BP News

64th Annual General Meeting of the Bancroft Players - Chairman’s Report

When I began last year's report by congratulating everyone on "another wonderful year both artistically and financially," I confess now I was wondering secretly whether I would be able to use that sort of triumphant phrase this year. There we were, on the brink of a recession, and about to take an enormous leap of faith by asking the public for £200,000 to build our Youth Wing.

Well, as more than one show business luminary has observed in recent times, recessions can mean good business for The Arts. Which is why, once again, I am delighted to congratulate all those fellow members who have done so much over the past twelve months to ensure that we have had "another wonderful year, both financially and artistically."

So far as the appeal goes, it has been an amazing year. Who would have imagined that, within a couple of months of the launch last October, we would have received five major donations of between ten and twenty five thousand pounds each! We have also received a steady flow of individual donations, some as high as a thousand pounds from members, patrons and private trusts. Some of these donors have preferred to remain anonymous, but all have been warmly thanked. Through the newsletter I have also been able to provide a regular update of the excellent sums of money raised by those members who have organised special fund-raising events. All of which has enabled us to reach the impressive figure of almost £125,000 in just eight months.

So what are the chances of achieving our planned target within the year? We still have other irons in the fire, including an important application that Big Spirit and the Juniors have made to Big Spend, a grant fund for local youth projects financed by Hertfordshire County Council. The fund has been known to put big money into projects they think are worth it - so fingers crossed for that one. The most important development is that we now have sufficient funds to complete stage one of the Youth Wing extension at the rear of the theatre. As a result, Frank Pratt, our Building Committee Chairman, expects work to begin on site preparation in August. This will show the public that our appeal is succeeding and with luck should provide the necessary encouragement for more people to support us.

Sadly, it is a sign of the times that very few local businesses have given anything so far. We are hoping we may get a response when we launch a project that will enable people and firms to buy a seat for the new Studio Theatre, and in return have their names recorded on an Honours Board.* We are optimistic that this could raise £10,000. We are still aiming to complete the appeal within a year. Our final appeal event in the theatre, will be a Gala Dinner on Saturday the 31st October. Our patron Christopher Biggins has made a firm promise to come with a cabaret cast of West End entertainers. So watch out for more about this in the near future.

A special word for Rory and Carol and all their wonderful young actors who have set out to raise £5000 for the project themselves and are well on the way to achieving this ambitious target. With support and help from all of us they will not only reach it, they will probably pass it.

As with all appeals a great deal of unacknowledged work goes on quietly in the background, particularly among those of us on the Steering Committee who are permanently on the lookout for new sources of income. As we reach the last stage of what I am sure will be a successful campaign, I'd like to say a special "thank you" to our redoubtable Appeal Chairman, Les Edwards, for his very positive leadership which has kept us all on our toes over the last nine months.

Richard Whitmore, Chairman

*Note: At the end of this report members indicated by a show of hands that they would prefer the names of seat donors to be on the seats themselves and not on an Honours Board.