The fund to help families suffering in the wake of Australia’s devastating bushfires will benefit from a fundraising concert over two evenings in Papakura.
Papakura Local Board has agreed to fund the $1,811.25 Hawkins Theatre hire costs to enable the Papakura Theatre Company to undertake a fundraising weekend on 7-8 March.
“We are pleased to be able to make a small contribution by meeting those fees from our community grants funds,” board chair Brent Catchpole says.
The day rate for the theatre hire is $1,207.50 but the theatre company is a charity so would pay only $603.75 per day for three days, to include pack-in, a total of $1,811.25.
The community grants remaining budget is $42,094.49 and must cover three funding rounds to come, local and multi-board grants in May and small grants in June.
Cast from the theatre group’s recent successful season of Dad’s Army will reassemble to perform in the programme.
“We are lucky to have such an active group doing its bit to help others,” Catchpole says.
In the second quarter of the year, 42 programmes were delivered at the Hawkins Theatre, with a total of 141 sessions seen by a combined audience of 14,349.
Highlights included sell-out performances of Aladdin by the Hawkins Theatre Youth Company to more than 800 people, the Downtown Abbey film watched by more than 700 people, and the hosting of the annual Stewarts Dance Studio shows.
Auckland Council’s Community Facilities department has told the board the town’s art gallery was also well supported in that time, with 13 programmes delivered to 577 attendees, with highlights including Ocean's to Fly: White's Aviation, and workshops with the elderly as well as home-school groups.
The Papakura Museum delivered 16 programmes to 3,375 attendees with highlights including Tracks & Stations and revamps of the military displays.
Participant numbers at community venues also boomed in the quarter, increasing 18 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Booking hours increased by 26 per cent, Smith Avenue Clubrooms leading the way with a massive 77 per cent increase in booked hours.
Details on the concert are here.
