Labour North West

Your voice in tough times

Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport - together with Clive Grunshaw, Labour’s PPC for Lancaster and Fleetwood – visited Lancaster's Dukes on Monday March 10 to launch the theatre’s free tickets for under 26-year-olds scheme.

The Dukes – together with Lancaster’s The Nuffield - will be giving away 6,000 free theatre tickets for young people over the next two years.

During their visit they will met Dukes director Joe Sumsion, members of the Fallout young people's community cohesion project and actors from the youth theatre's latest play 'Jamaica House'.

MP Andy Burnham said: “Labour has always believed in making the best in life available to everyone. We all know how a visit to the theatre can be a life-changing experience, and it’s incredibly exciting to imagine our theatres full to bursting point with young people.

“This new scheme sees Labour values in action. In the same way we opened up access to our great museums and galleries, we are now extending this principal through to the performing arts.”

PPC Clive Grunshaw added: “I am so proud that Dukes has taken up this scheme as it is so important that we make sure as many young people as possible have the chance to go to the theatre. That is what Labour is all about – giving new opportunities to young people.

“Having Andy Burnham here today to offer his support is great. Dukes has put on many fantastic productions and I have seen myself how positively young people respond to the theatre.”

Editors Notes:

•        Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced the scheme at Labour’s Party Conference in September 2008 and since then over 200 theatres up and down England have signed up to offer free theatre tickets.

•        For further details on the free ticket scheme visit the website www.anightlessordinary.org.uk University