Whoops! Easter crept up a bit early this year. If you’d spent the long weekend sitting at home scoffing chocolate eggs and wishing you had headed off to sunnier climes, I wish I could have joined you! Easter falling where it did, was extremely awkward for scheduling our annual youth theatre production. With Journeys to Freedom opening today (see Monday 17th's Oxford Mail article or The Guide on Friday 21st), participants and staff spent the Bank Holiday weekend putting the final touches to set, props, costumes, polishing (and in some cases learning) lines and going through technical and dress rehearsals. Thanks for giving up your time guys. The only saving grace was that the weather was so foul, being crammed into a darkened theatre must have felt like a luxury! it will have been worth every drop of sweat and tears……

As we begin to confirm plans for the next 12 months we do so without the knowledge and security of what our grants from all our funders are. We are not alone in this. As local authorities make some difficult budgetary decisions, we await the outcome with a slight fear. Even a standstill grant is effectively a reduction to our budgets as cost of goods increase especially utilities, which are set to rise to an unprecedented level. We already run a lean ship but still have to look at what savings we can make.

Whilst Journeys reaches its climax, there is no rest behind the scenes as we gear up for our fundraising Gala, Something Old Something New , at the end of April. With a different programme each night, we have juggled with artists' availability and changes of plan as they themselves have alterations to their tour itineraries and have finally confirmed the acts for this. (see website for more info). Where else can you see such a diverse and exciting pool of artists in one night, under one roof?

Artists have been keen to support the cause as we need to ensure that we raise the final £1.7m over the coming year to ensure that the much needed redevelopment takes place in early 2009 or we risk loosing what we have already raised.