Local theatre group The Worthy Players has presented a £500 cheque to the Friends of King Alfred Buses (FoKAB) after the charity suffered a devastating fire at one of its storage locations in December.
A large group of Worthy Players joined members of FoKAB for a cheque presentation ceremony in the familiar surroundings of Winchester’s Broadway, home to many of the Friends’ running days. The Worthy Players were later treated to a ride on a 1929 Leyland Lion bus though the city as thanks for their donation.
The amateur theatre group makes a charity donation each year and has a close connection with FoKAB; eight historic buses and coaches were destroyed in the blaze in December, including a 1950 Leyland Olympic belonging to FoKAB, and a double decker owned by FoKAB member Richard Aldous, who is also in the Worthy Players. Richard had spent 15 years restoring his bus to its former glory.
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Chairman of the Worthy Players Martin Pettigrew said: “We are proud to be able to support the Friends of King Alfred Buses through our charity donation this year following the devastating fire the group and its members suffered at Penton Mewsey last December. The Worthy Players have been performing for 50 years and part of our tradition is to make charity donations from performance profits each year to local and other good causes nominated by members of the group. Other recent beneficiaries have been The Theatre Royal, Winchester Hospice, Winchester Youth Counselling and the local Women’s refuge. FoKAB are a fantastic group of volunteers whose numerous running days in Winchester are enjoyed by friends and families of all ages and long may they continue.”
Both organisations celebrated milestone anniversaries last year. The Worthy Players marked its 50th birthday, whilst it was 50 years since the last King Alfred bus made its journey through the city.
Chairman of FoKAB James Freeman said: “Volunteer effort is the life blood of our local community and this remarkable donation is certainly a wonderful example of how two voluntary groups can work together. At FoKAB we are so grateful for the fact that the Worthy Players, following the spectacular success of their pantomime before Christmas, were prepared to nominate our charity – which is devoted to the continued restoration and preservation of Winchester’s King Alfred buses – to profit from their efforts. We never cease our fundraising so we thank them most sincerely for choosing us to benefit from their efforts. £500 is a princely sum and we plan to put the money towards the vital repair of the radiator of FoKAB’s very first bus, a 1959 Leyland Tiger Cub single-decker that was rescued way back in 1981.”
The Players had sell out performances at their pantomime Dick Whittington at the beginning of December and are preparing for their next production, Alan Ayckbourn’s Neighbourhood Watch, in April.
FoKAB’s ‘Original King Alfred Running Day’ is scheduled to take place on May Bank Holiday Monday, 6 May with more than a dozen traditional King Alfred buses, supported by up to 25 historic visiting buses and coaches giving free rides around the city.
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