Over £45,500 Raised at This Year's Acting for Others West End Flea Market Featuring SIX, LIFE OF PI & More

Theatrical charity Acting for Others today announced that over £45,500 - nearly double the amount in 2019 - was raised at the West End Flea Market on Saturday 21 May held at St Paul's Church in Covent Garden, with thousands of people in attendance.

Top West End shows set up stalls full of theatrical goodies and special one-off items - which were on display for celebrity judges Christopher Biggins, Michael Ball and Golda Rosheuvel. Running stalls on the day were company members from Book of Mormon, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Mamma Mia!, Moulin Rouge, Only Fools and Horses the Musical, Pretty Woman, Six, The Play That Goes Wrong, The Phantom of The Opera, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Taking the prize of Best Dressed Stall this year, for the second time in a row, was Only Fools and Horses. Their stall contained an array of delights including a Reliant Robin made of pompoms, Del Boy's sheepskin coat worn by Tom Bennett in the original stage production, specially printed tea towels with signed photos of the cast backstage, a mini paddling pool to play Hook a Duck, and an acapella performance for the judges of Down to Margate from the show.

Biggins' Bargains, the auction event hosted by Christopher Biggins, returned with items such as a show-themed can of hairspray signed by Michael Ball, a backstage tour to meet the cast of Hamilton, and a Pretty Woman dressing gown worn and signed by Danny Mac. These special prizes collectively raised hundreds of pounds for Acting for Others.

There were stars in the autograph tent taking selfies and signing posters and goodies for fans including Alice Fearn (Come From Away), Miriam Teak-Lee (& Juliet), Jordan Luke Gage (Bonnie & Clyde), and Strictly Come Dancing's Anya Garnis and Pasha Kovalev, and there were long queues for Su Pollard's fortune telling. Dames on the day were Terence Frisch, Wayne Morgan-Williams, and Jamie Steen. Refreshments were provided by The Theatre Café.

Merchandise, playbills and signed posters were also available to purchase from West End shows including & Juliet, Back to the Future, Cabaret, Frozen, Get Up, Stand Up, Heathers, My Fair Lady, The Drifters Girl, and The Lion King, as well as from historic productions spanning across decades.

Joel Marvin, Director of Fundraising for Acting for Others said today, "What an absolute joy it is to be back celebrating theatre, and to see the support for Acting for Others at this year's West End Flea Market raising our biggest total to date. Having been put on hold by the pandemic, it was particularly special to be back with so many people who share our love of theatre. The appetite for the West End is well and truly back, with queues around the corner once again. A huge thank you to the shows, our judges and ambassadors that took part to make Saturday such a success, and to every single person that turned up and queued to get in. We can't wait to welcome you all back next year!

www.actingforothers.co.uk

Acting for Others provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities.

The Acting for Others charities are Actor's Children's Trust, Dancers' Career Development, Denville Hall, Drury Lane Theatrical Fund, Equity Charitable Trust, Evelyn Norris Trust, SafetyCurtain, King George V Fund for Actors and Actresses, Ralph and Meriel Richardson Foundation, Dance Professionals Fund, The Royal Opera House Benevolent Fund, The Royal Theatrical Fund, Theatre Chaplaincy UK and The Theatrical Guild.

Actors' Children's Trust

Actors' Children's Trust funds the children of professional actors, from birth to graduation. We consider grants for childcare, sports, music and activities, special needs assessments and support, kit and clothing, transport, school trips and student grants.

Dancers' Career Development

A dancer's working life is so soon over - no other career demands so much and is over so quickly.

Dancers' Career Development (DCD) is a registered charity, which supports all professional dancers in the UK, from all genres, to make the transition from professional dancing to a new career.

The Dance Professionals Fund

The Dance Professionals Fund (the working name of the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund) aims to support people in the dance world throughout their lives, including into retirement. The charity helps professional dancers, choreographers and choreologists, as well as dance teachers from a range of different dance disciplines. Be it illness, injury, financial or personal difficulties, the Dance Professionals Fund (DPF) is there to help.

Denville Hall

Denville Hall is a residential, nursing and dementia care home for elderly members of the theatrical profession.

Drury Lane Theatrical Fund

To give help to subscribers and where possible to performers and stage management who have worked at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Equity Charitable Trust

Since its inception in 1989, the Equity Charitable Trust has helped myriad industry professionals retrain, re-qualify and obtain valuable new skill sets for those wanting to leave the profession or develop a second income stream. In addition to the educational arm, it offers one-off welfare grants to industry members who are experiencing a health or professional setback.

Evelyn Norris Trust

The Evelyn Norris Trust was established in 1968 to provide holiday and respite grants to members of the concert and theatrical professions who are convalescing or need a longed-for break.

Grand Order of Water Rats Charities Fund

The Grand Order of Water Rats Charities Fund is a show business charity brotherhood, established in 1889 by a small group of well-known music hall performers with the motto "Philanthropy, Conviviality and Sociability"! Its aim is to have fun whilst staging events which would raise funds to support fellow artists who were struggling.

King George V Fund for Actors and Actresses

The King George V Fund awards grants to British actors and actresses whose service to their profession merits recognition and who would benefit from a grant.

Ralph and Meriel Richardson Foundation

The Foundation was established by Lady Meriel (Mu) Richardson after the untimely death of the Richardsons' only son, Charles, to relieve the need, hardship or distress of British actors and actresses (and their spouses and children) who, after a long and established contribution to the theatrical arts, find themselves in less fortunate circumstances.

The Royal Opera House Benevolent Fund

The charity provides confidential advice, support and financial assistance to those past and present employees of the Royal Opera House and Birmingham Royal Ballet and their dependants who are in need and deserve help.

The Royal Theatrical Fund

The Royal Theatrical Fund provides support for people of all ages who have worked in the entertainment industry. They are people in need as a result of illness, accident or old age.

Theatre Chaplaincy UK

Theatre Chaplaincy UK provides pastoral and practical support to people of all faiths and none who are engaged in the performing arts.

The Theatrical Guild

The Theatrical Guild is dedicated to supporting those who work backstage and front of house in theatres across the UK, including light and sound technicians, wardrobe assistants, costume designers, stage managers, box office staff and ushers. It offers a variety of support to those in need of help including financial assistance, sponsorship for education / re-training within the industry, and access to counselling, etc.

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