Winners Announced for Inaugural Acting For Others' Presidential Awards

The winners were today announced for theatrical charity Acting For Others' inaugural Presidential Awards. The awards celebrate the most supportive and successful fundraisers who have helped the charity raise £380,000 over the previous twelve months.

The awards were attended by Acting for Others President Dame Judi Dench, along with awards presenters including Dame Maggie Smith, Tamzin Outhwaite and Samantha Bond.

The ceremony took place today at Piccadilly cabaret bar Live at Zedel and was hosted by Ben Forster, currently starring in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre.

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FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

TOUR DE FORCE AWARD - for most supportive touring Production Company.

Winner: Bill Kenwright Limited

SILVER SERVICE AWARD - for best service at One Night Only event at The Ivy.

Winners: George Layton, Tamzin Outhwaite and Samantha Bond

WEST END BAKE OFF AWARD - for best support at the West End Bake Off 2016.

Winner: Christopher Biggins

TOP TWEETER AWARD - for best social media support.

Winner: Michael Wharley

WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT YOU AWARD - for individual(s) within the industry who help to ensure the bucket collections are successful and actively promote the collections throughout their companies.

Winner: Rainier Koeners and Tamsin Newberry (ATG),

SUPER HERO AWARD - for an individual(s) nominated by theatre managers and supporters of Acting for Others who has worked above and beyond to support the charity.

Winner: Brian Sears and KJ Hippensteel from the cast of The Book of Mormon

THE GOLDEN BUCKET AWARD, LONDON - for most money raised through the bucket collections by a show in London.

Winner: The Book of Mormon raising £42,810.33.

THE GOLDEN BUCKET AWARD, REGIONAL - for most money raised through the bucket collections by a regional theatre.

Winner: Edinburgh Playhouse raising £7,506.93.

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Acting for Others is an umbrella organisation that represents 15 UK theatrical charities and uses the funds it raises to offer emotional and financial support to members of the entertainment industry who have fallen on hard times through illness, injury or circumstance.

Saturday 20 May sees the return of the annual West End Bake Off, taking place at The Actor's Church St Pauls, in aid of Acting For Others. Participants from West End Shows including School of Rock, The Book Of Mormon and Les Miserables, will compete for the prize of best West End bakers, judged by Dame Barbara Windsor, Arlene Phillips and Janie Dee.

The 15 Acting for Others charities are:

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.

International Performers' Aid Trust

IPAT's aim is to relieve acute poverty amongst people in the performing arts in the world at large.

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.

For more information, visit www.actingforothers.co.uk or follow on Twitter @ActingForOthers.