The Norbury Theatre is part of a national initiative launched by Theatres Trust to help us raise funds via a virtual bucket shake this festive season.
Since having to close our doors in April, just as the dress rehearsal for our production of 'A Bunch of Amateurs' was about to start, our theatre and theatres nationally have found it really difficult to continue to maintain and invest in their premises with little to no income. We have been able to continue to work on and improve our little theatre thanks to careful financial management from the theatre's council of management, but there are some tasks that we still need help with. At the Norbury we are really proud of the work we have been able to do at the theatre while we have been closed.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unforeseen financial challenges to us as we prepare to reopen. The main one being our outdated and inefficient heating system. With us needing to ensure sufficient ventilation and a supply of fresh air when we reopen it is important that we are able to keep the theatre premises and our visitors warm and comfortable while keeping them safe.
Our Virtual Bucket Shake
Every year our annual pantomime helps us raise vital funds in order to keep the Norbury going. We always say that provided we have a good pantomime we can have a good year. This year due to the global pandemic, we are unable to do this. We are facing a loss of income from ticket sales, merchandise and bars. This is why we’d like to invite you to take part in a Virtual Bucket Collection this panto season.
Your donations will be used to help improve the outdated theatre heating system and replace with a modern, more energy-efficient setup that will reach all areas of the theatre premises.
About Save Our Theatres
In villages, towns and cities across the country, theatres are at the heart of their community. Places to come together, to be inspired and be entertained. Theatres are where our best-loved actors learn their craft and thousands of others learn valuable skills.
But we risk losing this forever.
Theatres saw their main source of income disappear in an instant when they closed in March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
We still don’t know when they will be able to reopen fully. This ongoing uncertainty puts theatres in a perilous situation. The government’s bailout is spread across all cultural organisations and certainly won’t be enough to save all of the UK’s theatres.
Every day theatres are facing the tough decision to make staff redundant and to close their doors until next year. And there is a real risk that those closures could be permanent.
Without urgent support, we could lose our nation’s amazing theatres. Please help us to make sure our theatres survive this crisis and will be there to be enjoyed by future generations.
#SaveOurTheatres