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Support our Panto Pay it Forwards appeal

Support our Panto Pay it Forwards appeal

Posted on Thursday 8 October

A group of pantomime actors on stage in Robin Hood smiling as a group

Our annual pantomime is a central part of what the Corn Exchange does and a Christmas tradition in Newbury, attended by around 20,000 people each year.

This year our Panto Pay It Forwards appeal aims to raise funds to provide an opportunity for those most in need in our community to enjoy a live performance of our 2026 pantomime, Sleeping Beauty. This is the 5th year we have run this appeal and so far we have distributed over 2,100 free tickets.

We believe passionately that cost should not be a barrier to experiencing the magic of panto and this year we want to fund 650 school and adult tickets for those who would otherwise not be able to attend, and will work with local partners including schools, social prescribers and third sector organisations to identify recipients of the pay it forwards tickets.

Can you help spread the magic of panto?

We are asking our audiences and supporters to donate what they can - £14 will buy a school ticket and £31 an adult ticket.

Our Panto Pay it Forwards appeal will provide a joyful, cultural experience for these young people and adults, as well as supporting our community, artists and practitioners, and our organisation as a whole.

If it wasn't for this scheme many of these families would not have been able to afford attending the event especially at this time of year when family funds can be stretched to the limit. For many of these children this was their first ever visit to a theatre and they watched in awe and wonder at the lighting, costumes, acting and audience participation. Some of our non-verbal children had the biggest smile on their faces throughout the whole performance.
Speenhamland Primary School

If you are able to make a donation to our appeal click here – all online donations via the Good Exchange this week will be match funded by Greenham Trust, meaning a donation of £14 is worth £28 to the Corn Exchange.