Funds now allow streamed performance of panto to local hospitals.
Thanks to the generosity of over 1,000 individuals and businesses, Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre has exceeded its £7,325 target for this year’s Give the Gift of Theatre campaign by raising a whopping £8,900, enabling even more families facing financial hardship and children spending Christmas in hospital to see its panto Jack and the Beanstalk.
The campaign initially aimed to provide 300 panto tickets to families referred to the theatre through the Coventry Food Bank. After receiving an overwhelming number of donations the theatre was able to increase this to almost 400 tickets.
The theatre has also raised enough money to fund a streamed broadcast of Jack and the Beanstalk into local hospitals, hospices and nursing homes. Filming took place at the theatre this week and the show will be streamed via the internet to Coventry & Warwickshire Hospital, Warwick Hospital, three Myton Hospices’ and a number of nursing homes, including Herald Lodge, Charnwood House and Keresley House.
Donations were received from over 1,000 individuals and businesses including Jaguar Land Rover, Coventry Building Society and Barclays Bank who organised a fundraising day in the city centre branch on 18 Dec, with Simple Simon from Jack and the Beanstalk and Finham Primary School choir as guests of honour. This event raised £150 for the campaign.
David Jane, the Belgrade’s Development Director said, “We’re so pleased to have exceeded the target for this year’s Give the Gift of Theatre campaign. I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated and helped provide people who are facing a challenging Christmas time with a treat that they won’t forget. Spending quality time together watching a show and building happy memories for the future can be a luxury and one that some people simply cannot afford, or may miss out on if they’re in hospital. We can’t make people’s problems go away, but we can give them some respite from them, and help them to feel more positive.”
The Belgrade’s Give the Gift of Theatre campaign will continue to run throughout the year to provide people who are facing challenging circumstances with free tickets to suitable shows at the Belgrade. A registered charity itself, the theatre provides the tickets for half their value and the remaining amount is raised/donated.
David added, “We’re already looking ahead to 2014, and making sure that we can continue to build upon the success of this year’s campaign. People can continue to donate via our website or in person at the theatre’s Box Office. They can even hold their own fundraising events, such as a car boot sale, coffee morning or even a dress down to work day, and any runners out there can enter the Coventry Half Marathon on behalf of the campaign.”
To make a donation to the Belgrade’s Give the Gift of Theatre campaign visit www.belgrade.co.uk/gtg. For further information on the campaign or to discuss a fundraising idea, call Lexy Rooney on 024 7684 6758 or email [email protected].
