Ups and Downs Theatre Group receives £1,000 from the Pavers Foundation

The Pavers Foundation recently donated £1,000 to the Ups and Downs Theatre Group, a Scottish registered charity giving children and young adults with Down Syndrome the opportunity to explore the wonderful world of theatre! 

Rhona Mitchell, Store Manager at Pavers in Coatbridge, submitted a grant application to the Pavers Foundation to help support the group. Rhona and the team at Coatbridge regularly support the Ups and Downs Theatre Group by helping to promote the shows in store and on social media and by selling both tickets and raffle tickets. 

Elizabeth Brannigan, Customer Advisor at our Coatbridge store helped to handover the donation to the group.
Elizabeth Brannigan, Customer Advisor at our Coatbridge store helped to handover the donation to the group.

Ups and Downs Theatre Group is a parent-led group for children and young adults with Down Syndrome and their siblings, who often take part too! Since its set-up in 1995, the theatre group has grown from strength to strength, increasing in popularity, shown in the rise of cast members - the group now has 73 children and young adults taking part! The group rehearses between September and March, working up to the performance week which is held in March every year. 

Ups and Downs Theatre Group is entirely reliant on fundraising and the support of the wonderful surrounding community and local businesses to continue their amazing work. The group has various costs to contend to maintain with including the hire of storage space, purchasing costumes and props and the hire of The Town House Hamilton, the venue where the group holds its shows. 

“I chose to support the Ups and Downs Theatre Group as they inspire children with downs syndrome to challenge people's perception of them, the yearly performance at Hamilton Town House helps them to keep bringing in funds, allowing the group to continue year-on-year.

Their performance makes you laugh, it makes you cry, but most importantly it makes you so proud of their achievement in putting on an amazing performance, no two shows are ever the same. Thank you to Pavers Foundation for contributing to the costs of room hire costumes etc. this means such a lot.” 

Rhona Mitchell, Store Manager at Pavers in Coatbridge
Elizabeth Brannigan, Customer Advisor at our Coatbridge store handing over the donation cheque to the group.

“Ups & Downs Theatre Group is a parent led group for children and young adults with Downs Syndrome and their siblings. The cast perform a week long show every year at the Townhouse in Hamilton. With the rental of the venue, our wonderful costumes and lots of other expenses, generous donations like this one from the Pavers Foundation, go a long way towards helping our cast be on stage showing off their many talents.” 

Vicki McCluskey, President of Ups & Downs Theatre Group

To find out more about the Ups and Downs Theatre Group, head over to their website upsanddownstheatregroup.org