ed sheeran auckland school visits

Ed Sheeran stuns Auckland schoolkids with surprise performance

Ed Sheeran plays at Manurewa Intermediate. (Source: Supplied)

Students at Auckland's Manurewa Intermediate were treated to a surprise one-off performance by British pop-star Ed Sheeran when he visited the school this afternoon.

Sheeran is in Auckland this week as he prepares for the Auckland leg of his Mathematics tour. This afternoon he popped into Manurewa Intermediate to play some songs and speak with students.

Deputy Principal Ross Devereux told 1News that aside from him and school leadership, none of the staff or students knew about the performance - to say the least, things got wild when he rocked up.

Every Friday, the school finishes the day by singing in the hall, so despite it being Wednesday, it felt like a typical afternoon for the students.

"I said to the kids 'I've organised someone today'. Obviously, I hadn't, but I had to give a story to the kids. [He's here] to inspire us with our singing and our journeys in life.

"Put your hands together for Ed Sheeran."

He said the response from the 900 students in the hall was electric.

"It just went nuts; it was like he'd come out in front of Eden Park."

The superstar played at Manurewa Intermediate, Kōwhai Intermediate and Avondale Intermediate while on tour in NZ. 

Sheeran played three songs for the kids, with everyone singing alongside the UK hitmaker.

Upon finishing, he snapped a quick picture with the whole school and offered some words of advice for the students.

"He gave a really lovely speech to the kids about what it means to fulfil your own journey in life.

"Find that one thing that you love doing and just do it, and don't let anyone deter you from it."

Devereux said having someone like Ed Sheeran come to the school inspires the students.

"The one aspect that I did love is that it supported our vision statement - adventurous risk takers; persistent focussed achievement.

"What he said embodied that, and also when you look at his journey as a musician - he's worked his backside off since he was a young kid for his success.

"In a world full of manufactured pop stars, it's so refreshing that the kids to see and hear that is inspiring for all of them."

Devereux said it's also incredibly rewarding for the students who have had their education disrupted in recent times by Covid-19 and the Auckland floods.

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Sheeran also made headlines following his Wellington performance when he invited a Kiwi fan on stage to sing with him after forgetting the lyrics.

He's set to take the stage at Eden Park on Friday and Saturday for his last shows in Aotearoa before jetting off.

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Ed Sheeran performs surprise concert at Auckland schools ahead of Eden Park shows

One of the biggest pop stars in the world has made several Kiwi kids’ day with a surprise performance at their school.

Photos and video on social media show Ed Sheeran has made stops at Kōwhai Intermediate and Manurewa Intermediate ahead of his two shows set to take place at Eden Park this weekend.

Manurewa Intermediate’s Facebook page shared a photo of the moment Sheeran serenaded several of their students today, writing, “Such an unreal moment to have a special performance from Ed Sheeran at MI today!!! WOW!!!

“Someone who embodies our vision statement of being adventurous, a risk-taker, persistent, focused, with well-deserved achievement.”

Another snap shared to Instagram shows the singer performing at a “special top secret assembly” at Kōwhai Intermediate in Mount Eden.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joe Poole (@mojojojocollector)

“Ed Sheeran played a surprise concert for Kōwhai Intermediate. What an amazing thing to do. He was really genuine and gave a great message about working hard and following your dreams. Thanks Ed!”

But those aren’t the only places the star turned up to perform for gobsmacked Kiwi fans.

Last night, Sheeran played for guests at Hobbiton in Matamata. Videos shared on TikTok show him performing the song he wrote for Peter Jackson’s Hobbit Films,  I See Fire .

“Lucky guests on our Evening banquet tour tonight got a wonderful surprise. Ed Sheeran had a private dinner but crashed the public one to sing  I See Fire ,” one TikTok user wrote.

It comes after Sheeran made one superfan’s dream come true when he made a surprise appearance at her Wairarapa pub last week.

The weekend before his first show in Wellington on January 27, the singer was passing through the small town of Featherston when he stopped for a pint and a bite to eat at the Brac and Bow bar and restaurant.

Superfan and duty manager Debbie Sinclair happened to be working when Sheeran walked through the door, leaving the staff members and punters stunned.

Taking to social media, Brac and Bow bar wrote: “THE GOSS IS OUT! Our beautiful Debs got to meet her idol yesterday @bracnbow Mr Ed Sheeran in little old Featherston, enjoying a pint!”

