THROUGHOUT the years of our close association with the Barrington Centre, Ferndown Drama has consistently donated and provided items to the Ferndown Community Association (FCA) in order to help out. 

Our last generous act was to pay an invoice which was not yet due, in order to help with a ‘cash flow’ problem last month.

How is this kindness treated? 

Last Thursday lunchtime I got a call to say that we would not be able to perform the last two, most valuable nights, of our show Outside Edge.

We were allowed back in on the Saturday afternoon to retrieve our set and possessions and were watched closely, whilst we cleared our stuff from the building.

We had been working on Outside Edge since October 2016, the cast learning lines and attending rehearsals at the Barrington, the set makers building bits for the set. We ordered publicity material, printed tickets, and allowed the Barrington to sell our tickets (for which they keep a 10% fee).

At the time of writing I have received no apology or explanation for what has occurred, and at a rough calculation we have lost in the region of £2,000.

The Barrington still has our ticket money, and the ticket money belonging to those who had booked for Friday and Saturday night. 

The FCA committee decided to pull the rug, right in the middle of a show. 

To keep the centre open for two extra nights would have had 200 people using the bar, and the tickets bought by our customers would have been able to be used. 

What a way for a charity to act. The trustees were only interested in saving their own skins.

STEVE HAWKER

Chair, Ferndown Drama, Hewish Farm Cottage, Milborne St Andrew

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