A CLACTON theatre has announced this year's recipient of an award aiming to help young people move their theatre careers forward.
The West Cliff Theatre awards young people the MAF award, which supports youngsters who have trained in the theatre and wish to further their careers at college or university.
It is named in honour of the West Cliff Trust’s first chairman, Mike Freeman, and was set up in his honour following his sudden death in 2010.
Over the last 14 years, a number of young people have benefited from the award.
This year's award has been proudly presented to Ella Gardiner.
Ella was just two years old when she first appeared on the West Cliff stage with the Jackie Annis Dance School.
From there she joined the Saturday morning club until she was old enough to progress to the Youth Group.
She appeared in a couple of their productions before moving into the technical side at the age of 14, helping her grandad with the sound.
When she reached 16 she began training as a stage manager and now, at the age of 18, is an accomplished stage manager and is currently working as Assistant Stage Manager for the West Cliff Summer Season.
Ella has recently secured a place on the Stage Management degree course at Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance in Sidcup, Kent and it is hoped the award will go some way to supporting her necessary expenses through the course.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here