This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.

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Ed Sheeran wows fans with surprise performances at Hobbiton and Auckland schools

Ed Sheeran has been spreading joy as he made his way from Wellington to Auckland ahead of his Eden Park concerts this weekend ...

The British singer-songwriter has been wowing fans all over Aotearoa as he made surprise appearances at schools and tourist attractions.

First up was a visit to Hobbiton in Matamata on Tuesday evening, where he performed the song he wrote for Peter Jackson’s Hobbit film, ' I See Fire .'

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos)

"Lucky guests on our evening banquet tour tonight got a wonderful surprise. Ed Sheeran had a private dinner but crashed the public one to sing ' I See Fire ,'" one TikTok user revealed.

The ' Shape Of You ' hitmaker then popped into Kōwhai Intermediate and Manurewa Intermediate in Auckland yesterday to serenade several of their students with two more surprise performances.

Manurewa Intermediate's deputy principal Ross Devereux said Sheeran hand-picked the school because it's known for its arts programme and love of music.

The singer performed three songs at both schools and gave the kids, who are aged 11 to 13, a little motivational speech.

"He gave a really lovely speech to the kids about what it means to fulfil your own journey in life, and about how he wasn’t the most popular or good at maths, but he found music and he stuck to it," Devereux said.

Sheeran is currently touring Australia and New Zealand, with two more shows scheduled in Auckland on February 10 and 11.

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Ed Sheeran Surprises Auckland Students With In-school Performances

"I’m pretty sure this will be the greatest memory of so many of our Kiwi kids - dream come true!"

(Source: Supplied)

Ed Sheeran  has brought sheer delight to students at the Manurewa Intermediate School in Auckland this week after showing up for a surprise performance and a chat with the kids on a day off from his Australia/New Zealand tour.

In an interview with 1News , Deputy Principal Ross Devereux said that aside from him and school leadership, the rest of the staff and students had no idea what was coming. Devereux also noted that the school often finishes Friday afternoons with singing in the hall, so despite changing that to Wednesday, it felt like an ordinary day that kept up the surprise.

He recalled telling the students, "Put your hands together for Ed Sheeran," and an "electric" reaction from 900 students as the Shape Of You singer stepped into the room.

"I’m on a day off in Auckland, and I thought I’d give some kids a surprise with a free gig," Ed Sheeran revealed on Instagram , before flipping the camera to the students at Manurewa and Kōwhai Intermediate schools. 

Sheeran played the hits, from Perfect  to Bad Habits to  Thinking Out Loud , the latter performed with a teacher. Sheeran also said that the day surprising schoolkids was "one of my favourite days in a long time – I’ve enjoyed it so much." View the footage below.

Parents also reacted warmly to Sheeran's presence, commenting on social media, "Thank you so so much! I picked up my daughter from Kowhai school today racing to my arms screaming and smiling until her face was going to break! WOW you made their day today – she will never forget this".

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Another parent said, "I’m pretty sure this will be the greatest memory of so many of our Kiwi kids – dream come true! She mentioned you also gave a really inspirational speech. Such a cool human you are. Kia Ora!"

The + - = ÷ x Tour (pronounced ' The Mathematics Tour ') is one of the biggest we've seen in Australia and New Zealand, with sold-out dates in Wellington, Auckland, and Brisbane.

The tour began in Wellington last night. Next up, Sheeran heads to Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. The venues will be packed with the biggest crowds support acts Budjerah  and Maisie Peters have ever played to.

ED SHEERAN + - = ÷ x AUSTRALIAN TOUR

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2023

Presented by Frontier Touring

Friday 17 February 2023 - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (Sold Out)

Saturday 18 February 2023 - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (Sold Out)

Sunday 19 February 2023 - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Friday 24 February 2023 - Accor Stadium, Sydney

Saturday 25 February 2023 - Accor Stadium, Sydney

Thursday 2 March 2023 - Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Friday 3 March 2023 - Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Tuesday 7 March 2023 - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Sunday 12 March 2023 - Optus Stadium, Perth

Tickets are now available .

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Source: ABC Radio Melbourne | Program: Victorian Afternoons

World famous rockstar drops into Auckland school for a surprise visit

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Imagine if one of the worlds biggest rockstars just turned up at your school for an intimate performance and inspirational session.

That's exactly what happened at Kowhai Intermediate school in Auckland yesterday when Ed Sheeran arrived for an intimate pop up performance. 

