 The streetscape in Chesil Street Winchester will be taking on a new look when Chesil Theatre’s development project progresses to the next stage and Winchester school children will be embellishing the scene. Chesil Theatre’s plans include the addition of a new extension to the much-loved heritage building and the time has come to carry out demolition and preparation work to the land before construction. Winnall and All Saints primary schools were invited to enter an art competition to decorate the hoardings with their vision of a “theatre of dreams”. The event was supported by a grant from The Arts Society Winchester. The judges certainly had a difficult task choosing just two winners from the many competitors. Andy Keenan, one of the judges and a school Governor, said: “It was a real joy to be asked to be a judge for this project. The quality of the entries was fabulous, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been invited into the imaginative worlds the children created. Everyone should be proud of what they produced!”  Another judge, Sarah Hill from The Arts Society Winchester agreed that there were budding imaginative artists amongst the children’s depictions.
A prizegiving was held on Saturday 5th July when Chesil Theatre Vice-President Gerry Tuff presented £100 to each of the schools. The two winners were Stephanie Rita Hamilton, Year 5, of All Saints Primary School and Violet Scobell, Year 6, of Winnall Primary School. They both received free tickets to the next Chesil Youth Theatre production ,(including ice-cream!) plus a gift voucher for each pupil. Organiser Lorraine Robinson from Chesil Theatre said:“ We were overwhelmed by the number and quality of the designs created by our local children. The hoardings will certainly be much brighter and more attractive thanks to their efforts. As a community theatre, we were so pleased to have this involvement from schools in our City Ward. We are grateful to The Arts Society for their involvement and The Arc in Jewry Street for creating a display of all the work in their foyer, running from Tuesday 7th July for at least a month and we hope throughout the school holidays.” Chesil Theatre continues its fundraising campaign for the new extension. More information and how everyone can contribute can be found on newchesiltheatre.org.
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Winchester, 11th March 2025 Chesil Theatre is set for an exciting future as plans for a new extension were announced at a special event for members and invited guests at the Chesil Street theatre. The fundraising campaign aims to support the development of a modern addition to the much-loved historic theatre. For over 150 years, the Company has been a cornerstone of top-class entertainment in Winchester. Now, Chesil Theatre looks forward to a bright future with a new development next to its medieval Listed Building, which it has occupied since 1962. The planned scheme will feature a light-filled entrance and bar/foyer, studio and community space, improved accessibility facilities, and overall enhancements throughout the theatre. A major fundraising campaign is now underway, targeting £1.2m to complete the project. Jo Matthews, with a successful history of fundraising for Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and past Chairman of Little Theatre Guild, provided inspiration at the campaign launch. She commented: “I am thrilled to be part of this transformative journey for the Chesil Theatre. The development will not only enhance the theatre’s historic charm but also create new opportunities for community engagement and artistic expression.” Chairman Stephanie Danby said: “Starting from spring 2025 onwards, we will begin changing the street scene in Chesil Street for the better. We look forward to the Winchester community – individuals, groups and businesses - joining us on this exciting journey. We’re grateful for the long-term encouragement and support from Winchester City Council and appreciate their grant to kickstart our campaign.” Winchester City Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Engagement Cllr Kathleen Becker said: “Chesil Theatre is a wonderful facility which offers so much to the local community. This fundraising launch is a very exciting moment for everyone involved with this historic space, as the planned improvements will ensure it moves forward into the future with new entrance and foyer areas and improved accessibility. |
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