A butcher has embraced a new community initiative aimed at giving young people the chance to enjoy live theatre.
David Smith, who runs the butcher's shop and deli on Gooseberry Hill, Swanton Morley, has bought 15 tickets for a performance of Macbeth at Dereham's Memorial Hall in November and is donating them to two high schools in the town so students can watch the performance for free.
The 'teen ticket' idea is the brainchild of the Friends of Dereham Memorial Hall who wrote to dozens of firms, organisations and individuals to get involved in the scheme and buy up to 10 tickets each and either nominate a particular school to receive them or add them into a general pot for the Friends to distribute.
The Friends were delighted when Mr Smith, whose two children both attended Northgate High School, agreed to buy 15 tickets and has asked 10 to be donated to Northgate and five to Neatherd High.
'I try to support things locally, like the army or charity or the church,' he said. 'I thought this was a good idea to help youngsters get to the theatre when they would not normally go as a rule.'
Glyn Hambling, headteacher at Northgate, said the tickets would be offered to students in various ways.
'We want to target the tickets towards children who have a particular interest and drive in creative arts and offer the opportunity for all children to have the chance to experience theatre for the first time. We will also use them in our reward system to be decided by our reward panel.
'We are massively grateful for the support of local business people such as Mr Smith who are making this happen.
'We have a strong tradition of performing arts and see ourselves as a very creative school but it is also great to be able to point the students towards activities in their local community.
'Our children will become adults and may be the ones putting on activities like this in the future for their communities.'
* The Pantaloons come to Dereham on Friday, November 13 to perform Macbeth as part of a 30-date tour all over the country.
Tickets, costing £12 for adults and £10 for teenagers, are on sale at the box office at Bead This, Craft That in Nunns Way on 01362 696943.
Anyone who buys tickets for schools will be acknowledged in the show programme and newsletters for the rest of the season.
For more information on teen tickets, contact Tim Cara on 01362 654654 (daytime), 01362 696900 (evenings) or mobile 07432 091944 or email timcara@hotmail.co.uk.
Are you running a scheme which supports young people in Dereham? Email kathryn.cross@archant.co.uk
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