Over £3.3 million has been raised so far through the lockdown fundraising efforts of the industry to help fellow professionals through the Covid-19 fund set up by leading theatrical charity Acting For Others – the umbrella group for 14 industry charities
Paying tribute to the fundraising efforts of over 200 organisations and initiatives, the president of Acting For Others, Judi Dench, said: “It is truly wonderful to see how much Acting for Others and the member charities are doing to provide help for those who work (or used to) in our industry at this time.
“Since March, the need for support has drastically increased and without so many generous people, donating and fundraising in all these incredible ways, the charities simply wouldn’t be able to do the work they do. It is important that our less fortunate colleagues among performers, backstage and front of house staff all know that we are here to offer that helping hand.
“The generosity of our supporters who have raised this astonishing total is remarkable. Thank you from us all and for being part of the A4O family.”
The co-chair of Acting For Others, Stephen Waley-Cohen, added: “This moment of crisis has illustrated the magnificent creativity and supportive nature of those in the performing arts with the huge variety of fundraising efforts we’ve seen and generous donations received.
“It has been wonderful to see all our long-term supporters, including our ambassadors, continuing to offer their time and resources to support their less fortunate colleagues, and to see many newly engaging with Acting for Others and its member charities. We – and the thousands of beneficiaries – are enormously grateful to all those who have donated and fundraised.”
Acting for Others co-chair William Differ added: “Sixty years ago Combined Theatrical Charities was founded by Richard Attenborough, Laurence Olivier and Noël Coward; as Acting For Others we’ve become a network of 14 charities working together to offer financial and emotional help to all workers from the theatre community through times of adversity. Long may we continue to provide this central core for mutual support for our industry!”
Projects involved in raising funds for theatre and entertainment charities include All The Web’s A Stage, Fleabag for Charity, Les Misérables – The Staged Concert charity download, Noël Coward Foundation, Theatre Support Fund – The Show Must Go On, Ross Noble Live and Spotlight.
Acting For Others’ vice president, Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who presented the special fundraising Amazon Prime Video screening of her hit show, commented: “These numbers are evidence of the incredible solidarity at the core of the performing arts community, and a reminder of how precarious this time has been for many members of it. Here’s to a huge thank you for the passionate dedication of everyone at Acting for Others, and to those who have contributed, donated and worked so hard to ease the present and ensure the future of our peers.”
Acting For Others’ ambassador Francesca Moody added: “It’s incredible that the member charities have been able to raise so much – thrilled for everyone and I know it’s a much-needed lifeline for so many.”
The Acting for Others charities are Actor’s Children’s Trust, Dancers’ Career Development, Denville Hall, Drury Lane Theatrical Fund, Equity Charitable Trust, Evelyn Norris Trust, SafetyCurtain, King George V Fund for Actors and Actresses, Ralph and Meriel Richardson Foundation, Dance Professionals Fund, The Royal Opera House Benevolent Fund, The Royal Theatrical Fund, Theatre Chaplaincy UK and The Theatrical Guild.
Angela Thomas
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