The top selling English singer-songwriter said 'he wanted to be able to give kids an experience, an opportunity that he didn't get when he was young'. 

Teachers said the experience was one to remember. 

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"Couldn’t stop smiling all day": Ed Sheeran on surprising students at New Zealand schools

Students in Auckland got the surprise of their lives when  Ed Sheeran  showed up unannounced to their schools.

The singer is down under, with his tour recently taking him to New Zealand. But instead of using one of his days off to relax or go sightseeing, he decided to spend the day "surprising school kids in 3 different schools in Auckland."

Ed shared a sweet video to  Instagram  of him playing songs and giving speeches to the delighted students. Moments include kids jumping to their feet to sing along with him to "Perfect" and "Shape of You," as well as him posing with the students for a massive group photo. It also appears Ed stayed for some autographs, as a clip shows him signing a white guitar.

During his visit to the third and final school, he invited an instructor onstage to sing "Thinking Out Loud." She in turn asked the students to join her.

"Definitely one of my favorite days on tour," a grinning Ed told the camera. "I loved singing with the teacher at the end as well. Yeah ... bloody love New Zealand!"

Ed continued in the video caption, "I had so much fun, couldn’t stop smiling all day thank you for having me ! And for the wonderful Pounamu, it was an honour."

Ed didn't stop his surprise visits there. He also visited Hobbiton, where some of the  Lord of the Rings  and  The Hobbit  trilogies were filmed. He played an impromptu performance at The Green Dragon Inn, choosing to sing "I See Fire," which is the 2013 song of his that appeared in  The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug .

The Hobbiton Movie Set shared three  videos  of Ed's performance to TikTok.

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Ed Sheeran thrills Kiwi schoolkids with surprise performances as he tours New Zealand and Australia

By Jimmy Briggs For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 01:34 EDT, 8 February 2023 | Updated: 03:43 EDT, 8 February 2023

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Ed Sheeran thrilled students at two middle schools on Wednesday when he gave a surprise performance for the youngsters in Auckland, New Zealand .

The English singer-songwriter, 31, made stops at both Manurewa Intermediate and Kōwhai Intermediate schools to give students and staff a free concert.

Manurewa School shared a photo of Ed belting out his hits to their packed assembly room and thanked the Shape of You hitmaker for visiting them.

Ed Sheeran (pictured) thrilled students at two middle schools on Wednesday when he gave a surprise performance for the youngsters in Auckland, New Zealand

'Such an unreal moment to have a special performance from Ed Sheeran at MI today! WOW!' the school wrote alongside the image. 

'Someone who embodies our vision statement of being adventurous, a risk-taker, persistent and focused.' 

Several parents commented that Ed's unexpected performance was the highlight of their child's day.

The English singer-songwriter, 31, made stops at both Manurewa Intermediate and Kōwhai Intermediate schools to give students and staff a free concert

One parent gushed, 'my son was so pumped and couldn't stop going on about it', while another said, 'this absolutely made my girls year'.

It comes after the redheaded star made a surprise appearance at the Brac and Bow restaurant in Wellington.

The venue shared a photo to Facebook of manager Debbie Sinclair meeting the singer during his visit in January.

'THE GOSS IS OUT! Our beautiful Debs got to meet her idol yesterday @bracnbow Mr Ed Sheeran in little old Featherston, enjoying a pint!' the caption read.

Several parents commented that Ed's unexpected performance was the highlight of their child's day 

Debbie told Stuff , she didn't initially recognise the superstar when he ordered two glasses of Castle Lager and fries.

After he finished his meal, she asked him for a photo and he happily agreed.

Ed is currently taking his + – = ÷ x Tour, also known as The Mathematics Tour, around Australia and New Zealand.

The four-time Grammy winner, known for his hits Thinking Out Loud and Bad Habits, will perform at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, February 10.

Ed is currently taking his + – = ÷ x Tour, also known as The Mathematics Tour, around Australia and New Zealand 

Ed Sheeran's 2023 Australia and New Zealand tour

February 10 : Eden Park in Auckland

February 11:   Eden Park in Auckland

  February 17 : Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane

February 24 : Accor Stadium in Sydney

March 2 : MCG in Melbourne

March 7 : Adelaide Oval

March 12 : Optus Stadium in Perth

Share or comment on this article: Ed Sheeran thrills Kiwi schoolkids with surprise performances as he tours New Zealand and Australia

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Ed Sheeran surprises students at a South Auckland intermediate school with a live performance

Ed Sheeran might just be the man after he surprised students at a South Auckland intermediate school. 

