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Castleford & Pontefract District Lions Club

ST GILES WITH ST MARY’S

 PANTOMIME/THEATRE

SOCIETY

PONTEFRACT

 

Pantomime 2008

 

 

“Sleeping Beauty” was yet another great success for the Society and was particularly special for our Producer Barbara Arundell, being her 25th Show.  

 

Ticket Sales were slow to start with,  but much to our relief we saw a  significant increase  in sales after Christmas which resulted in a complete sell-out towards the end of the week.   

 

Everyone involved worked as a team from start to finish and the finale of the show was said to be spectacular by all who came to see it.  

 

The Society couldn’t let 25 years of production go by without a special thank you to Barbara and something for her to remember those years by, so a special Commemorative plate was commissioned from Bronte Porcelain as well as a cake with all the traditional Panto Characters’ which was presented at the Saturday Afternoon Tea.

 

Society Awards were also presented at the tea to the following:

 

Junior Awards:

Matthew Arundell - 5 Years

Emma Charlotte - 10 Years

Lucy Holmes  - 10 Years

 

Senior Awards:

Alison Knox  - 25 Years

Joanne Sykes  - 25 Years

Jean Whitwell  - 25 Years

Stuart Whitwell - 25 Years

 

In the evening NODA Long Service Awards were then presented by our North East Representative Mr Noel Rigg.

 

These awards were presented to the following:

 

Pam Gates  - 15 Years

Joanne Sykes  - 25 Years

 

The final award was a complete surprise –Society Life Membership was presented to Wendy Underwood who has been involved in the Society for over 40 years and has always been fully committed to any role she takes on in the society.

 

Social Events

 

The Aftershow Party provided a ‘wind down’ time for many of those involved in the Show, but our thanks must go to Mick Wilstrop and Alan Smith who spent most of their evening patrolling the balcony and staircase areas ensuring that  the younger end of our Society did not wander out of bounds.

 

Saturday 9th February was the Annual Dinner and Dance at Kings Croft Hotel where Society members, family and friends had a most enjoyable evening.

 

Our Social Secretary Brenda Hall is now in the process of arranging a theatre trip for the Society:  Dewsbury Collegians are performing “Oliver” at Dewsbury Town Hall in June and as many of you know Our Musical Director David Hookham is taking the part of Fagan. The Society is planning to take a party on Friday 13th June - Tickets are £8.50 (£7.50 for concessions) and if there is sufficient interest coach transport will be arranged for an additional charge.  Any-one interested in going to see Oliver should contact Brenda Hall direct (tel:  01977 798491,   e-mail:  Brenda.poppy@hotmail.com).

 

 

Annual General Meeting

 

The AGM takes place on Friday 18th April 2008 at St Mary’s Community Centre, Chequerfield, Pontefract, commencing at 7.30pm.  Attendance in 2007 was disappointing so we do hope that members will make the effort and take time to attend this year as it is the one opportunity everybody has to have their say about the running of the Society in the coming year.

 

The election of Officers also takes place at this meeting and as well as the Annual Appointments of Ticket Secretary, Publicity Officer, Membership Secretary, Health & Safety Officer, Assistant Treasurer, Social Secretary and 3 Committee Posts, the role of Chairman is also up for election as a three year post.  

 

Anyone interested in joining the Committee should contact our Honorary Secretary Joanne Sykes for nomination papers:

 

Telephone: 01924 216649,

e-mail:  pantomallards@blueyonder.co.uk

 

 

Child Protection

 

For those who have children in the Society you will know that we are committed to ensuring the protection of children in the productions.  For a number of years now we have utilised the NODA provisions to arrange CRB checks on some helpers and they have been Official Chaperones for the children. 

 

 

 

 

 

In line with the Child Protection Policy only Official Chaperones are allowed to accompany children upto the stage. 

 

The Local Education Authority (LEA) is now enforcing the legislative requirement that for children who are involved 4 performances or more  their Parents/Carer must obtain a Performing Licence and without this the Society cannot allow the children on stage. 

 

However as a Society we have sought to be an Exempt Body which will prevent parents being required to obtain individual licenses, but we will need to follow some additional procedures to ensure we can keep our exemption status. 

 

We will be contacting those members of the Society with CRB checks who look after the children prior to the first rehearsal to explain what is now required by the LEA to be an Official Chaperone.  The Committee would wish to emphasise that anyone wishing just to look after their own child is obviously entitled to do so, but only Official Chaperones will be able to escort any child to the stage.  If you don't have a CRB check in place with the Society, but are willing to progress one and become an Official Chaperone please contact Joanne Sykes.  Those with existing CRBs in place with the Society will be contacted directly.

 

The new requirements will mean more work for the Committee, but we hope you will understand that we feel it is important to ensure that children can be involved in our productions as they are a central part of the Pantomime Family and without obtaining exemption status the responsibility for obtaining individual licences will be with parents.

 

 

Home Wanted . . . . .

 

The Society are looking for a new home for the storage of costumes.  We require a large area to store a number of boxes of Chorus and Children outfits plus a whole range of principal costumes which hang on rails.

 

If anyone knows of a possible venue, please contact Jeannette Morgan, Chairman (e-mail:  jeannette@jinty71.fsnet.co.uk, tel:   01977 794591) or Barbara Arundell, Producer (tel:  01977 795904).  

 

 

 . . . . and finally

 

We are pleased to announce the 60th Production of the St Giles Panto Society will be produced by Barbara Arundell and will be:

 

Puss in Boots

 

When:  12th – 17th January 2009

Where:  Pontefract Town Hall

 

 

The Committee would like to obtain sponsorship for this special show from local businesses and would be grateful if anyone could provide contact details for companies we may approach.  Details should be sent to Honorary Secretary Joanne Sykes:

 

Telephone: 01924 216649,

e-mail:  pantomallards@blueyonder.co.uk

 

For further information on the 2009 production remember to watch out for the Summer Newsletter or check the website (www.stgilespanto.co.uk) for all the latest information.

 

Jeannette Morgan

Chairman