A nostalgic Derby Theatre production telling the story of a long-running miners’ holiday camp in Skegness will help some of today’s young visitors to the seaside resort through a new charity partnership.
Audiences coming to the Theatre’s upcoming producing of WELFARE – a new play by Derbyshire playwright, Abi Zakaraian, which tells the story of the Derbyshire Miners’ Holiday Camp in Skegness, will be given the chance to help support disadvantaged young people from Derby by making a donation that will benefit two local charities.
Theatregoers will have the opportunity to donate to charity buckets, at the Box Office, or online when attending WELFARE, which runs from September 28 – October 12.
The money will be split between the long-running Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, another Skegness institution that’s still going strong today, and Derby Theatre, whose innovative programmes for young people offer bursary places to attend youth theatre; creative workshops and tickets for disadvantaged young people to attend the theatre, often for the first time.
Laura Winson, head of development at Derby Theatre, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre to raise vital funds for both charities that will benefit disadvantaged young people in our city. The themes in the show, and the Skegness connection, are such a great fit, it made sense for us to collaborate and the funds raised will help us to offer brilliant experiences for young people – whether that is a visit to the theatre for the first time, or a much-needed holiday in Skegness.”
WELFARE will see Derby Theatre transformed into the Derbyshire Miners’ Holiday Camp in Skegness where those who worked down the pit originally went to convalesce, before it was turned into a pioneering holiday centre for miners and their families.
The show will include brass bands, speeches, bingo and entertainment as it tells of the fortunes of the holiday camp that was running from its opening in the 1930s right through to the 1990s.
Last October, the theatre ran a free coach trip to Skegness, and the site of the camp, for local people and miners who had visited there over the years. Those who went along shared their stories and memories, which have inspired the development of the play and are inserted into the show’s programme.
The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre started out in 1891 when two benevolent Victorians, Arnold Bemrose and Harry Sykes, spotted some youngsters playing in a puddle in a deprived area of Derby and resolved to take them on holiday to Skegness.
The centre is still going today and every year a busload of children attend each week during its opening months from March to October. Derbyshire children are nominated to go, generally through their school, if it is felt that they might not otherwise get a break, whether for financial hardship or other reasons.
The centre gives hundreds of children a much-needed holiday every year. Generations of Derbyshire youngsters have fond memories of attending “Skeggy home” and some of those who attended the centre while growing up now volunteer for the charity as adults.
Alan Grimadell, chair of the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, said: “We’re delighted to be joining forces with Derby Theatre to fundraise collaboratively during the production of WELFARE.
“It’s set to be a brilliant production telling the story of an important part of Skegness and Derbyshire’s social history.
“We’re very proud that the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre has been going for such a long time and we hope that audiences coming to see WELFARE will be able to donate to help children attend our centre and benefit from Derby Theatre’s programme of support for young people too. It’s very important that young people are able to enjoy experiences such as holidays and theatre trips in their formative years and our two organisations are working hard to make that happen.”
Buckets will be available for donations during every performance of WELFARE, and donations can also be made directly online https://derbytheatre.co.uk/support-our-work/make-a-donation/ or via the theatre box office.
NOTES TO EDITORS
More information about WELFARE here, including show info, casting details, trailers, features, blogs, experience seats and fish and chips!
https://derbytheatre.co.uk/event/it-were-welfare/
This story was written and shared on behalf of Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
