Significant Grant Secured for Crown Wharf Theatre Project

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We are delighted to confirm the charity has been successful in securing significant grant funding that will enable us to complete the outstanding installation works and open the doors to the Crown Wharf Theatre in 2023.

Thanks to the enthusiastic and expert support we have received from Stafford Borough Council, nearly £500,000 has been secured from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

This is part of the £4.5M of overall funding that Stafford Borough Council has secured for our region, which is one of the largest awards in the country and we are incredibly grateful that involved us in their bid from the outset.

Councillor Frances Beatty, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Planning, said: “This allocation of money was one of the highest that any district council was awarded and is further demonstration of the confidence the government has in us to deliver for our community.

“There are so many exciting things planned, starting up or ongoing, in the borough and we have drawn up a list of ways we can assist a number of projects using this money and I am confident this will support different sectors of the borough – such as the rural and visitor economy.”

The total allocation to Stafford Borough Council was £4,673,295. It covers a three-year period to 2025 and is aimed at boosting communities, supporting local businesses and improving skills as part of the government’s ‘Levelling Up’ fund.

Along with helping to kit out the auditorium at the theatre in Stone, finishing the refurbishment of the town’s scout building and supporting the £7m History Centre development in Eastgate Street, other areas the funding will be spent on include:

• £1.5 million towards the Stafford town centre transformation programme
• Around £1m to drive the visitor economy
• £250,000 on climate change projects
• £500,000 for grants to help local businesses grow and
• £1m to support business innovation

What are we going to do with the money?

Firstly, this will enable the installation of the heating ventilation and cooling system, which for some time has been the most significant outstanding challenge. Beyond that, it means the community cinema equipment can be in place from day one and the charity can kit the theatre out with excellent lighting, sound and audio-visual equipment. All this will enable the theatre to achieve its mission of bringing professional standard facilities to Stone for all to enjoy, whilst also helping to attract professional touring shows and performers to our town.

As far back as 2018 Stone Town Council and Joule’s Brewery recognised the potential in what we were trying to achieve and played key roles in getting this project up and running. For several years since, through the amazing support of volunteers, local businesses, seat sponsors and Founding Partners, the town has come together to develop an empty shell into what today, looks every bit like a theatre. It’s thanks to all the hard work, perseverance and wholehearted community support that we were able to demonstrate just how much Stone’s new theatre, cinema and community space deserved this significant funding grant to get the job done.

We’ve had some reaction from our trustees and key partners already…

Harri Capernaros – CWT Trustee: “Completing the building will be huge milestone for the charity but is in fact only the beginning when it comes to bringing this space to life. It has been a people powered project to date and its future success lies in a far great number of people getting involved, whether using the space, volunteering their time or simply enjoying the wide variety of entertainment and activities on offer.

As a volunteer run and not-for-profit organisation, we believe the Crown Wharf Theatre has every chance of becoming a self-sustaining asset to Stone that can improve our wonderful town and the lives of people living here, but to make this happen, we will all have a part to play”.

Rob Kenney – CWT Trustee: “It’s a huge cherry on top of the Crown Wharf Theatre Christmas cake that will enable the trustees to deliver an even higher quality theatre than anticipated”

Joule’s Brewery: The brewery team and the whole Joules team at Crown Wharf will be overjoyed to hear that funding has been secured to complete the theatre, this is amazing news and a profound moment for Stone which will have a dynamic and independent theatre for community use for the very long term. This is an investment in people and community, in tough times here is something that can bring us together and share a little joy.

Steve Nuttall, Managing Director, Joule’s Brewery: “I recall the initial idea of Crown Wharf and what we could do with the opportunity to create something very special right at the heart of Stone Town adjacent to the canal. The theatre felt at the time like a longshot, but the vision of excellence and engagement with so many community groups, the creative flair and passion of local groups such as Stone Revellers, the dedication to community theatre and the sheer energy of the team bowled us over, we really caught the bug and joined their mission for what could be created.

We believed so fully in the people and the idea that Joule’s constructed the purpose-built auditorium shell, the stores and back of house, all of this on spec, the idea was so powerful and team so investable that we just felt that they could make the rest of it all happen. Today they have done just that and garnered the support of the Borough Council alongside other amazing grant providers and a whole army of local supporters, private and business who have done and given so much already. It is the most heartening and rewarding project which I have been involved with, I cannot say just how pleased I am for this group of dedicated and creative people and for Stone Town as whole. We are absolutely thrilled to be part of the town and of this amazing project.”

In go the seats – Progress Update

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The space is being transformed…

Happily, it’s been a hectic few months at the theatre! Over the summer, all our internal walls, insulation and soundproofing work was completed, leaving us with approximately 300m2 of fresh plaster to paint.  Being a theatre, this of course meant hundreds of litres of black paint was required, as well as 80 litres of white paint for back-of-house areas. Thankfully, 28 willing volunteers turned up armed with rollers and brushes and over a sunny August weekend we got a huge amount done (and had a celebratory burger off the BBQ afterwards). Enormous gratitude to everyone who turned out, it was a great weekend and with lots more painting to do, something we plan to repeat.

