Vox Theatre Company raises AED 25,000 for Dubai Centre for Special Needs with support from sponsors

The money was raised from its recent performances of Grease at the Madinat Theatre.

Presenting the cheque to Dr Mahshid Salehi, the director of the Training Centre, was Mr Louis Scotto, Emirates Bank General Manager, Retail Banking, the key sponsor. Co- sponsor, Philips Electronics, Middle East and North Africa was represented at the event by Galia Rizk, the PR Manager. Virgin Atlantic, which supplied prize air tickets was represented by Stephanie Price Whittle, its UAE Marketing and Communications Manager.

Director and founder of Vox Theatre Company, Vanessa Woodthorpe-Wright, specifically wanted to donate ticket revenues of the production to a school that teaches children with special needs and to enable the young actors of the production to understand more about the challenges faced by children with special needs.

Woodthorpe-Wright said: 'The concept behind Vox is to provide children with the first class training in performing arts culminating in a minimum of 2 performances per year. In addition to that we want the children to appreciate that they can use their talent productively and add value to society as a whole by supporting charity.'

Crucial to the success of Vox and its ability to support charities through its work is sponsorship from local organizations who also share the same ethos of being involved in the community.

Vanessa continued, 'We were fortunate to receive substantial sponsorship from Emirates Bank, Philips and Virgin Atlantic and the exceptional personal effort from these organizations made it all possible.'

Vox Theatre Company is currently rehearsing 'The Emperor's New Clothes,' a pantomime, which will be performed at the new Dubai Community Theatre at the Emirates Mall on December 8 & 9. Tickets will be on sale in November from the Dubai Community Theatre Box Office.