Festival may survive after offers of help

HENLEY Drama Festival could be saved after receiving offers of help.

The town council has awarded the event £1,000 and Countess Ilona Esterhazy, from Nettlebed, has offered to match a sum raised by others, provided it is at least £1,000.

A number of other people have also contacted Ann Fairley Dayton, who organises the festival, after she told the Henley Standard last week that this year’s was likely to be the last.

She blamed an increase in the cost of hiring the Kenton Theatre from £2,300 last year to £3,000 plus VAT this year, which includes a discount.

Mrs Dayton, whose parents’ started the festival 51 years ago, said: “That didn’t leave us anything for promoting, advertising or an adjudicator. We have just enough in the bank for this year but we ain’t got anything more. There’s no way we can get that kind of money unless we find a Fairy Godmother.”

Mrs Dayton, 84, called the increase in hire charges “outrageous”.

A meeting of Henley Town Council’s finance, strategy and management committee on Tuesday last week approved her application for a grant.

Mrs Dayton said: “I thank the council very much. I’m absolutely thrilled. It was a great relief to get it and it will help us considerably. Hopefully, others will think the festival is worthwhile to support. We are all volunteers — we don’t make any money out of it.

“The grant will save us this year, particularly to cover the extra costs, then we have to think of how to get sufficient funds to do it again next year.

“We need more support if we want to keep going. We have had quite a response. One of the groups which perform with us was fully in support of what was said and had a similar problem.”

Countess Esterhazy, who started the Prosper Mental Health Fund, said: “This is a Henley activity and there are a lot of people in Henley who run businesses that are doing well and should be willing to give some support.

“I will only donate on the basis that they write to businesses who they feel could give a certain amount and I am reassured that other people will make that figure, starting at £1,000. If 10 people give £1,000 each, that covers them for the next two years and gives security.

“This festival serves a good purpose for people from Henley and outside. It helps young people to have confidence and be more articulate — the stage is a great place to learn.

“People complain that the youth of today are out of control and I feel that anyone who can support a project like this should. I hope that others will think like I do that it is a worthwhile project and not let it fall to the ground.

“It seems short-sighted if those who are aware and can help don’t pull out stocks to keep it going.”

Countess Esterhazy’s foundation focuses on research and educating statutory bodies or parliament.

It has previously supported causes including the Ways and Means Trust, which runs the Greenshoots nursery in Peppard, which helps adults with learning disabilities through gardening.

Countess Esterhazy, who worked as a psychiatrist, said: “They are projects near to my heart — anything that encourages young people to do better and look positively at life.

“I think the drama festival could come under that umbrella on the basis of prevention. The foundation isn’t about mental illness, it’s about mental health. There’s a higher rate of young people getting depressed now and opportunities like the festival can help.

“These types of projects are needed for young people who are interested in drama or to build their confidence. There are an awful lot of young people having a terrible time after covid.

“The festival is providing the facility for young people to benefit.

“I hope Ann does reach her goal as she has put a lot of energy and good will into it and deserves to be supported. I hope Henley will cough up.”

Gemma Birch, who founded Mother Sister Daughter to help Ukrainian refugees and their hosts, has volunteered to help update the festival’s website.

Caroline Bowder, who recently joined the festival committee after writing plays for it for more than 10 years, said: “The festival is a fantastic opportunity for so many different people because they’re often new dramas or short experimental pieces you might not see in other places. There’s a great variety.

“Last year I went to all 13 of them and it cost less than £50 for the whole lot. It’s a great bargain.

“We are thinking of introducing a discount if you go to all the nights, maybe five for the price of four.

“The big problem is that not enough people know about it. It used to be very well supported in the early days and people came from a distance — some still do –— either to support their local entries or just from interest.

“We just need more people to realise it’s happening. Even people who live in Henley don’t know about it. Some have never been to the theatre at all. I just think, ‘It’s right here — use it’. The festival encouraged me to write more plays. It would be a shame to lose it. It’s too good.”

The festival will run from May 2 to 6.