A massive community effort

In October we welcomed specialist contractors Stage & Tiers who have begun work on our seating tiers, balcony flooring, handrails and balustrades. At the same time, local shopfitting and joinery company B3 have begun laying the vast timber floor which will be sprung to ensure our stage is perfect for dance. These aspects of the work have been in the pipeline for years. It has taken a massive community effort to get the designs right, appoint the right contractors, raise the funds required and prepare the building for their arrival.

Almost all remaining work is in hand

The space is being transformed in front of our eyes at the moment and we are hopeful progress can continue at this pace!  Near enough all the remaining work is in hand, all of it except the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).  We have a plan ready to go but wait with bated breath for confirmation of the funding application which is due any moment.  It’s our single biggest cost and the theatre can’t open without the system installed. So keep everything crossed we get some good news soon!

Crown Wharf Theatre Stone Staffordshire

Paint party weekend – thanks for your help!

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Volunteers came armed with rollers, brushes, paint trays and community cheer to help us get the painting of the theatre under way in August.

We made great progress in the auditorium, which means we’re on target to hit our deadline of getting everything ready for the installation of the seating bank and flooring in September. The back-of-house ceilings also got the royal mist-coat treatment.

A big thank you and shout out to everyone who volunteered at our paint party weekend. It was so great to meet you all and we hope you agree that the venue is really starting to take shape – and we hope the thank you BBQ on the Sunday hit the spot.

We made a great start over the two days but there are still many walls in need of some colour. Keep an eye on our website and socials for the next paint party that’s coming soon – we’ll definitely need your help again!

Crown Wharf Theatre Stone Staffordshire
Crown Wharf Theatre Stone Staffordshire
Outdoor space more fit for purpose (in this case feeding our Paint Party volunteers after a weekend of hard work).

Help us paint the theatre! August 6 and 7 with BBQ

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We need you to pick up a paintbrush for the Crown Wharf Theatre on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August to help give our auditorium and back-of-house areas their first lick of paint.

We’re getting the painting done before the installation of our seating bank, scheduled for the end of August, as the auditorium and the whole theatre gets ever closer to opening its doors. See the latest photos inside the theatre

But we can’t do the painting alone (it’s a BIG space) – so you’re cordially invited to the CWT Paint Party Weekend! Time: 10am – 4pm (Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 August)

Join us for an hour, an afternoon or the entire day or days. Whatever you’re able to do will make a difference.

Please bring along your own painting equipment (paintbrush, roller,  tray etc) and remember that the theatre is still very much a building site: facilities are limited, so come prepared. There is currently no easy access to running water, so used equipment will need to be bagged and washed up at home.

Our thank you BBQ!

As a thank you to everyone who gets involved, we’ll be running a BBQ on the Sunday at 1pm on site for all those that have pitched in over the weekend. The menu will be burgers and veggie burgers, but feel free to bring something else along if you have any further dietary requirements.

RSVP: It would be great if you could let us know if you hope to join us on Saturday AM, Saturday PM, Sunday AM and/or Sunday PM, so we have an idea of numbers. Please RSVP to our volunteers coordinator Dawn – dawn.bailey@crownwharftheatre.org.uk

We have light! Work’s progressing well in the auditorium

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With the back-of-house areas progressing nicely, work in the auditorium itself has now got under way!

The back of house areas are fully boarded, plastered and we can even switch the lights on! The toilets are nearly completed and a central heating system goes in at the beginning of July. We’re now starting to think about all the fun stuff – paint colours, dressing room tables, mirrors…

At the same time, work has finally begun in the auditorium.

In May our two lighting grids were assembled, hoisted up and attached to the ceiling. The space instantly became more like a theatre, and we could finally rig up some working light and illuminate the space for the first time. It was quite a moment.

Since then, the pace has been relentless.

We’ve made some crucial adjustments to ensure the space is accessible for everyone. Then came some specialist fire-resistant paint to keep things safe. And cables, hundreds of metres of cables! As you can imagine, a theatre needs all sorts of power, lighting, sound and data cables buried in the walls, and this was done by other competent professionals and some very willing volunteers.

Getting the cables in meant we could finally put in all the soundproofing, plasterboard and plaster finish required. The demands of keeping sound out, and sound in, are significant – and not easy when we’re neighbours to a particularly popular pub! So we’re going belt and braces and thinking about some testing to see where our leaky bits are (so to speak) and improving them.

We’ve selected our contractors for the raked seating bank and the huge sprung timber floor, and these two massive pieces of the puzzle will be completed by the end of August (all things being equal).

So, when might the theatre be open?

In summary, your future theatre has come a long way in recent weeks, and it’s a question of WHEN we’ll be ready to open now, not if. So when might that be? We have a couple more funding bids in the pipeline and hope to hear in the autumn. It’s hard to be more definite with so many variables – funding, contractor waiting times, supply chain issues etc – but the official line at the moment is: “Maybe this year, definitely next year!”