Ed rocked up to Manurewa Intermediate School with his guitar and gave a special performance for the kids. 

“Such an unreal moment to have a special performance from Ed Sheeran at MI today!!!” the school wrote in a Facebook post. 

“WOW!!!! Someone who embodies our vision statement of being Adventurous, a Risk-Taker, Persistent, Focussed with well-deserved Achievement! Another amazing day at MI!!”

That vision statement can be seen written on the wall to the side of Ed, who’s just jamming in a super casual fit suitable for Aotearoa. 

Comments on the Facebook post are full of celebration and appreciation for how cool the moment is. 

“Oh wow this is amazing!!” one commenter wrote. “ I can only imagine the look on the childrens’ faces aww. I look forward to hearing all about it when I pick my daughter up today. What an experience. Yay #Rewa”

“Ed is a real G,” another person wrote. 

“Oh my gosh how awesome is that!! So cool,” a third added. 

“Ed sharin’ his music,” one more commenter said (had to include this one with a pun that good). 

Last year another school had a different kind of surprise musical performance.

In October 2022, the speaker system at Waihi Primary School started blasting the classic Aotearoa tune ‘Poi E’ at 1 o’clock in the morning. 

Coromandel’s More FM Facebook page posted a video of it as well as providing a bit more info on what actually happened.

“Residents next to Waihi East primary school heard what was described by the school as a "terrible speaker malfunction" this morning just after 1 am,” the caption reads. “The school speaker system started playing ‘Poi E" nonstop on repeat for up to an hour.”

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Ed Sheeran’s Auckland concerts: Everything you need to know this weekend - transport, weather

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While he’s been making surprise visits around the country - including at Hobbiton , Auckland has been waiting patiently for the chance to see beloved Ed Sheeran and, finally, the wait is almost over.

Coming off the back of his successful Wellington show last week, the UK artist will take the stage at Auckland’s Eden Park for two massive shows this Friday and Saturday night.

It’s the first time the artist has played in the country’s biggest city since 2018. With the forecast looking mainly fine, the shows – which are set for a crowd of 50,000 each night – are anticipated to be a huge success.

If you’re yet to secure tickets, it’s not too late. Friday’s show is sold out, but tickets for Saturday are available through Ticket Master .

If you’re one of the many heading along to the Friday and Saturday night shows, here’s everything you need to know:

When does it start?

Gates open at 4.30pm.

Support acts Kaylee Bell comes on at 6pm and Maisie Peters at 7pm.

Sheeran takes the stage at 8.15pm. He’ll play for two and a half hours until 10.45pm.

How to get there

Travel on scheduled bus services is included with your concert ticket from 2.30pm until the end of service that day. Show your ticket when you board. Check Auckland Transport for rail bus replacements running on Friday and Saturday night.

Special event buses will depart from the city centre from the corner of Gore St and Quay St every 10 minutes from 4.30pm to 7.30pm. They will depart after the concert back to the city for one hour after the concert is finished or until crowds clear.

Train service is also included in your concert ticket from 2.30pm until end of service that day. Show your ticket when Auckland Transport staff ask.

Buses will replace trains for the following services:

Southern line – buses will replace trains between Otahuhu and Newmarket.

Onehunga Line – buses will replace trains between Onehunga and Newmarket.

Ride share:

If you plan to get there in a taxi, Uber or other ride share service, you can be dropped off and picked up from two locations, each an approximate 5-10 minute walk from Eden Park.

• Dominion Road by the corner of Bellwood Ave.
• Morningside Drive area between Taylors Rd and Sainsbury Rd.

Drivers will not be able to get closer to Eden Park because of road closures and parking restrictions in place for the concert.

Park and ride:

If you plan to park and walk to the venue, you can park for free at the Alexandra Park Raceway on Saturday from 4.30pm.

You can access the carpark from Campbell Cresent (off Manukau Rd) or Greenlane West. Once parked, you can catch one of the free special event buses to Eden Park.

What to take – and not

Several items are not permitted inside the stadium, including backpacks or bags larger than 42cm high, 30cm wide, and 30cm deep. Professional cameras, cameras with a removable lens or cameras with a lens bigger than a standard watch face are not permitted - though you can bring a small personal camera and, of course, your phone.

