Leeds Theatre Company Awarded Over £200,000 National Lottery Grant

Funding to support children and young people across Leeds

A Leeds-based theatre company, Brave Words, has received a grant of £220,261 from the National Lottery Community Fund. The funding is intended to support children and young people in Leeds, helping them to thrive within their communities over the next three years.

About Brave Words

Since 2018, Brave Words has focused on combining storytelling with social purpose, offering creative opportunities for children, young people, and local communities. The company runs weekly Pay-What-You-Can Youth Theatres located in Beeston, Meanwood, and Seacroft. These sessions engage more than 160 young participants from diverse backgrounds.

Fran Cairns, Youth and Education Director at Brave Words, highlighted the organisation’s commitment to long-term impact: “We work hard to create long-term impact with young people; supporting them to become more confident and to discover who they are.” She also noted the increasing challenges faced by children and families, adding that the funding will help Brave Words remain a consistent presence in their lives.

Planned Activities Supported by the Funding

• Continuation of weekly Youth Theatre sessions in three Leeds locations
• Summer projects aimed at supporting families with food and childcare costs during holidays
• The Young Company project, where teenagers can shadow and collaborate with professional artists from similar backgrounds

Artistic Director Chris Singleton emphasised the importance of storytelling for young people, stating: “Every story has value, and we believe every child should be able to tell theirs.” He expressed hope that, in the future, participants would be visible onstage, onscreen, and behind the scenes in the arts.

Previous Work and Impact

Brave Words’ youth groups have performed on professional stages such as Leeds Playhouse and have produced short films premiered at Hyde Park Picture House. They have also contributed to the company’s professional theatre productions.

Rheanna Atkinson, Producing Director, acknowledged the role of National Lottery players in enabling the funding: “The children and young people we work with are the beating heart of Brave Words. We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way and want to thank every National Lottery player for their support.”

Voices from the Community

Feedback from participants and parents illustrates the impact of Brave Words’ work:

• “I’ve never done anything like this before but I want a job with the youth theatre when I’m older. It’s helped me to know what I want to do with my life.” – Youth Theatre member
• “We’ve grown into a family and I felt so safe on that big stage because I knew everyone was there for me.” – Youth Theatre member
• “You’ve given her confidence to be herself.” – Parent
• “I never did any theatre, it sounds too posh for me, but she can’t get enough of your classes. I think it’ll give her more opportunities.” – Parent

About the National Lottery Community Fund

National Lottery players raise over £32 million weekly for good causes across the UK. The National Lottery Community Fund distributes over £600 million annually through more than 13,000 grants. It plans to invest over £4 billion into communities by 2030, supporting projects across the UK to bring life-changing ideas to fruition.

For more information about Brave Words, visit www.bravewords.co.uk.

Source: Doing Good Leeds