Sheffield Theatres Donates £2300 to Local Food Banks

Sheffield Theatres has presented a cheque for £2300 to Sheffield Food banks following a collection made by the Theatre during a performance of their smash-hit production of Oliver! this January.

Ben Richards, who played Bill Sikes in the production, made a speech during the curtain call of the performance on Saturday 25 January and encouraged audiences to give generously to the scheme as they left the theatre that evening.

Presenting a cheque to Paul Blomfield MP and Chris Marriot from the Jubilee Food Bank, Sheffield Theatres' Chief Executive Dan Bates said: 'I'd like to thank our audiences for their tremendous generosity. Their heartfelt donations demonstrate huge support for this local scheme and we are delighted we were able to help this worthy cause.'

Paul Blomfield MP, who has worked to support local food banks, said: 'It's shameful that in one of the richest countries in the world so many people are going hungry, but we can't ignore it. The Crucible's wonderful gesture to hold a collection to support the local food banks and the enormous generosity of the audience will provide real support for people in need.'

Chris Marriot from the Jubilee Food Bank said: 'We were bowled over by the huge amount donated by the Crucible's audience. The 16 food banks in Sheffield rely on volunteers and donations of food and money. This money will help us prevent families and vulnerable people in our city from going hungry.'