Members will walk 500 miles to raise money for Grangemouth youth theatre group

Members of a Grangemouth performing arts organisation will walk 500 miles to raise funds for the charity.
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Project Theatre came up with the idea as a way of supporting young people’s mental health through physical exercise while also generating much-needed cash amid the latest coronavirus lockdown.

Initially, organisers set its 40-strong group a target of marching 100 miles in the month of January.

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However, eager volunteers smashed through that goal in the first week and have already pushed passed the 250-mile mark.

Project Theatre members, parents and volunteers have all got involved in its 500-mile walking challenge. Contributed.Project Theatre members, parents and volunteers have all got involved in its 500-mile walking challenge. Contributed.
Project Theatre members, parents and volunteers have all got involved in its 500-mile walking challenge. Contributed.

The aim has since been revised and rounded up to 500 miles.

With more than £250 raised so far, the La Porte Precinct-based theatre group will continue to pound the pavements of Falkirk district in pursuit of their objective.

Zoe Thomson, Project Theatre chairwoman, said: “Lots of our group got involved. We thought we had to up our game!

Children have been only too happy to get outside to rack up the miles in aid of Grangemouth's Project Theatre. Contributed.Children have been only too happy to get outside to rack up the miles in aid of Grangemouth's Project Theatre. Contributed.
Children have been only too happy to get outside to rack up the miles in aid of Grangemouth's Project Theatre. Contributed.

“We have about 40 people in our group at the moment. It’s a mixture of young people, volunteers, parents and family friends.

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“Everybody is walking whatever works for them, whether it’s daily or once a week. We asked people to walk whatever they could commit to – whether it’s one mile in the month or 50, it doesn’t matter.

“We’ve created a Facebook page called ‘Project Theatre walks into 2021’ so that we can get everybody on there and you can post when you’ve done a walk via an app.”

Realising how important Project Theatre is to its young members, management have been running a series of online classes and projects to keep children focused ever since last March’s original lockdown.

Pets have played their part in Project Theatre's 500-mile walking fundraiser. Contributed.Pets have played their part in Project Theatre's 500-mile walking fundraiser. Contributed.
Pets have played their part in Project Theatre's 500-mile walking fundraiser. Contributed.

The sessions – held over Zoom – allowed those who were self-isolating to take part and stay in touch with friends.

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Ms Thomson continued: “It’s been really difficult for us over the last year.

“We managed to do a little bit of face-to-face work but the majority was online. We did an online summer school and panto project at Christmas that’ll come out in the next few weeks.

“We have 40 members at the moment across the dance and youth theatre. We’re accepting new members as of February.

“We should’ve been doing The Addams Family last year but it’s been postponed until October.”

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Addressing those who have taken part in the fundraiser, she said: “Thanks for getting involved and keeping active in January.”

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