The Everyman Theatre's record-breaking pantomime Mother Goose — which sold more than 45,000 tickets — and the brilliantly supportive audience members who attended the shows over the Christmas period, have raised a grand total of £20,251 for Gloucestershire children's charities.
The theatre partnered with Allsorts and Home-Start Stroud and Gloucester for the 2023 show, to shine a spotlight on the respective charities' vital work to support local families navigating challenging circumstances and raise money for upcoming projects.
Mother Goose was on stage in Cheltenham from Friday 24 November 2023 to Sunday 7 January 2024 and throughout the pantomime season, theatre ambassadors, volunteers, staff and the cast of the show helped to raise funds for the charities — with panto star Tweedy's dedication playing an essential role in elevating the fundraising campaign, making him a superstar both on and off the stage.
Other initiatives such as the Giant Golden Egg Hunt across Gloucestershire and cast-led bucket collections during performances also contributed to generating the important funds, with every penny
raised directly supporting young children and families
across the county.
Rachael Fletcher, fundraising and communications manager at Allsorts, expressed her gratitude, saying: 'We are absolutely thrilled to hear the Everyman Theatre has raised over £20,000 to be shared between Allsorts and Home Start Stroud and Gloucester. This is a significant financial contribution to the work of a small charity like ours, particularly as we have found income generation challenging in 2023 due to the cost of living crisis.
'We look forward to putting the money to good use, providing many hours of fun, friendship and support for disabled children and all members of the family including grandparents, parent carers and siblings.'
Ri Ferrier, director of Home-Start Stroud and Gloucester, echoed this sentiment: 'We are beyond delighted at the funds raised by the Everyman Theatre for vulnerable local families. This will have a significant impact on our ability to continue to provide services to support parents in those crucial early years and to help them give their children the best start in life.'
Tickets for next season’s pantomime, Aladdin, at the Everyman Theatre are on sale now, opening on Friday 29 November 2024.
For more information, visit everymantheatre.org.uk.
