Olibob Arts Foundation support Corn Exchange Newbury youth theatre projects
The Olibob Arts Foundation announces a donation of a £4,500 grant to the Corn Exchange in Newbury to fund youth theatre projects.
This follows previous grant awards to the Corn Exchange for youth projects and represents a continuing commitment to support this vital area of our work.
£3,000 will be used to continue to provide Youth Theatre Bursaries (Olibob Bursaries) in 2025/26. Funding provided last year supported 29 full or part bursaries in Newbury for young people who may not otherwise have had access to the youth theatre, to gain key life skills.
£1,500 will be allocated to the Come and See a Show programme at the Corn Exchange, which provides free tickets for schools and young people. Using the arts as a tool to explore different aspects of life, learning and the self, the Corn Exchange has witnessed first-hand the positive benefits of engaging young people with arts and cultural learning. This grant will ensure that we can continue to provide cultural learning opportunities to all and will fund at least 100 free tickets.
The Olibob Arts Foundation was set up in 2021 in memory of Oli Williams who died in a tragic accident on the A34 at East Ilsley in October 2020. Oli was brought up in Tadley and participated in local youth drama groups such as Tadley Youth Drama and Silchester Players. It was participation in these groups that gave him some amazing experiences and helped him to develop the key life skills that would later help him at university and in his career. His family wanted other young people to benefit from access to the performing arts.
The foundation intends to give young people who would not otherwise have the same opportunities, the chance to benefit from skills learnt through the performing arts, awarding grants to schools, drama groups and clubs to fund performing arts projects, with a particular focus on 11–21-year-olds. The aim is to help young people to develop key life skills, such as resilience, social cohesion, role playing, team working, people skills, and communication skills, through the performing arts.
The Foundation also awards “Olibob Awards” specifically to young people aged 13-21 who have demonstrated personal growth from drama or music groups, and shown inclusiveness, kindness, care, and support of others. These awards applications are managed for the Foundation by The National Youth Arts Trust.
2025 marks the 5th anniversary of losing Oli. The installation of new crash barriers on the A34 is a direct consequence of the commitment made by National Highways at Oli’s inquest to prevent a similar tragedy. Oli’s family know that their tragic loss has brought and will continue to bring benefit to others whether that is through the performing arts or knowing that their drive along the A34 is now potentially safer.
The patron of The Olibob Arts Foundation, since its beginning in 2021 is actor Jonathan Case. Jonathan is playing the role of Charley Wykeham in the riotous farce “Charley’s Aunt” being performed at the Watermill Theatre from 3 October to 15 November. Jonathan and his family are close friends of Oli’s family and he and Oli spent many times together including holidays as they grew up.