Charity of the Year, 2013–2014
Fulmerston Family and Community Project, C/O Fulmerston Road Church, Fulmerston Road, Thetford, IP24 3LF
The Thetford Players chosen charity for 2013-2014 is the Fulmerston Family Project in Thetford (registered charity no. 1121025). The Project seeks to provide affordable groups and activities for children and families in the Barnham Cross area of Thetford. Each week, the Project runs two parent and toddler group sessions, four pre-nursery sessions and a drop-in cafe. It provides families with new experiences and opportunities through subsidised, affordable trips and activities; last year eight children experienced their first train journey and three had their first visit to the seaside! Those using the Project are also given the opportunity to become trained volunteers; over the past four years fourteen have completed training with three going on to use their experience to move into full time employment. Further details about the Project may be seen here
Charity of the Year, 2012–2013
Riversdale Centre, Tanner Street, Thetford, IP24 2BQ
Our chosen charity for 2012-2013 was the Riversdale Centre in Thetford.
Riversdale is not a community centre, it is a Centre for the Community, it caters for the needs of many people in Thetford and the surrounding area. Since its establishment in 1980, Riversdale has established itself as a unique haven, providing accommodation to a wide variety of groups who are there to provide helpful information and signposting to other organisations. In addition to providing support for various groups that exist to support the local community, such as the Dementia Support Group, Age Concern, West Suffolk Mind, Youth Offending Team, Red Cross and the Alzheimer’s Society, Riversdale also fulfils users’ needs for leisure, recreation and social welfare. Its home in Tanner Street is disabled-friendly and all its rooms are available for hire at very reasonable rates, further details are available on request by calling 01842 764647 or emailing
The photograph below shows Jo Cooper (Chairperson) and Sue Balaam (Treasurer) presenting Pauline Quadling (Riversdale Centre Manager) and members of the Riversdale Committee with a cheque for £500.11 which the Players raised through raffles and a percentage of ticket sales from performances throughout 2012 and 2013.
Charity of the Year, 2011–2012
EACH, the East Anglia's Children's Hospices
EACH supports children and their families with the challenges that having a life-threatening condition can often bring. Services may be provided in the family home, the community or the hospice. For further details about the work of EACH please visit their website http://www.each.org.uk
Through the EACH “Tonne of Money” collection box, raffles held at all Thetford Players productions and events, and the fundraising sponsored “Monopoly Race” in August 2012, the Thetford Players managed to raise £2,000 for EACH during 2011–2012.
Photographs of the sponsored “Monopoly Race” follow below. Each team had just five hours to travel around London by foot, bus or Underground, visiting as many of the 27 locations featured on the standard London Monopoly board as possible, taking photographs at each location; 20 participants made up six teams – The Fairgate Flyers, Waple’s Warriors, Liberty Ladies, Too Many Cookes, Three Lions and Plan C. The winning team - The Fairgate Flyers - managed to visit 26 of the 27 destinations. The two teams comprising of Thetford Players’ members – Waple’s Warriors and Liberty Ladies – came a respectable joint 3rd having managed to visit 20 locations each.