TWO Solihull youngsters are running 8km around Knowle Park to raise money for the theatre company they love.
Esme Dugdale and Daisy Williams, both aged 12, are part of Dynamik Theatre, an exuberant collective that have won huge plaudits for shows like Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Matilda (at the Dovehouse Theatre) and The Sound of the Musicals.
The company, led by the talented writer and musician Jamie Poxon, has a pull right across the region and has built an enviable reputation for staging spectacular shows.
However like all arts groups Dynamik’s been hit hard by the pandemic, especially as it is relatively new and hasn’t yet the built up the finances of other companies.
Esme’s proud dad Greg said: “She just loves being part of Dynamik and when she heard it was in danger of dissolving she felt she had to do something to help.
“They haven’t been allowed to meet as a collective but they’ve been keeping in touch online and have been worried by Dynamik’s struggles.”
And he said the two youngsters got a bit of a shock on Wednesday evening.
“Originally they were going to run 5km, ten times around Knowle Park, but then they realised it’s not 500m around but 800m, so they’re going to have to go a bit further!”
Jamie Poxon said: “What Esme and Daisy are doing is fantastic!
“We’ve only been going five years and so we haven’t build up the reserves of other companies, some of which have been going for 50, 60 year.
“We went into the pandemic with a bit of money from our production of Oliver! and I don’t think anyone expected it to last this long.
“We’ve had to carry on paying for storage, insurance, the website, premium Zoom and workshops.
“We’re not a society or a charity and I thought long and hard about asking people for money but it got to the stage where we had to do something.”
Dynamik has set themselves a target of raising £2,500 and so far have brought in £1,800.
Esme and Daisy’s run is this Sunday, March 28 with a target of reaching £250 and people can show their support by visiting their fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/esme-dugdale-dynamik
Dynamik has its own fundraising page too. To contribute visit: https://gofund.me/03509c7b
