We are forever grateful...

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Today the youth theatre did something excellent – they did it bravely and with an appropriate sense of gravitas and I was exceptionally proud of them.  A cast of twelve YTYT members travelled to Sheffield Cathedral to perform as part of the Miners’ Memorial Service for The National Union of Miners – Yorkshire.   This is something we have done for many years, our first performance was at Wakefield Cathedral in 2009.  Every year I am struck anew with the importance of it.  Connecting generations, connecting communities and connecting individuals…it is an honour to share an hour of remembrance with an industry which is at the foundation of our heritage.

Each year the cast alters as members grow up and leave the youth theatre, although it is interesting to note that Amy and Tom were there at the beginning and are still there now!  However each year I am told by ex members how valued their memories of this event are and by current members and their parents how impressed and touched they were to be part of it…maybe this is down to the wonderful audience who are so appreciative of our efforts, maybe it’s down to the outstanding playing of the Maltby Colliery Band, maybe it’s down to the impressive surroundings of the venues we perform in and the glorious Miners Banners that adorn them…or maybe it’s down to what we tried to articulate in the closing speech of our performance,


“Child, Man, Wife, Parent, Sister and Brother we stand on the foundations of the Miner’s legacy – the men and women who went before us and grafted for our future…it is their sacrifice that allows us safety, their bravery that allows us to have faith, their unending effort that allows us to carve the path through our lives to get to the place we belong and we are forever grateful…”

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