You can’t take in commercial or branded food or drinks, though you can bring small quantities of food prepared at home. You can take an empty plastic bottle without a lid or a sealed plastic bottle of water holding up to one litre for refill at the free water stations in the venue.

Other forbidden items include cigarettes or vapes, dangerous goods, knives, tasers, umbrellas, flags, fireworks, selfie sticks or chilly bins.

Find a full list of what not to bring here .

Sections of Eden Park are covered with light rain forecast for Friday night while Saturday night appears to be a clear night, but if you’re concerned about getting caught in the rain, be sure to bring a poncho or raincoat.

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Ed Sheeran Brings Joy to Kids in New Zealand with Surprise School Gigs!

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February 8, 2023

Ed Sheeran just made school very memorable for thousands of kids in New Zealand!

The superstar who is currently touring the country, rocked up to three primary schools in Auckland today – with his guitar, of course – where he performed some of his biggest hits including “Shape of You” and ‘Thinking Out Loud.”

“I’m on a day off in Auckland and I thought we’d come to some schools and give some kids a surprise with a free gig,” he says in footage posted to his social media page.

As you can probably imagine, the kids go absolutely wild when they see him walk on stage:

  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos)

“Honestly this has been one of my favourite days in a long time,” Ed says at the end of the clip.

One of the school’s, Manurewa Intermediate, shared a photo of the moment Ed took to the stage on their Facebook page. They described his visit as “unreal” and Ed himself as “someone who embodies our vision statement of being Adventurous, a Risk-Taker, Persistent, Focused.”

And school wasn’t Ed’s only stop either. According to footage that’s surfaced on TikTok, he also surprised guests at Hobbiton in Matamata last night where he performed “I See Fire”, the song he wrote for The Hobbit films.

@hobbitontours We had an unexpected guest at The Green Dragon Inn tonight… #iseefire ♬ original sound – Hobbiton Movie Set

Ed’s next stop on tour will be Australia!

(Feature Image Credit: @teddysphotos/Instagram)

Nehal Dalgliesh

Nehal is an award-winning news presenter, author of "A Kids Book About Kindness Online" and founder of CelebrityKind. She has dedicated her career to creating connected and healthy spaces in the media. When she's not writing, you'll find Nehal hanging with family, dancing to Beyoncé, interpreting Taylor Swift lyrics or watching old eps of Oprah.

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Everything you need to know for Ed Sheeran's Auckland shows at Eden Park

After singing to around 48,000 Kiwis in the capital city, Ed Sheeran is coming to Auckland for two shows! 

This is Ed's first tour after 5 years.

Final tickets are on sale now HERE

Set times: .

4.30pm - Gates open 6pm – Kaylee Bell 7pm – Maisie Peters 8.15pm – Ed Sheeran

* Note: Timings are subject to change without notice. It's recommended fans arrive at least two hours before Ed Sheeran is set to take the stage, so you have enough time to make your way to your seats in time for the first song.

Check out this map HERE to find the best and the nearest gate to your seat. 

Ticket holders who are seated on the field (A1 - C20), your gate entry is from Sandringham Road only. 

PARKING & TRANSPORT

The team at Eden Park recommends you give yourself plenty of time to get to Eden Park.

Click here for a handy map to get familiar with the pick up/drop locations. 

Road closures start at 2pm and end at 11.30pm.

Free bus rides are included with your concert ticket from 2.30pm until the last bus that night. 

Special buses will operate between City Centre and Eden Park before and after the concert.

Departing from the City Centre to Eden Park before Concert 

Where: 120 Quay Street - Corner of Gore Street and Quay Street

Time of Service : Every 5 to 10 minutes from 4.30pm to 7.30pm

Departing from Eden Park to the City Centre after the concert

Where : Eden Park Transport Hub - Corner of Reimers Ave and Sandringhm Road

When : For 1 hour post concert or until crowds clear

Free train rides are also included in your concert ticket from 2.30pm until the end of service that day. 

Free Parking is available from 4.30pm on Friday and Saturday at Alexandra Park.

You can access the carpark via two entrances: Campbell Crescent(off Manukau Road) and Greenlane West. 

Once parked, you can catch one of the free special buses to Eden Park. These buses will depart from 4.30pm - 7.30pm and return from Eden Park Bus Hub for 1 hour post event or until crowds clear. 

