for the Cheeseburger, as I walk I listen to the radio with my walkman, Soon, (GET her name!) wants to listen, I let her, leaving me with a dodgy earphone. 3 songs later we reach McD’s.

Just I’m considering for what to have, Sasha, our German member of the team pulls a handful of straws and starts blowing them at Cathy who was sat next to me! She just takes a handful of straws and start blowing them back. She was also wearing my hat as I was singing “I’m a little Yellow Fish” (Its something Mark Goodacre (Radio 1’s Top 40) doesn’t say often)

Ok, We forgot our ages and we were 5. The burgers were in the class of their own.

We then ran all the way back to the tent. We get there just in time for the First Act to finish. So…

A Pair of Ex-Bobbies turned to evangelism (Emma (Tribe): “Just to Confirm: I AM Pregnant” Bloke: “I’d also like to confirm that I’m NOT Pregnant”)

First, I better say I can not remember this event much, but the Shine girls got us dancing to their tune. Did I say that those girls are better than V*enna? I meant it.

Emma, from The Tribe, is an ex-police officer, and introduces the tonight’s guest speaker.

Faster to our church, hit the deck and I listen to the Midnight News on Radio 4.

Day 8 Monday – I wake up outside of my sleeping bag. Later Phil asks me, “Why were you licking my ear?” I just replied, “I was dreaming about one of the girls down stairs!” Enough said on that topic.

Andy H (Me: “Stamp! Stamp! Stamp! Stamp! Stamp! Stamp!” To the tune of: Jumping In The House Of God)

Lindz (Me commenting on Industrial Bin racing: “Oh, that is rubbish! … don’t tip it! … Ok Let’s skip this one!”)

First up the bin racing. You just run with a big red bin with wheels, (1997 Ferrari?) then jump on. More than one Person per bin allowed, Lindz and a few of his mates had a go! With a video camera, of course.

After lunch and lots of silly sound effects later, we head to Duchy Estate. I pass on the comment that Phil’s a little wet behind the ear to Cathy.

Today, garden clearing, We discover that most people are out due to it’s a bank holiday Monday. The first house just needed a skip at the gate. We couldn’t clean it due to the fact skips are mega hard to get due to all the teams are using at least one skip. (Lindz: Delegates are racing them!) The rest has no one apart from the last one. As we get under way in the last house. We get some Drink, (these are hot days!)

After a half and hour of this we get told that we are got to head back to the home we using as a base all week. The police officer tell us that we could shower at the sports stadium (Small), The lads go first, I go extremely vocal when I get the under a shower, very cold or extremely cold. We clear the changing area and we discover some of the lads take longer that all the girls to sort themselves out.

Get to pub wait for the food, I had to choose the meal that doesn’t get cooked before I arrive. But we do eat after an agonising wait to get food.

MIC (whist joining me during Jumping in the house of God, Me: “Mind your feet”)

Andy H (“Emma is dedicated, she’s eight months pregnant and still does Jumping in the house of God”)

I get some Members of MIC, not satisfied doing a few songs, the join me, while the Tribe attack the stage, and Emma rapping will blow you a way.

As I wait for the group I have a cup of Tea with some of the ladies. I tell them I either join them next year despite the being under age, or go to collage tomorrow to enrol.

Head back to the church in Manchester. After some people are asleep, I start listing to Radio 4, I thought I must be on Radio 1 when I heard John Peel. I hear about a Blind Artist, with some silly letters behind her name.

Day 9 Tuesday – I’ve got to go home and enrol for collage. I had to miss the morning and afternoon but not the evening.

Andy H (“So far I have counted 4 ex-tribe members here, Cam, Colette and Beth. Who’s the 4^th?” (A: Andy))

Tribe (Lindz when checking his mail: “My Message Box is Full Again!” (This is Annalies (see ) just w))

Beth Redman (Matt’s Wife) (Telling people to go to the responcse tent “Go to that Tent out there!!!”)

We not much one big long chat but many smaller shorter chats. Redman and Co are pretty got but not my thing. Any way it’s the Comptemary Christian Songs I haven’t heard. (Some artist do two sets of songs, Sing along Worship (Redmans’ regular Charts) or Comptemary Christian (The Tribe’s regular Charts)).

During the event I meet up with some of my group. Colin, our cook for Days 1-5, is interviewed on Message TV, and pass a comment on to Steve, that it’s “Xelerate’s Turn Tomorrow”. The 3 Message TVs’ so far, two have DNA team (First and Third) and the second has Xelerate team.

