Annual Appeal 2009

We are pleased to announce that the new Chairman of the Combined Theatrical Charities, elected at the recent AGM, is Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen Bt. Sir Stephen is also Chairman of RADA and The Mousetrap Foundation, the owner of two West End theatres and a former President of the Society of London Theatre.

All fifteen member organisations of the Combined Theatrical Charities would like to take this opportunity of thanking our outgoing chairman, Paul Gane, for all the hard work he has put in over the years. Paul's dedication and commitment has been a major contribution to the ongoing success of the CTC and Acting for Others.

We would also like to welcome our new chairman, Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen and look forward to working with him in the future as we all continue in our efforts to help those in our industry less fortunate than ourselves'

By far the biggest charity event in Britain's theatres is the annual Acting for Others appeal, seven days of fundraising for charities set up to benefit all members of the entertainment profession and their dependents. Organised by The Combined Theatrical Charities, of which Lord Richard Attenborough is Patron and Dame Judi Dench is President, bucket collections are made in theatres nationwide in the last two weeks of October, with top actors leading the appeal from the stage after each show.

"The first year of Acting for Others was 2003" said Attenborough, "but it was not as good as it could have been, as some theatres and some players were reluctant to get involved. We found that a collection was much better by a huge factor when one of the players agreed to make a curtain speech at the end of a show."

In London's Theatreland, two of the biggest fund-raisers in 2007 were Patrick Stewart - starring in the title role of Macbeth - and the Tony nominated Broadway star Gavin Creel, who was wowing audiences as Bert, the chimney sweep, in Mary Poppins.

Creel, 31, is no stranger to theatrical charity appeals and on Broadway is noted for his zany and hugely successful after-show fund-raising speeches.

"Here, in London, audiences are not as accustomed to after-show appeals," he says. "It's more like, excuse me, you're invading my space, sort of thing. But when you get up on a stage and tell people how Acting for Others works and tell them that if everyone gave just a £2 coin each, we could raise £3000 in a night, then people are amazed. They dig deep. During the last week of October we raised about £1400 each night and on Saturday we managed £2100 which is great. I think Acting for Others is terribly important. Actors are screwed when they don't work and when they are old and infirm. We, as actors, should take care of each other. That's what show business is about."

I was asked by the Royal Theatrical Fund to join Miss Barbara Whatley at the Connaught Theatre, Worthing to collect for 'Acting for Others'. I was not at all keen on the idea as my thoughts were that the audience was there for pleasure - not to be pushed to give money to theatrical charities! BUT, my feelings very quickly changed as I stood in the foyer watching the patrons leaving the theatre.

A brilliant speech was given by the lead actor, Gorden Kaye from No Place Like a Home, and soon people were queueing up NOT only to put coins into my bucket - but notes as well.

It was good to speak to everyone about the various charities on the Combined Theatrical Charities - they were also pleased to meet an actor and felt part of the theatre world.

Let's continue with speeches and buckets. My help will always be there for 'Acting for Others'.