Free Parking is available at Westfield St Lukes only on Saturday from 6pm onwards for concertgoers.

Mobility Parking and Access:

For ticketholders with mobility parking permits, the carpark is in Cricket Avenue. Mobility parking is on a first-come, first-served basis, so the parking is not able to be booked. 

Food and drinks are available to buy on-site.

Eden Park has a range of options including donuts, hot chips, burgers, vegetarian and Mexican.

Wine, beer and soft drinks are all available for purchase.

There are 18 water stations around the stadium. You may only bring an empty water bottle (1 litre max) or a sealed plastic water bottle (up to a max of 1 litre) into the venue.

NOTE: The lid will be removed and thrown upon admission. You can also carry an empty plastic bottle with no cover (up to 750ml) to use at free water stations. Metal/stainless steel bottles will not be allowed in.

For ticketholders with Field tickets (A1-C20), there are 20 food trucks offering a wide variety of food and drink options.

MERCHANDISE

Ed Sheeran merchandise will be available for purchase at locations set up around Eden Park.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

Eden Park is a smoke and vape-free venue.

What you CAN bring into the Stadium

1. Sealed water containers (unbreakable vessel) up to 1 litre or a 1-litre maximum empty drink bottle which can be refilled within the stadium at one of the 18 water stations

2. Guide dogs or assistance animals

3. Small amounts of non-commercially produced food intended for the patron’s personal consumption

4. Soft chilly bags within 350mm high by 300mm deep by 400mm wide (they should be able to fit under your seat)

5. Umbrellas (as long as they don’t impede the view of other patrons)

What you CAN NOT bring into the Stadium

1. Alcohol not purchased at the stadium

2. Animals or pets, with the exception of guide dogs or assistance animals

3. Sealed drinking containers larger than 1 litre

4. Cans (including aerosol cans) glass bottles, thermos flasks, any breakable container

5. Illicit drugs

6. Commercially produced takeaway food such as McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Subway, pizza etc.

7. Knives and dangerous weapons

8. Flares, fireworks, laser pointers

9. Skateboards, roller blades, scooters or bicycles

10. Photographic, video or audio recording equipment for any purpose other than private non-commercial purposes, which may include, without limitation, video and/or audio recorders, camera tripods, monopods or lenses with a total focal strength of greater than 200mm and commercial digital video equipment. The Event Management Staff will, at their sole discretion, determine whether or not an item is intended for personal or commercial use

11. Cameras and/or specialised photographic equipment intended for commercial use

12. Sound amplifying devices including loudhailers, air horns or similar devices

13. Prams, strollers or pushchairs (there is a limited storage facility at Entries A, D, E, H for patrons to store these items during the event at their own risk)

14. Hard chilly bins and picnic hampers

15. Flags, banners etc that may, at the sole discretion of the Event Management Staff, be considered too large or contain profanity or messages that could be deemed offensive

16. Any other item which the Event Management Staff (at their sole discretion) deems to be a prohibited item which may be a danger to, or inconvenience any other patron

17. Prohibited items will be confiscated

For the complete list,  check out  Eden Park's conditions of entry. 

EXPECTED SETLIST 

• Castle on the Hill
• Don’t / No Diggity
• Visiting Hours
• Own It / PERU / Beautiful People / I Don’t Care
• Overpass Graffiti
• Galway Girl
• Thinking Out Loud
• Love Yourself [Justin Bieber]
• Bloodstream
• Shape of You [encore]
• Bad Habits [encore]
• You Need Me, I Don’t Need You [encore]

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Ed Sheeran Performs Surprise Concert for Primary School Students in Brighton and Donates Guitars

The Grammy winner also sat in on music lessons and hosted a Q&A with students at Fairlight Primary and Nursery School

Lionel Hahn/Getty

Ed Sheeran wants to inspire young musicians.

The Grammy-winning superstar, 33, paid a surprise visit to Fairlight Primary School in Brighton, U.K., on May 10 to perform for students, sit in on music lessons, participate in Q&As and donate five of his guitars.

During the visit — organized with Create Music , which works to provide arts education to musicians of all ages — Sheeran delivered live renditions of hits including "Shape of You," "Perfect" and "Bad Habits."

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

"Ed Sheeran coming to Fairlight Primary School isn't an everyday thing, despite me claiming he was one of my celebrity mates! He was amazing with everyone he met — interested in them, chatting to them and he was very humble," said the school's headteacher, Damien Jordan, in a statement.

