Your connection to Theatre Royal Wakefield goes back a long way doesn't it? Can you tell us a little bit about that?

I was a member of the theatre's first ever youth theatre after it re-opened. We were called 'Gallery 20'. Every Saturday morning, around twenty of us would meet upstairs in the Gallery room (now the offices) and spend a few blissful hours improvising, clowning around, acting out scenes from plays we loved etc. I made some lifelong friends during those Saturday afternoons. I also fell in love with the building itself. It was so magical to be able to call it our home every weekend and we were pretty much given the run of the place if there wasn't a show on. I don't think any of us realised how fortunate we were at the time. I worked backstage for a number of years, performed in a few shows and eventually got my Equity card. I've worked in theatre ever since.

Do you think the fact that you are an actor has given you an extra insight for your role as a trustee at Theatre Royal Wakefield?

After those first few years in the youth theatre I made the decision that this was what I wanted to do for a living. Theatre Royal Wakefield allowed me to see all aspects of what the theatre is about. The hard work that goes on behind the scenes, the many different teams that magically come together to put on a show. marketing, finance, box office, production staff and creatives all working individually towards the same goal. I've worked in many, many theatres both here and abroad and one thing that always fascinated me is the fact that once an audience takes their seats and watches the show, they are blissfully unaware that in a room upstairs somewhere there are people beavering away already thinking about the next performance. I think that having that understanding of all the different moving parts in the theatre is invaluable in my role as trustee.

Why do you think it's important for towns and cities like Wakefield to have a theatre?

I think it's crucial for any town or city to have a place where they can escape for a few hours once in a while. It's so easy to switch on the TV or radio (OR the dreaded I-pad) to find some entertainment... but a night out at the theatre is just that... a night out. A chance to make a night of it and take yourself away from the ordinary and enter another world. Be that a pantomime, a dance show or new writing. We are so unbelievably fortunate in Wakefield to have a theatre that does so much more than that. The participation and engagement activities at the theatre are world class. There is something for everyone young and old to access and the fact that we have Theatre of Sanctuary status is something we should be really proud of. My son Joseph is coming to the end of his time with Performance Academy at the theatre which he's attended since he was around six. He's now eighteen and looking to pursue a career on stage. The training and experiences he has had through this time has been invaluable not only practically but helping to shape who he is as a person.     

You have volunteered your time to Theatre Royal Wakefield not only as a trustee, but also as a performer and a fundraiser. You must be quite fond of the organisation?     

To be honest, any opportunity to take part in something at the theatre, both on stage and behind the scenes, fills me with joy. I know how important this theatre is to so many people and anything I can do to help keep the doors open and the lights on is an absolute pleasure. It has brought me and my family so much happiness over the years it feels only right to give something back.

Why do you think being a trustee is so important? What would you say to someone who was considering it?

Being a trustee of Theatre Royal Wakefield means being part of something that you know brings great joy to people. A chance to help shape the future of not only the building itself but the people who use it. The staff at the theatre do an incredible job each and every day, working long, often unsocial hours to keep the show rolling. As a trustee we can offer a perspective from the outside and can be a critical friend when needed for important decisions. We have a diverse range of people on the board and each and every one of us can use their own skills and experience when it comes to our role as trustees. People may think that they have nothing to offer a board like ours but honestly everyone has something to offer even if they don't have a background in theatre. As long as you have an interest in the charity, an ability to listen to different opinions and the confidence to voice your own, then you have something to offer.