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The Grand Theatre Blackpool

You are in Friends News Archive

FRIENDS NEWS ARCHIVE

SEPTEMBER 2007

Summer Fair

The Friends of the Grand Summer Fair was held on Sunday 9th September. There were many stalls both on the stage and in Matcham Court, rear Grand Theatre, selling items as diverse as theatre memorabilia, water colour paintings, hand-made cards, dolls house furniture, jewellery, clocks, watches and engraved glass.

A Tombola stall, home-made cake stall could be found and Matchams Bar was open throughout the day. Raffle tickets with a first prize of £1,000 were also on sale! Guests were amongst some of the first to have a look at the newly refurbished Grand Theatre whilst browsing around our Summer Fair.


SEPTEMBER 2007

Coffee Morning

at The Assembly Rooms, Dicconson Terrace, Lytham Admission was £1 including coffee and biscuits – Bring and Buy,Tombola etc


AUGUST 2007

Garden Party in aid of the Sam Lee Appeal at Ashley Hall

Thank you to all involved in raising money for this fantastic appeal to help restore the Grand Theatre to its former glory. (Pictures available for download)


OCTOBER 2006

Friends of the Grand Lunch with the Stars

Friends of the Grand lunched with the stars from the summer season show Variety at Night on Saturday 21 October 2006 in the Lawrence House Studio. Jokes and gossip were exchanged whilst stars and Friends enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by Grand Theatre staff. View the gallery.


JUNE 2006

‘THANK YOU’ Held for Volunteers

The Grand Theatre held a ‘thank you’ performance of The Grand Theatre Music Hall for Friends of the Grand volunteers on Thursday 22 June 2006. Over one hundred hard-working theatre helpers attended. Cast members – together with young actors who had opened their Grand Theatre Academy production of Teechers in the Lawrence House Studio – joined them for a post-show buffet in the stalls.

Afterwards, John Buck, Chairman of the Friends, presented Grand Theatre Trust Chairman David Coupe with cheques for £20,000 towards Phase Two of the Glorious Grand Restoration and £3,000 in support of the New Year’s Gala Concert, 2006.

In thanking the Friends, Mr Coupe said “This is a magnificent surprise. It demonstrates how hard the Friends of the Grand continue to work. In less than three years, Friends have raised over £170,000 for the next phase of improving disabled access, new seating, carpeting and theatregoer amenities”.



Grand Theatre Trust Chairman David Coupe receives a cheque for £20,000 from Friends of the Grand Chairman John Buck, 22 June 2006


Grand Theatre manager Paul Iles spoke about the importance of volunteering. The volunteers had featured conspicuously in this month’s economic and social impact study of the Grand Theatre, the purpose of which was to create coherent evidence to inform stakeholders about our achievements and policy. Paul said that it is hoped that the grants awarded by Blackpool Council and the Arts Council – as well as new funds from regeneration, education, heritage, businesses and private patrons – can now be justified in wider policy areas so as to achieve the backers’ objectives.

Researchers had distributed a questionnaire to 150 volunteers. Paul thanked the volunteers for completing the survey. He thought it would be of interest to share something of what had been discovered:

“These facts and statistics are known to us, but it is important for Blackpool Council and the Arts Council to know about you and to read about you in the language they understand.

“66% of you live in Blackpool, 25% live in Wyre, 7% in Fylde and 2% in Merseyside. There is a strong commitment to your work at the Grand, with 30% serving the Grand for more than twenty years, 19% between five and ten years and 20% for between two and five years. There is a clear intention to continue volunteering over the next five years.

“Motivations for volunteering are similar to those of the Friends overall membership, with the majority inspired to help preserve this fabulous theatre. The social aspects are also important, with 45% motivated to volunteer in order to meet new people. A large proportion of volunteers are motivated by a desire to promote our new National Theatre of Variety projects.

“Overall, you appear to be satisfied with the benefits of volunteer working at the Grand. 61% would still volunteer if you could not see performances for free and 23% agree that seeing performances for free is important, although you do not deem this as an essential benefit. 64% also volunteer for other organisations, or have done in the past. This suggests that you are active within the community and there is a high potential to generate the cross-transfer of skills and experiences.

“The majority of volunteer work is assisting with front of house activity. Other work includes mailing and operating the coffee bar. 53% of respondents have received training for the role at the Grand; the majority received this through our induction course. Given the long tenure of many volunteers there may be an opportunity to introduce refresher training. The development of a more structured training and development programme may assist in the recruitment of younger people with an interest in a career in the performing arts.

“Half of you believe that you have developed skills as a result of volunteering at the Grand; 87% have enhanced their knowledge about theatre and the performing arts, 70% have gained teamwork skills and 67% have developed customer service skills. A third of you believe the skills you have developed through volunteering at the Grand will increase your chances of gaining employment. The remaining respondents are retired.

“In terms of personal development, you all believe that volunteering at the Grand has had a positive personal impact. There appears to be a great deal of personal satisfaction gained through volunteering here, with 67% agreeing that ‘I know I will keep in touch with people I have met through volunteering’ and a further 76% agreeing that ‘Volunteering at the Blackpool Grand Theatre makes me feel better’. 44% agree that you are ‘more tolerant towards other people as a result of volunteering’ and 83% strongly disagreed with the statement ‘If the Grand Theatre did not exist, Blackpool would be a nicer place’ emphasising your recognition of the theatre’s contribution to life in Blackpool.

Paul concluded by saying that the Friends of the Grand volunteers provide a fantastic backbone of staffing and public support: “Thank you all for your hard work in the past twelve months. Your industriousness will be more important than it has ever been in the 25 years’ community operation of the Grand Theatre. Not only do you give a warm welcome to theatregoers, you sell programmes and coffee and confectionery. We must sell more to keep the theatre afloat!”

Comedian Bernie Clifton, star of the Grand Theatre Music Hall, gave a vote of thanks to the Grand Theatre: the management welcomed artistes and were especially enthusiastic; the staff and volunteers did an amazing job in making this fantastic theatre the heartbeat of Blackpool. Bernie also congratulated producer Duggie Chapman for his vision, professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication to keeping Variety alive at the Grand”.