On Friday 27th September, I was invited to the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-Under-Lyme for the presentation of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service to its Front of House Volunteers.
Myself and other guests, which included the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent and Chairman of Staffordshire County Council, Councillor Kath Perry, were invited into the theatre auditorium where we enjoyed a welcome and introduction from Fiona Wallace, Managing Director of the New Vic. Bryan Carnes MBE, Chair of Trustees at the New Vic, then gave a personal thank you to the Front of House Volunteers, before HM Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire Mr Ian Dudson CBE, presented the Queen’s Award.
We all then enjoyed an afternoon tea in the New Vic Bar and were given the opportunity to view the volunteer exhibition.
The New Vic Front of House Volunteers give their time to support and assist audiences visiting the theatre. They provide a warm welcome to all theatregoers and ensure the safety of audience members during performances. The Volunteers are vital to the New Vic community and contributed to the theatre being awarded ‘Most Welcoming Theatre – West Midlands’ at the UK Theatre Awards 2018. The New Vic could not exist without this team of local people who give their time voluntarily to support the theatre.
I would like to congratulate the New Vic Front of House Volunteers on this fantastic achievement and thank them for their selfless dedication to the theatre.