Welcome to the August issue of the e-mail newsletter, packed with news, information and special offers on tickets for the rock 'n' roll spectacular Buddy and on group tickets for the Broadway smash hit Jersey Boys.

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  COMPLETE THE NODA SURVEY AND YOU COULD WIN £100!

Five years on from its last national survey in 2002, the time is right for another major survey of the issues affecting our members and the amateur theatre sector. It is only by having this detailed information that NODA can tell if it is doing a good job for its members, and represent your interests to government departments, local authorities and national and regional funding agencies.

The first part of this survey asks for your opinion on the services provided by NODA, to help us improve and grow over the coming years.
Please complete the survey by clicking Here. The closing date is 20 September. All surveys returned will be entered into a prize draw, to be drawn at the Association's AGM on 29th September. 

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                                        NODA NATIONAL WEEKEND

This year’s National Weekend takes place at the Palace Hotel in Buxton from 28 to 30 September. Built in 1868, the Paramount Palace Hotel's magnificent exterior was designed by Henry Currey, architect to the Duke of Devonshire. It’s a much-loved focal point of Buxton’s culture and where everyone wants to stay when they are in town. They used to call this wonderful part of the world the English Switzerland, so immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery, rolling dales and countryside.

Right in the heart of Buxton, the hotel has 122 bedrooms, including bedrooms suitable for wheelchair access. Facilities include exquisite dining in the Dovedale Restaurant and a wide-ranging Bodysense Health & Leisure Club with excellent beauty facilities.

The National Weekend, as well as its regular series of meetings, cabarets and social activity, will include an excursion to Chatsworth and workshops, and will be an excellent opportunity to network with other amateur theatre enthusiasts from across the country. Book online at www.noda.org.uk.

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                              HONORARY ACCOUNTANT

The Council of NODA is delighted to announce the appointment of Stuart Dick as Honorary Accountant, to advise the Council on its financial responsibilities.
 
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                            DISNEY YOUTH WORKSHOPS

Disney workshops have this year taken place in Conwy and Sutton Coldfield, and have been a huge success. Places are still available on the youth workshops taking place at:

Loughborough University on Wednesday 1 August
Grayshott, Surrey on Saturday 18th August
Bolton on Saturday 18th August
Barnsley on Sunday 9th September

The workshops focus on recently released musicals from the Disney Collection (Aladdin, Cinderella and The Jungle Book), and offer young people the chance to enhance their performance skills. Subjects covered include acting, movement and singing. This is a fantastic opportunity for schools, youth sections and youth theatres to learn essential skills from professional tutors and to get a taster of the exciting new Disney Collection. The workshops are open to young people aged 13 to 18 and are completely free. All we ask is that participants provide a refundable deposit of £15 to guarantee their place.
Further details of dates, venues, tutors and how to book can be found by visiting www.noda.org.uk and clicking on ‘Disney Workshops’. 

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                                         Take it away

Arts Council England have launched ‘Take it away’, a new scheme aimed at making musical instruments more affordable, particularly for families and those on lower incomes.

The objective of the scheme is to encourage more people to get involved in learning and playing music by removing the financial barrier that may have stopped them from doing this previously. The scheme allows individuals to apply for a loan of up to £2,000 for the purchase of any kind of musical instrument, and pay it back in nine monthly instalments, completely interest free.

More: www.artscouncil.org.uk/takeitaway

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           Co-operative Group Community Dividend Fund

The Co-operative Group Community Dividend Fund is now open for applications of between £100 and £5,000 funding community, self-help and voluntary groups which:

•benefit a local community in which at least one Co-op group business trades;
•have a charitable purpose (you do not need to have charitable status);
•fit in with co-operative values and principles.

For further details and to download an application form:

www.co-operative.co.uk/en/communityfund/

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                                  Community RePaint

Last year Community RePaint collected 240,000 litres of paint across its network of 64 paint reuse projects which is available to all in the community and voluntary sector. This paint is available (often for a small donation or even sometimes free) to as many of these people as possible.

Previous organisations have used paint for:

• Village halls
• Theatre and art groups
• Community 'drop in' centres

There are not Community RePaint schemes in every area but schemes will often donate paint outside their local area.

