Friends Latest News

2010 Annual Raffle

Tickets for our annual raffle are now available and will be mailed out to our supporters with the autumn newsletters.

We are especially grateful to the following companies for their generosity in donating prizes:

F. Hinds (Jewellers), Corporation Street - £500 Diamond Encrusted Pendant
Blackpool Paint Company, Dover Road - £100 Cash Prize
Bella Italia, Church Street - £50 Voucher for a Meal For Two
Toxic Hairdressers, Devonshire Sq - £35 Voucher
Funny Girls - A Voucher for Four People In The Royal Box
Debenhams, Hounds Hill Shopping Centre - £20 Voucher
Oxygym, Mowbray Drive - One Month’s Free Tuition In Martial Arts

2009 Annual Raffle

The 2009 Friends of the Grand annual raffle was drawn at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre during the Christmas Concert with Carols performed by Poulton le Fylde Band on Monday 21 December.

1st Prize of £1000 cash was won by ticket number 9866; 2nd Prize £250 cash was won by ticket number 10962; 3rd Prize £100 cash donated by Blackpool Paint Company was won by ticket number 3341; 4th Prize of £35 worth of vouchers from Toxic Hairdresser was won by ticket number 20925; 5th Prize of a £20 Gift Voucher for Renaissance Health & Healing was won by ticket number 0880; 6th Prize, a Christmas Angel ornament donated by Card Corner was won by ticket number 10775 and 7th Prize, one month's free tuition at Sukata Mixed Martial Arts Academy, was won by ticket number 3214

We would like to thank the following companies for their generosity in their donations to this raffle:
Blackpool Paint Company, Dover Road, Blackpool
Toxic, Devonshire Road, Blackpool
Renaissance Health & Healing, St Annes
Card Corner, Victoria Road, Cleveleys
Sukata MMA, Blackpool, Preston and Lytham

Thank you also to everyone who took part in this year's raffle and to our volunteer sellers who willingly gave of their time to promote the raffle to our audiences and helped raise funds for the theatre's upkeep.

New Friends' Logo Announced

A new Friends' logo has been announced and will, over time, be placed on new literature and display material. The first appearance of the logo was the Friends of the Grand April newsletter.

The logo follows the design of the Grand Theatre logo bringing the two organisations even closer together.

New membership forms have also been designed.

NEW SERVICE! Be the first to hear!

The Friends of The Grand has enriched many lives, now the Friends aim to keep you more informed on a monthly basis with news, offers, competitions and more. Each month the Friends dispatch their e-blast with news you will want to hear, such as benefits of being a member, Grand Theatre offers or even ‘this month’s’ special Friends’ discount at a local business.

All the very latest news and stories of what the Friends are active with, forthcoming events, ‘Meet the Cast’ reminders and last minute deals. If you would like to receive the Friends monthly e-blast email friends@blackpoolgrand.co.uk and place the word ‘E-BLAST’ in the subject line... it’s that simple!

Three quarters of a million ‘THANK YOUs’

We wanted to update you on how much has been donated by Friends of The Grand. Friends have financed new seating, carpet, kitchen and toilet facilities; stage equipment and donated £250,000 to the Sam Lee Appeal. In total a whopping... £750,804.26

A Special Friends Interview

Lancashire’s very own Stephen Tompkinson

Thanks for joining us Stephen; so how did you get into acting? And if you hadn’t what career path do you think you would have followed?

Through doing plays at school in Lytham and Blackpool. My fantasy career plans were to open the batting for England but in reality I would probably have tried to teach either drama or English.

Many people will know your love for Blackpool, are you looking forward to appearing on the grand theatre’s stage?

Yes indeed, it’s been 11 years since I last played Blackpool but, as most of my growing up was St. Annes on Sea, its quite literally like ‘coming home’.

We believe this new version of sign of the times is funnier than the original. Would you agree – is this down to Tim Firth’s (famous for Calendar Girls) re-write?

Everything about this play is down to the genius of Tim Firth, its the fourth time that I have worked with him for which I consider myself very fortunate as he is one of the best writers that we have - and adding a second half to the play with a five year gap makes the journey of the two characters a much more rewarding experience.

Television’s Wild At Heart in which you star as vet Danny Trevanion has just completed its fourth series. How did filming go this series and do you enjoy going back to Africa for filming?

I adore working on Wild At Heart, the experience grows ever more rewarding each year and I am delighted to announce that when this tour finishes I will be returning to South Africa to film series five.

If you had the opportunity to act in any production, what would it be and which role would you play?

Anything new that Tim Firth comes up with.

If you had to make a choice between theatre or television do you think you could?

I suppose the most rewarding of the two mediums is theatre because of the immediate response from a live audience.

Thank you for joining us Stephen...

[Stephen Tompkinson will be appearing in the feel good comedy of the season, Tim Firth’s Sign Of The Times which opens at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool Monday 11 May for one week only. A discount of £4.00 can be obtained by Friends of The Grand on Tuesday Evening (12 May) at 7.30pm. To book call 01253 290190.]

WIN A MIND-BLOWING £1,000 IN ’09!

Volunteers are making an early start selling tickets for this year’s annual draw. Tickets are expected to go on sale from mid-April and will be offered to theatregoers right up to the draw taking place on Monday 21st December. Friends will receive a book of tickets with their next newsletter, but if you would like to buy or sell tickets before then they are available on request from the Friends of The Grand office, Matcham Court or call 01253 743300. Details can be found at www.friendsofthegrand.co.uk.

2008 Annual Raffle

Five lucky winners began 2009 in sensational style by scooping prizes in the Friends of the Grand annual raffle, which was drawn at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre during the glittering New Year’s Eve Gala Concert on Wednesday 31 December.

1st Prize of £1000 cash was won by ticket number 8242. 2nd Prize £100 cash was won by ticket number 14328. 3rd Prize a Meal for two (incl wine) at Bella Italia to the value of £50 won by ticket number 13394. 4th Prize of £35 worth of hair treatment from Mo.Hair mobile hairdresser won by ticket number 0985. 5th Prize of a £20 Gift Voucher for F Hinds jewellers won by ticket number 17563

We would like to thank the following companies for their generosity in their donations to this raffle: Blackpool Paint Company, Bella Italia, Mo.Hair, F Hinds.