Audiences attending the Everyman Theatre's record-breaking pantomime, Mother Goose, can take pride knowing that their support has played a crucial role in offering essential aid to two children's charities in the region.

The theatre collaborated with charitable partners Allsorts and Home-Start Stroud and Gloucester to shine a spotlight on their crucial work to assist local families navigating challenging circumstances, and to raise funds for their upcoming projects. They have now announced that a total of £20,251 was raised for the charities.

Pantomime star Tweedy, who is an ambassador of Allsorts, and patron of Homestart Stroud and Gloucester, took centre stage in the fundraising efforts, making time to engage with audiences after every show, and collecting donations as they exited the theatre. His dedication played a pivotal role in elevating the fundraising campaign, making him a superstar both on and off the stage.

Tweedy was joined by the cast of the record-breaking pantomime and the dedicated team at the Everyman Theatre who all rallied behind the fundraising efforts.

Various initiatives, such as a Giant Golden Egg Hunt across the county, and cast-led bucket collections during pantomime performances were undertaken to generate the important funds. Every penny raised will directly contribute to supporting young children and families across Gloucestershire.

Rachael Fletcher, fundraising and communications manager at Allsorts, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to hear the Everyman Theatre has raised over £20,000 to be shared between Allsorts and Home Start Stroud and Gloucester. This is a significant financial contribution to the work of a small charity like ours, particularly as we have found income generation challenging in 2023 due to the cost-of-living crisis.

"We look forward to putting the money to good use, providing many hours of fun, friendship and support for disabled children and all members of the family including grandparents, parent carers and siblings."

Ri Ferrier, director of Home-Start Stroud and Gloucester, said: "We are beyond delighted at the funds raised by The Everyman Theatre for vulnerable local families. This will have a significant impact on our ability to continue to provide services to support parents in those crucial early years, and to help them give their children the best start in life."

Looking ahead, the Everyman Theatre recently announced that their 2024 pantomime will tell the classic story of Aladdin, and will once again feature Tweedy.

Details of the theatre's 2024 pantomime charity partner will be announced later in the year. Tickets for these performances are on sale now. 

For more details and to see the latest events at the theatre, visit - https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/