Later at bedtime, other than late night Chatting in the corridors and my Radio 4 Midnight News listening, Woody is in bed before most people, including me.

Day 10 Wednesday – Last full proper day. Last day of The Message: 2k1. Woke up early, out of my Bag again. Got ready can’t find my Tea shirt. Becca, Lend me hers, Still a little damp and smelt soapy, I wore it.

As I was going in to the main tent. I saw Colette, with a Young Girl under 5, Colette say that the Child is not hers but Cameron Dante’s daughter. Colette was giving tickets for the Mad Tea Shirt Comp! Had I known I would have got my done yesterday! I then go in as the morning event got as the Lindz Vid start.

The Almost Daily Lindsey West Video… Today: How NOT to eat your Ice cream. Some one got the cone on his head. I thought I heard a female voice near me say, “Oooh, Raspberry Ripple hair!”

Next were Matt and Andy presiding over the Mad Tea Shirt Comp. One guy had not much in the way of cloth. They decided who won by the Loudness of the audience clapping or screaming.

Andy also mentioned that the only bit of rubbish he picked up was in the Manchester Evening News (Regional Nightly Newspaper).

At lunch and after the Redmans singing, a police helicopter fly’s over us a gets a few Pictures.

In the afternoon, in the Dutchy estate, the main outdoor party started. We had to help, by being safety people. I was on the bouncy obsical course, where some of us make sure that no one jumped to an unsafe place so that they couldn’t fall off and injure themselves.

After this we go the pub, some Boiler suited people with Hannah T in back ground was in the Manchester Evening News.

This One, Y Friday, the Last guest band took the stage, and for the last song of 2k1 they get the Tribe and MiC to do a song with them.

Just as we get back some people are leaving, I also pass on a message to one fo these early leavers. One whom was going to some were near to my home

We get back half us chat in kitchen and James is sorting out his mattress, Hannah goes and lies on it.

Day 11 Thursday – Today DNA must go south to their next Mission, They would have wanted me to go but I was only here for these 11 days and am missing collage. It is a tearful farewell, I then head to Manchester to meet my mum then we have to do a little shopping, and then we head home for Big Nutter 2.5.

The Results

This event is Really Two 5-day missions. First for the DNA Training, and the second is 2k1. Its hard to separate them much other than the days, I only known these people these 10/11 days except for Jonathan and “Scottish” Steve whom I still meet on irregular bias.

This is really for the Delegates to sort themselves out and for the People whom like me just to come for 10/11 days to get to know the DNA Group. The Street clearing and the Club after dark was for us to get to know the locals and we had a lasting effect on Church, more young people are going. I found out this out after a He@t worship. This I didn’t intend to find out.

This is the official event; I had to include this. These days are only reason that DNA Team came to Manchester from the south of England. The event was one of the biggest the Message attempted alone, it went off with bang, Manchester was shook the year before (With help of Soul Survivor), and this time Salford didn’t know what hit it. Even after a full month after the Event He@t were packed with Extra people that I only had seen at 2k1 and not at He@t before. This Mission was a big success.

The Final Word must go to Andy Hawthorne and my mate Phillipa, With out either I would not have done this event. Andy for the Dream, and Phillipa for getting me interested none of these pages would exist.

This has been Big Nutter 2 but I go on to Big Nutter 2.5

We at Big Nutter do not organise, run or lead these events. This event was organised, ran and led by the Companies in question. (The Message Trust, Pioneer Churches and DNA) Big Nutter will only comment and possibly record these events. Some one from the Big Nutter group must have to take part either as a worker or a guest to record these events.

If you want to find out about the Events like. Please see the following companies for details: The Message Trust, Soul Survivor, Pioneer Churches (DNA) or any other Major Christian organisation in your area. (You must mention “The Message” and/or “2k1: The Urban Adventure” when asking about event likes this due to that they may not know what you are talking about)

We, Big Nutter, also reserve the right to alter or bend the truth about the Event. (Pending judgement by the Lord Almighty) These are done for your amusement, not to type boring stuff and legal reasons.

(Tribes) Big Nutter (Hotmail), WindyTWIT (Yahoo!) and SharpeTOWN (Lycos) are known as Mike Sharpe’s (on-line) alter egos. He less harmful than Slim Shady, honest. Mike Sharpe is just mad person with a slight labelling habit.