Hello everyone,
What an incredible year 2024 has been for Stagetext! I’m writing to share some of the amazing things we’ve achieved together this year, as we settled into our new home in Colchester
Did you catch one of the hundreds of shows and events we captioned and subtitled in 2024? From tours at the British Museum, live subtitles at Edinburgh Fringe International Book Festival and comedy, to a variety of captioned theatre shows such as Operation Mincemeat, Dear England and Sunset Boulevard.
We’ve had some exciting additions to the Stagetext family this year, welcoming three brilliant new trustees: Sophie Ede, Marie-Clare Fenech, and Kasia Senyszyn. Their expertise and passion for accessibility will be invaluable as we continue to grow. Speaking of growth, I’m humbled to share that I’ve been named as one of Essex’s Cultural Ambassadors alongside some incredible figures like Dame Helen Mirren – a wonderful recognition of our work in making arts and culture accessible in the region.
This year an RNID report revealed that 18 million adults in the UK are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing – that’s 6 million more than previously thought! This only reinforces how vital our work is. And during Captioning Awareness Week, we saw this impact first hand – from training sessions at the beautiful Gorleston Pavilion, to captioning ‘The Duchess [of Malfi]’ at Trafalgar Theatre (a special full-circle moment, as this was the very first play we captioned back in 2000).
None of this would be possible without our amazing ambassadors, volunteers, and supporters. Our work thrives because of your dedication to making arts and culture accessible to everyone. Thank you.
As a charity, we depend on financial support from a variety of sources, including generous contributions from our supporters to keep our vital work going.
Make a donation today by visiting our webpage. Whether it’s a one-off or a regular donation, every little counts.
Looking back at everything we’ve done this year, I can’t help but feel excited about what’s coming next. With your incredible support, we’re making sure more people can enjoy the magic of theatre, culture and the arts – and that’s what it’s all about! Here’s to more amazing shows, events and memories in 2025.
Best wishes,
Melanie Sharpe
