Why do we need an alternative shopping list this Christmas?

We know that Newcastle has large areas of social and economic deprivation. Newcastle has become relatively more deprived over the past 12 years. The figure varies within Newcastle itself but in the Byker ward for example, 54.1% of children live in poverty, according to the City Council’s own ward statistics.

The challenges faced by young people living in our region are significant, interlinked and inseparable from one another. Financial pressures can negatively affect health and well-being, disrupt access to education and employment opportunities and result in fewer opportunities for young people to discover their potential or explore their interests. Northern Stage’s programme of participation work helps to offer opportunities to our local communities to engage with and benefit from taking part in creative activities.

This is due to the kind donations and gifts made by our audiences, individuals, foundations and companies over the past 12 months.

For many children, a Christmas show is their first introduction to theatre. We know young people carry those memories with them for many years and for some, it has a truly transformative effect on their lives. For so many families Christmas is an expensive and worrying time of year. We would like to be able to alleviate that, even if just for a few hours. We can only do that with the continued help of our audiences and supporters.