For a list of projects and where paint can be obtained from visit www.communityrepaint.org.uk

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                             The Voice Of Hertfordshire

'The Voice Of Hertfordshire' is a yearly singing competition with a charitable edge aimed at people who are part of a choir, amateur operatics, or quite simply a talented individual with a good voice. The auditions take place in October in Hitchin, Hertfordshire with the eventual winner receiving a cash prize and 'The Voice Of Hertfordshire Trophy'

To find out more and enter the competition please go to www.thevoiceofherts.co.uk

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    Young People's Participatory Theatre Project (YPPT)
                                       area: England

Arts Council England and Methuen Drama are working together to develop an anthology of scripts of high quality written specifically for young people to perform. The Young People's Participatory Theatre programme is a three-year DCMS funded initiative to develop youth and participatory theatre in England. The definition of theatre within the scope of this project includes circus, street arts and experimental theatre and the age range we are working with is young people aged 11 to 25 years.

For further information visit http://artscouncil.org.uk/aboutus/project_detail.php?sid=15&id=832&page=10. 

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              Announcing the new 'Sound Advice' website

You are invited to visit a new Sound Advice website containing draft practical advice on controlling noise at work in the music and entertainment sectors. This has been developed by an industry working group with support from the Health and Safety Executive.

Music and entertainment sectors are defined in the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 as all workplaces where a) live music is played; or b) recorded music is played in a restaurant, bar, public house, discotheque or nightclub, or alongside live music or a live dramatic or dance performance.

Please go to http://www.soundadviceconsultation.info/workinggroup.htm to view a letter from David Adams, Chair of the Music and Entertainment Sector Working Group.

Then go back to the home page http://www.soundadviceconsultation.info and explore as much as is relevant to your needs and interests.

We'd like you to give us your feedback on the proposals - please either use the "Feedback" buttons on the main site, or follow the link below. Both will take you to our online questionnaire which you can use to give us your views.

The consultation process is open from Monday 23 July 2007 until Friday 12 October 2007

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           The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2008
                        deadline: 30 September 2007

The Queens Award for Voluntary Service recognises the vital role played by the hundreds of thousands of ‘unsung heroes’ of the voluntary and community world and emphasises the importance of continuing recognition of their work. The nomination period for The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2008 begins on the 2nd June you can nominate your chosen voluntary organisation for this year's Awards round.

If you know a group of volunteers who devote their time to helping others in the community and improve the quality of life and opportunity for others, nominate them now. It is easy to nominate. Just visit www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk and download an electronic version of the nomination form and guidance notes.

For further information you can email queensaward@volunteeringengland.org or call the Award hotline on 0845 000 2002

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                            UK Villages Community Kitty
                             deadline: 10 October 2007

UK Villages Community Kitty provides grants of between £50 and £500 to a range of community based projects. In the past, the fund has awarded grants for projects ranging from a knitting circle, to a playgroup needing toys, sports equipment for cubs, and support for several village halls and playing field committees - as well as a number of Heritage projects. For more information, go to www.communitykitty.co.uk/ukvillages.nsf/b?open&s=kitty. 

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                            NEW FROM SAMUEL FRENCH

Samuel French are happy to announce that PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY by Henrik Ibsen in a new version by Samuel Adamson is available forthwith for amateur production.

Shipbuilder Karsten Bernick is a respected, highly successful businessman but his wealth has been founded on a lie and now he is threatened wih exposure. As he struggles to preserve his standing in the community he sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to destroy all he holds most dear.

Samuel Adamson's highly acclaimed new version of the Ibsen classic was presented at the National Theatre in 2005, directed by Marianne Elliott and starring Damian Lewis.

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                                   NODA THEATRE CLUB

TICKETS AT ONLY £35 FOR GROUPS OF 10+ TO SEE THE BROADWAY SMASH HIT JERSEY BOYS

Discover the legendary story of a group of working class boys from the wrong side of
the tracks who became one of the biggest pop music phenomenons of all time - Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. This unforgettable story is Jersey Boys - the smash hit Broadway musical sensation, featuring all the classic hits including Sherry, Big Girls Don't Cry, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye), Working My Way Back to You, Walk Like a Man, December 1963 (Oh What a Night) and more.

Groups of 10+ get best available seats at just £35, Monday-Thursday evenings and Tuesday matinees from 19 March-12 June 2008. Rate applies to tickets booked and paid for before 1 December. Subject to change and availability.

To book call now on 020 7907 7002.

SAVE £25 ON THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SPECTACULAR BUDDY
Over forty years ago, the man who changed the face of popular music tragically died in a plane crash aged 22. Now Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story tells of the three years in which he became the world’s top recording artist with a show that features over twenty of Buddy Holly’s greatest hits including Peggy Sue, That’ll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Rave On, Heartbeat and Raining In My Heart.
Buy top price tickets for just £30 (+ £1.50 booking fee per ticket), Monday-Thursday evenings and Wednesday matinees from 6 August -13 September. Subject to change and availability.

To book call now on 020 7907 7056 quoting ‘NODA’.

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