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Friends of The Grand

2010 Annual Raffle

The winners of our 2010 raffle drawn on Monday 20th December at Poulton Silver Band Christmas Concert With Carols were:
1st prize £1,000 - 0990
2nd prize £500 Diamond Encrusted Pendant donated by F. Hinds (Jewellers), Corporation Street - 19144
3rd prize £100 donated by Blackpool Paint Company, Dover Road - 7881
4th prize £50 Voucher for a Meal For Two donated by Bella Italia, Church Street - 3364
5th prize £35 Voucher for Toxic Hairdressers Devonshire Sq - 3359
6th prize A Voucher for four people In The Royal Box at Funny Girls - 3361
7th prize £20 Voucher Debenhams, Hounds Hill Shopping Centre - 3449
8th prize One Month’s Free Tuition In Martial Arts Oxygym, Mowbray Drive - 27026

We are especially grateful to those local businesses who generously donated prizes; to everyone who took part in this year's raffle and to our volunteer sellers who willingly give of their time to promote the raffle and help raise funds for the theatre's upkeep. 

Annual General Meeting 2010
The Friends of the Grand Annual General Meeting took place on Sunday 5 December in the Lawrence House Studio. Two new members of the committee were elected; Kevin Bennett and Chris Mason. Long-serving member Kath Hayward MBE was elected the Friends of the Grand first Vice President.

Christmas Fair 2010
Our Christmas Fair took place on Sunday 21st November 2010. If you are interested in having a stall at our next fair please telephone our office (01253) 743300 or email friends@blackpoolgrand.co.uk 

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.

FRIENDS OF THE GRAND CHRISTMAS FAIR 2009
took place on Sunday 15th November

Guided tours of the theatre were organised throughout the day and stall holders provided a mix of festive stalls selling a variety of goods, including cards and gifts, fancy goods, memorabilia, handicrafts, confectionary, jewellery and books.

For many the novelty of being able to browse the stalls on the stage whilst admiring the view of the magnificent auditorium was an attraction in itself. Friends of the Grand volunteers were on hand selling cakes and hot drinks in the dress circle and their tombola was very well supported.

Grateful thanks go to everyone who helped to make this event such a success.

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.

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


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.


SEPTEMBER 2007

Summer Fair
The Friends of the Grand Summer Fair was held on Sunday 9th September. There were many stalls both on the stage and in Matcham Court, rear Grand Theatre, selling items as diverse as theatre memorabilia, water colour paintings, hand-made cards, dolls house furniture, jewellery, clocks, watches and engraved glass.

A Tombola stall, home-made cake stall could be found and Matchams Bar was open throughout the day. Raffle tickets with a first prize of £1,000 were also on sale! Guests were amongst some of the first to have a look at the newly refurbished Grand Theatre whilst browsing around our Summer Fair.


Coffee Morning
at The Assembly Rooms, Dicconson Terrace, Lytham Admission was £1 including coffee and biscuits – Bring and Buy,Tombola etc


AUGUST 2007

Garden Party in aid of the Sam Lee Appeal at Ashley Hall
Thank you to all involved in raising money for this fantastic appeal to help restore the Grand Theatre to its former glory. (Pictures available for download)


OCTOBER 2006

Friends of the Grand Lunch with the Stars
Friends of the Grand lunched with the stars from the summer season show Variety at Night on Saturday 21 October 2006 in the Lawrence House Studio. Jokes and gossip were exchanged whilst stars and Friends enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by Grand Theatre staff. View the gallery.


JUNE 2006

‘THANK YOU’ Held for Volunteers
The Grand Theatre held a ‘thank you’ performance of The Grand Theatre Music Hall for Friends of the Grand volunteers on Thursday 22 June 2006. Over one hundred hard-working theatre helpers attended. Cast members – together with young actors who had opened their Grand Theatre Academy production of Teechers in the Lawrence House Studio – joined them for a post-show buffet in the stalls.

Afterwards, John Buck, Chairman of the Friends, presented Grand Theatre Trust Chairman David Coupe with cheques for £20,000 towards Phase Two of the Glorious Grand Restoration and £3,000 in support of the New Year’s Gala Concert, 2006.

