Ellesmere Port’s Action Transport Theatre and Essar are celebrating another successful year of partnership which has seen hundreds of local schoolchildren enjoy performances, workshops and creative sessions designed to raise creative aspirations among local schoolchildren, and boost the use of creative learning within schools.
Action Transport Theatre, based at Whitby Hall in Whitby Park, is the only specialist young people’s theatre in Cheshire — creating bold and innovative theatre that tours regionally and nationally. Their partnership with Essar at Stanlow has seen the two companies successfully collaborate on a number of projects to increase innovation and creativity in schools in Ellesmere Port.
Over the course of the year, the programme has engaged more than 1,000 local schoolchildren in creative opportunities. Participating schools included St. Bernard’s, Cambridge Road, Westminster, Dorin Park, The Oaks, St. Saviour’s, Oldfield and Meadow. This year also saw a brand new whole-school project at Elton Primary School, in which every child experienced high quality performances and participated in creative workshops exploring emotions like anger and conflict, and helping them develop strategies to deal with these.
Another highlight of the project has been a member of Action Transport Theatre’s Young Creatives visiting his old primary school to speak to the school about his involvement in several Essar-funded creative projects. The event, at Hinderton SEN school, was aimed at inspiring and empowering pupils to pursue creative activities.
The theatre company is in the midst of an ambitious capital campaign, seeking to transform their current venue into a world-class cultural space for Ellesmere Port. An online campaign saw them collect more than 1,000 signatures in a week, as well as the support of local politicians and businesses.
Head of Communications at Essar Ian Cotton said: “Essar at Stanlow has a long-standing relationship with Action Transport Theatre. It is great to see the variety of projects they are delivering into our local schools through the programme - inspiring creativity and innovation, as well as developing strategies to help children deal with everyday emotional challenges.”
