Southern Vectis Funding Supports Intergenerational Youth Theatre Project

A youth theatre group on the Isle of Wight is celebrating after receiving funding support to help bring an ambitious new production to life.

Apollo Youth Theatre, based in Newport, has been awarded £750 from Southern Vectis to support a special show planned for August.

The production will see young performers work alongside a local older persons’ choir, exploring themes around intergenerational mental health, including isolation among young people and loneliness in older generations.

Director Mish Whitmore said the show will combine music from the choir with physical theatre and dance performed by the group’s members.

The choreography will be led by a professional who trained at Trinity Laban in London.

She added that the project offers a valuable opportunity for young people to take part in a meaningful community collaboration while developing new skills.

Apollo Youth Theatre runs weekly sessions for young people aged between seven and 23, with rehearsals taking place on Saturdays and Sundays. Membership costs £2 per week, giving access to all sessions.

Southern Vectis operations manager Simon Moye said the group is exactly the type of organisation the company’s community fund is designed to support.

He said he had seen first-hand how inclusive and beneficial the sessions are, helping to build confidence in young people, and praised the new intergenerational project for bringing the community together.

The production is set to be staged later this summer.

Anyone interested in supporting the group or becoming a member can find out more via the Apollo Youth Theatre Facebook page.

Further information about Southern Vectis is available at islandbuses.info.