Fresh funding from Arts Council England will allow a performing arts charity to present a new production.

Vita Nova hosts performances featuring members of their community group, who are all recovering from addiction and using art as a method for recovery.

Their most recent play, The Wasps Nest, has been touring across BCP and Dorset secondary schools to shine a light on how young people are affected by grooming and county line drug activity.

The play was made possible thanks to a grant from Public Health Dorset.

The new grant from Arts Council England was awarded just before Christmas and will support their latest production, which appeals to an older audience but still tackles themes of addiction.

Heath, which is written by Artistic Director Sharon Coyne, will premiere at Pavilion Dance South West on November 8 and will tell a story inspired by the madness of King Lear.

The Shakespeare play sees the title character alone, exposed, and naked on the heath, which Vita Nova producer Michael Armstrong compared to those who lose everything because of their addiction.

The production will also feature choreography from Chester based dance company Fallen Angels, who use dance and movement to work with those recovering from addiction.

Michael said: “I hope this will continue to bring new people to our door, as we are constantly recruiting and diversifying our work.”

“We hope this will bring us into the public domain,” he added. “This is a different type of pitch, messaging and expertise, while still using the power of drama to challenge the stereotypes around addiction.”

Michael hopes the grant will bring more funding to help “the broad range of adults in our performing community, who are overcoming a range of addictions, from alcohol to heroin.”

The Arts Council grant for Heath is one of a number of recent funding successes, alongside a recent award from the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner.

Tickets for the Poole Lighthouse performance of Heath are already available on their website ahead of the November 14 show, with further dates set to be announced in due course.