|
 The
cast of a village panto are putting on a special premier night performance
in a bid to raise money for a project to bring a heart screening unit for
young people into the region.
Northop
Presents are staging Snow White
this year, but a special premier is being put on to raise funds for
charity CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young), which wants to raise £6,666 for
the North Wales screening fund.
Panto
producer Maureen Rutherford, whose own son Jonathan died of sudden death
syndrome in January at the age of 31, said the premier night would be
something of a cabaret.
The
audience would be seated around tables and local companies, groups and
individuals were being invited to sponsor tables.
Maureen,
who with husband Geoff runs the Miner’s Arms pub at Maeshafn, near Mold,
has joined forces with Doreen Harley, the North Wales representative of
CRY, whose own daughter died in 1998.
The
aim is to have young people screened to detect any cardiac problems before
it is too late.
Maureen
said the appeal was going very well and with events planned it was hoped
to achieve the target within the next few months.
They
had held a jazz event at the Miner’s Arms and a memorial concert for her
son Jonathan was being held at Clwyd Theatre Cymru, Mold, on January 19,
the anniversary of his death.
The
Mold and Buckley Lyons were also committed to raising funds for the
appeal.
The
panto premier of Snow White is being staged on Wednesday, November 27 before a three
night run.
It
will be more like a cabaret night, totally different to the other panto
nights,” said Maureen. “It
will be a different atmosphere and we hope to attract a different
audience.”
Letters
seeking sponsorship for the tables were being sent out for the traditional
panto with a local twist that would appeal to everyone.
Panto
spokesman, Mark Smale said the panto was put on every year, it was a great
success, and they raised money for charity at the same time.
This
year it had been decided it would be appropriate to do something extra to
raise money for CRY.
“It
has developed more and more over the years with lighting, and some of the
scenery we have is unbelievable,” he said.
“Now
we have decided to have a premier night and we are looking for companies
and others to help sponsor tables to ensure it is a success.”
Maureen
said that when the CRY target was reached it was planned to have a mobile
heart screening unit in North Wales along with specialist cardiologists to
carry out the screening.
There
were families where a loved one had died of sudden death syndrome and
other members of the family needed to be monitored so any hidden problems
could be detected, she said.
It was
also planned to raise awareness of the condition.
The long term aim of CRY was to have all young people screened at
15 so any problems could be detected and treated.
“It
is a problem that will not go away but people can be treated and the
condition kept under control,” added Maureen.
“If
we only save one or two lives by what we are doing then it will have been
worthwhile.” |
