OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO FUNDRAISING APPEAL
MEMBERS of Mikron Theatre Company, who tour by narrowboat and launched a fundraising appeal to save themselves from closure after they had to cancel their entire 2020 season in the face of coronavirus, have been overwhelmed by the speed of the response.
“We were very emotional,” says Pete Toon, who has been the company’s producer since 2010.
The required £48,337.49 was raised in a mere 16 days. At the time of writing, cheques had not yet been cashed, and Pete reckons the final total would be around £60,000.
“The £48,337.49 was the bare minimum needed not to shut the company. We would have run out by next June,” he says. “That figure took everything out – no boat maintenance, no New Directors scheme.”
The extra money is already earmarked and could help meet their responsibilities to the Charity Commission. “As a charity we’re required to have three months’ turnover in reserve. If we didn’t have that, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Hopefully the extra funds will help us build the reserve up again.”
Donations came from as far afield as Texas, Australia and The Netherlands from people who had emigrated – “some hadn’t been around for 20 years” – and joined those of around 900 donors, who contributed anything from £2 to £2000, with an average online donation of £50.
Pete, who started as an actor with the company in 2002, has overseen the company grow gradually in what he calls ‘a lovely controlled way’. “I believe a lot of people see that and get it,” he adds.
The rush of donations has galvanised the company, which has three part-time staff, into action. “All the donations have to be accounted for and we’ve done more in donations in July than the whole year.
“We’re genuinely feeling very lucky and very humble. It shows that Mikron is bigger than the sum of its parts.”
If you’d still like to donate, or get involved in other ways to support the company, such as the monthly prize draw, details are available on the Mikron website: www.mikron. org.uk/support-us/appeal