"He took time to listen to the children and encourage them. He told us how he struggled at school but how music helped him and encouraged him and how he now wanted to do the same," continued Jordan's statement.

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The headteacher explained the school has "60 children who do individual music instrument tuition every week with Create Music, as well as wider music lessons," and some of those students taught Sheeran how to play Queen's "We Will Rock You" on a glockenspiel — "which he loved!"

"The children left school telling their parents all about it and no one believed them," added Jordan. "But it was 100% true — you had to be there to believe it."

Simone Joyner/Getty 

Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex about the moment, Jordan revealed none of the students knew Sheeran was coming to the school beforehand, while only a few staff members were clued in.

In a statement, Create Music director Peter Chivers expressed feeling "grateful" for Sheeran's "support" as well as his "generous donation" of five guitars "to help other budding musicians on their way."

This isn't the first time Sheeran's spent time with young musicians. In July 2023, he surprised the Boston Music Project Youth Group by performing alongside its young musicians at the Tobin Community Center in the Massachusetts capital before headlining his own concert at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough later that night.

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

“Morning off in Boston so went to surprise this kids music group, was so fun,” Sheeran  wrote on Instagram at the time alongside clips from the performance, which included "The Hills of Aberfeldy" and "Eyes Closed."

Footage featured on the Boston Music Project’s Instagram Story also showed Sheeran sitting in the grass and chatting with the younger audience members as they watched the concert.

“I played with Ed Sheeran, that was really cool. I had a lot of fun. And he gave me a really cool guitar and he signed it,” one child said, as he held up his autographed instrument.

Where did Ed Sheeran go to school? Singer performs at Brighton primary school, donates guitars

E d Sheeran visited Fairlight Primary and Nursery School in Brighton on May 10, 2024. During his visit to the school, he performed a surprise performance comprising three of his songs, including Perfect, and interacted with the school students during their music lessons. The singer-songwriter also donated five guitars to the school to aid in better learning.

Ed Sheeran's visit to the Brighton school was captured by photographer Sadie Avard, who took to Instagram to showcase the same. In the caption, Sadie Avard mentioned that she was pinching herself, still in disbelief at the opportunity, given she is new to the industry.

Avard also mentioned that Ed Sheeran's main message to the students was to not get disillusioned by school if they don't fit the expectations of academic life. In her caption, she also stated that Sheeran talked about finding inspiration from other people in the industry and working harder than their contemporaries to "become the best."

As for his own schooling, Ed Sheeran went to the Rishworth School, West Yorkshire, where he learned to play the guitar at a young age. The singer attended the Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham, which he revisited in 2023 for a surprise appearance.

"He took time to listen to children and encourage them": Brighton School's headmaster on Ed Sheeran's visit

Talking to BBC Radio Sussex about Ed Sheeran's visit to Fairlight Primary and Nursery School, Brighton, Damien Jordan, headmaster of the school, mentioned that Sheeran was "amazing with everyone he met." Jordan also said that he was humble and chatted with the students.

In his statement to BBC Radio Sussex, Jordan mentioned:

"He took time to listen to the children and encourage them. He told us how he struggled at school but how music helped him and encouraged him and how he now wanted to do the same."

Talking about the singer's visit, headmaster Jordan mentioned that children of year six would be sitting for the SATs shortly. However, when they grow 20, 30, 40, or older, they won't remember the exams, but they'll have a vivid memory of Ed Sheeran visiting their school.

Additionally, headmaster Jordan mentioned that some students pursuing individual music instrument tuition taught the singer how to play We Will Rock You by Queen on a glockenspiel. He also mentioned that Sheeran loved it.

This is not Sheeran's first time being generous toward educational institutions. In a recent instance dated February 2024, as reported by The Guardian, the singer donated £1 million to his high school - Thomas Mills High School. The singer's donation aimed at offering better learning resources to students.

As per BBC, director of Create Music, Peter Chivers, mentioned in his statement regarding Sheeran's recent school visit:

"Ed shares our belief that lives can be transformed by the power of music. We are so grateful for his support and for the generous donation of instruments to help other budding musicians on their way."

Ed Sheeran's visit to the Fairlight Primary and Nursery School was organized by Create Music. Create Music is a music hub for East Sussex, Brighton, and Hove, which transforms the lives of the young and adults by giving them the "gift of music."