In thanking the Friends, Mr Coupe said “This is a magnificent surprise. It demonstrates how hard the Friends of the Grand continue to work. In less than three years, Friends have raised over £170,000 for the next phase of improving disabled access, new seating, carpeting and theatregoer amenities”.



Grand Theatre Trust Chairman David Coupe receives a cheque for £20,000 from Friends of the Grand Chairman John Buck, 22 June 2006


Grand Theatre manager Paul Iles spoke about the importance of volunteering. The volunteers had featured conspicuously in this month’s economic and social impact study of the Grand Theatre, the purpose of which was to create coherent evidence to inform stakeholders about our achievements and policy. Paul said that it is hoped that the grants awarded by Blackpool Council and the Arts Council – as well as new funds from regeneration, education, heritage, businesses and private patrons – can now be justified in wider policy areas so as to achieve the backers’ objectives.

Researchers had distributed a questionnaire to 150 volunteers. Paul thanked the volunteers for completing the survey. He thought it would be of interest to share something of what had been discovered:

“These facts and statistics are known to us, but it is important for Blackpool Council and the Arts Council to know about you and to read about you in the language they understand.

“66% of you live in Blackpool, 25% live in Wyre, 7% in Fylde and 2% in Merseyside. There is a strong commitment to your work at the Grand, with 30% serving the Grand for more than twenty years, 19% between five and ten years and 20% for between two and five years. There is a clear intention to continue volunteering over the next five years.

“Motivations for volunteering are similar to those of the Friends overall membership, with the majority inspired to help preserve this fabulous theatre. The social aspects are also important, with 45% motivated to volunteer in order to meet new people. A large proportion of volunteers are motivated by a desire to promote our new National Theatre of Variety projects.

“Overall, you appear to be satisfied with the benefits of volunteer working at the Grand. 61% would still volunteer if you could not see performances for free and 23% agree that seeing performances for free is important, although you do not deem this as an essential benefit. 64% also volunteer for other organisations, or have done in the past. This suggests that you are active within the community and there is a high potential to generate the cross-transfer of skills and experiences.

“The majority of volunteer work is assisting with front of house activity. Other work includes mailing and operating the coffee bar. 53% of respondents have received training for the role at the Grand; the majority received this through our induction course. Given the long tenure of many volunteers there may be an opportunity to introduce refresher training. The development of a more structured training and development programme may assist in the recruitment of younger people with an interest in a career in the performing arts.

“Half of you believe that you have developed skills as a result of volunteering at the Grand; 87% have enhanced their knowledge about theatre and the performing arts, 70% have gained teamwork skills and 67% have developed customer service skills. A third of you believe the skills you have developed through volunteering at the Grand will increase your chances of gaining employment. The remaining respondents are retired.

“In terms of personal development, you all believe that volunteering at the Grand has had a positive personal impact. There appears to be a great deal of personal satisfaction gained through volunteering here, with 67% agreeing that ‘I know I will keep in touch with people I have met through volunteering’ and a further 76% agreeing that ‘Volunteering at the Blackpool Grand Theatre makes me feel better’. 44% agree that you are ‘more tolerant towards other people as a result of volunteering’ and 83% strongly disagreed with the statement ‘If the Grand Theatre did not exist, Blackpool would be a nicer place’ emphasising your recognition of the theatre’s contribution to life in Blackpool.

Paul concluded by saying that the Friends of the Grand volunteers provide a fantastic backbone of staffing and public support: “Thank you all for your hard work in the past twelve months. Your industriousness will be more important than it has ever been in the 25 years’ community operation of the Grand Theatre. Not only do you give a warm welcome to theatregoers, you sell programmes and coffee and confectionery. We must sell more to keep the theatre afloat!”

Comedian Bernie Clifton, star of the Grand Theatre Music Hall, gave a vote of thanks to the Grand Theatre: the management welcomed artistes and were especially enthusiastic; the staff and volunteers did an amazing job in making this fantastic theatre the heartbeat of Blackpool. Bernie also congratulated producer Duggie Chapman for his vision, professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication to keeping Variety alive at the Grand”.

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