Spitfire Group flies even higher in support of Crown Wharf Theatre

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The Star of Stone Spitfire Group has further increased its generous support for the Crown Wharf Theatre.

The Spitfire Group aims to keep the story of the Star of Stone alive and to celebrate the huge community effort in the town that delivered the plane. In 1942, a Spitfire was donated to the war effort after the people of Stone raised £5,000.

The Spitfire Group had already made both the Spitfire and its pilot, Flt Lt Karl Jacobsen, Gold Founding Partners in the theatre.

This prompted four members to become Bronze Founding Partners themselves: Geoff Berriman, project leader; Gillian Weldon, chief admin officer; Peter Williams, IT officer; and Mark Wilson, group member and principal engineer at EleV8aviation.

In addition, the Group’s Canadian Wing decided to become Bronze Founding Partners. And the Russell family followed suit and decided to make John Russell, Spitfire Group project manager, and Noreen Russell, Group chaplain, joint Bronze Founding Partners.

Spitfire Group project leader Geoff Berriman said: “Crown Wharf Theatre is a tremendously important artistic development for the town, which includes a strong strand of its local history. Our Project of Remembrance for our Spitfire and its pilot fits into this perfectly. We have been able to make a substantial contribution to the funding of the Theatre. In return we have a permanent presence for the Star and all who flew with her. We could not hope for a better project to support, so we are now looking for ways to extend it even further.”

Leo Capernaros, Crown Wharf Theatre trustee, said: “We’re so proud to be backed by The Star of Stone Spitfire Group. Their generous support is helping us to push the project further towards completion. We’ve been so fortunate, right from the beginning, to have so many people stepping forward and backing the theatre. From individuals helping at our fundraising events, to businesses donating their time and expertise, to organisations like The Star of Stone Spitfire Group becoming founding partners, getting the theatre open is a real community effort.”

A ceremony was held at Crown Wharf in June where Leo Caperanos, Crown Wharf Theatre trustee, was presented with the cheques.

Calling all technically minded volunteers!

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As we look ahead to opening our doors, it will be vital to the theatre’s sustainability and success to have a passionate and dedicated pool of CWT techies that are able to support shows and events by volunteering their time and expertise.
We’re looking for volunteers with experience in lighting and sound that would be interested in supporting the team across various upcoming fundraising events and ultimately, once open, across our full programme of shows and events.
This would be a great opportunity to shadow our existing technical team and to get familiar with CWT equipment, prior to opening, and help shape the technical setup at Stone’s new theatre.
Please register your interest by emailing mark@crownwharftheatre.org.uk with an outline of any prior experience, alongside why you would like to become a CWT technical volunteer.
Crown Wharf Theatre Joule's takeover

Another theatre takeover at the tap!

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On Easter Saturday (16 April 2022), Crown Wharf Theatre will again take over the Joule’s tap in Stone – and this time the kids are in charge!

Young people from Stone’s Rooftop Theatre and Musical Youth Theatre Stafford will be performing between 2pm and 6pm – upstairs in the pub’s meeting room, and in the theatre bar.

2pm: Rooftop Studios will be dazzling us with song and dance in the upstairs meeting room

3pm: Rooftops will then move down to the theatre bar to continue their showcase with some more sparkling performances

4pm: Musical Youth Theatre Stafford will be giving us a preview of their production ‘Wind in the Willows”, as well as some old favourites from their repertoire

The event is free of charge – although we will be collecting donations for the theatre project. Join us for an hour or for the whole afternoon – we’d love to see you!

Star of Stone Spitfire Group Crown Wharf Theatre

Spitfire Group DOUBLES its support for Crown Wharf Theatre

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The Star of Stone Spitfire Group has increased its support for the Crown Wharf Theatre.

In February, the Spitfire Group became a gold founding partner of the Crown Wharf Theatre, with a seat in the auditorium to be dedicated to the Star of Stone Spitfire. The group also presented a painting of the Spitfire by artist Charles O’Neill to the theatre.

The Spitfire Group has now decided to increase its support for the theatre through an additional gold founding partner sponsorship, this time with the seat to be dedicated to the pilot of the Star of Stone, Flt Lt Karl Jacobsen. The group recently presented a photograph of Flt Lt Jacobsen to the theatre to mark the additional gold sponsorship.

Geoff Berriman, group leader of the Star of Stone Spitfire Group, said: “The Spitfire Group could not have found a better project to support than the Crown Wharf Theatre. We have over 80 members who have made an enormous contribution to our project and we hope to make this enthusiasm and commitment available to Crown Wharf Theatre in whatever way we can. When the theatre opens its doors, it will be an incredible addition to the cultural life of the town. We wanted to ensure that there will be a gold founding partner seat in the auditorium for both the Star of Stone and its pilot.”

Leo Capernaros, Crown Wharf Theatre trustee, added: “We’re so proud to be supported by The Star of Stone Spitfire Group, and I’d like to thank the group for their continuing support. Getting the theatre open is a real community effort, and the support of community groups, individuals and businesses is vital to the success of our project.”