PRESS RELEASE: Benjamin Pollock's Toyshop donate to BRB - support BRB and help whisk Cinderella to the ball by donating to the Big Give Christmas challenge 2024

[Jan McNulty]

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

28 NOVEMBER 2024

 

• LONDON BASED BENJAMIN POLLOCK’S TOYSHOP DONATE TO BRB

• SUPPORT BRB AND HELP WHISK CINDERELLA TO THE BALL BY DONATING TO THE BIG GIVE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE 2024

 

 Sir David Bintley’s Cinderella @BillCooper

 

Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker, performed by Birmingham Royal Ballet, has opened to acclaimed reviews at Birmingham Hippodrome this year, helping to spread the magic of Christmas to thousands of visitors to the theatre from across the Midlands and beyond.

 

To coincide with the season Covent Garden based Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop have re-released The Nutcracker Theatre, an exclusive one-off paper theatre based on the sumptuous set designs, with £100 from each one sold being donated to BRB. 

 

Louise Heard, owner of Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop said “I learned about Sir Peter Wright's production of The Nutcracker when we worked with its costume and set designer John Macfarlane, widely regarded as one of the finest theatre designers and painters in the industry. 

 

“John was keen to design a miniature theatre for Benjamin Pollock's Toyshop as he had made model theatres in matchboxes with his father as a child. This helped raise money for Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop through the difficult lockdown period.  Now, as a thankyou to BRB, we have re-released The Nutcracker Theatre and we will be donating £100 from every theatre sold to the company.”

 

The Nutcracker Theatre is available in store or online from the Benjamin Pollock Store at £175 with £100 being donated to Birmingham Royal Ballet enabling the company to invest in future projects and to support the rising cost of touring.

 

Looking ahead, BRB are delighted to have been chosen to be part of this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge 2024, the UK’s biggest collaborative fundraising campaign, championing a wide range of charitable organisations.

 

You can help BRB raise £70,000 towards the return of Sir David Bintley’s (former Artistic Director of BRB) stunning production of Cinderella which will tour across the UK, including its theatre home at Birmingham Hippodrome, from Spring 2025. Donations – no matter the size – will help get Cinderella to the Ball.

 

Cinderella has been enjoyed by millions of people since it was first created nearly 15 years ago, and for many it is their first experience of classical ballet. The 2025 spring tour will be enjoyed by around 50,000 people across six venues around the UK.

 

Donations to the Big Give Christmas Challenge, which opens from 3 December, have the power to double in value by unlocking match funding.

 

Rachael Magson, BRB’s Development Director commented “We thank everyone who donated to the Big Give last year which enabled us to raise over £61,000 (including gift aid) for the 2024 tour of Sleeping Beauty. This is a great opportunity for individuals and businesses to make a festive gift that is doubled, making your gift stretch further. By donating you’ll ensure BRB can continue to tour our incredible productions to thousands of audiences as we dance into 2025. You’ll also be part of our BRB family and will receive regular updates on the impact of your support.”  

 

By supporting the 2024 Big Give Christmas Challenge monies raised will help meet the rising costs of touring ensuring BRB can deliver their commitment to taking world-class ballet around the UK.  

 

Additionally, donations to the Big Give Christmas Challenge will support urgent repairs to Cinderellacostumes, props and set. Monies raised will also ensure opportunities are made available for children and young people across the country to have the chance to participate in professional productions, fund children’s chaperones and ensure BRB can continue to inspire, dazzle and delight audiences well into the future.   

 

For further information on how you can get involved please go to brb.org.uk/BigGive

 

For full details of the 2025 spring tour of Cinderella please go to www.brb.org.uk

 

The Big Give Christmas Challenge is in addition to the generous support the company receive from donors and supporters for its ongoing programming. This is a fundamental part of the work of the Development Team’s vital fundraising activity.

 

Notes to Editors

Birmingham Royal Ballet Based at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Royal Ballet is the United Kingdom’s leading touring ballet company performing a range of traditional, classical and heritage ballets as well as groundbreaking new works with the aim of encouraging choreographers of the future. The Company’s Director since January 2020 is the internationally renowned Carlos Acosta. 

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet standardly performs at Birmingham Hippodrome for approximately ten weeks of the year and the remainder of the year tours throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. On average, the Company performs 100 shows a year nationally and internationally. The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is Birmingham Royal Ballet’s permanent orchestra, it is also Britain's busiest ballet orchestra. The Sinfonia also plays frequently for The Royal Ballet and other leading ballet companies, including performances with Paris Opéra Ballet, New York City Ballet, Australian Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Kirov, Norwegian Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and La Scala Ballet.