CHARITY

 

The Valle Academy Trust was established in 2002 and is a registered charity under the Charity Commissions Act 1993

 

(Registered Charity no: 1100346).

 

The Trust has 2 Trustees; Leonie Barnard and Helen Goddard; who are responsible for monitoring the charities activities and expenditure.

 

The charity was set up to achieve the following aims:

 

To advance education in all aspects of the Performing Arts for Young People from the age of 3, without distinction of class, creed, colour or disability and to build and maintain a purpose built theatre with facilities for the Performing Arts for Children and Young People.

 

In 2008 we undertook a rigorous fund-raising programme and were delighted to be awarded a National Lottery Grant and a grant from Herts County Councils Big Spend fund. These grants totalled over £22,000 and the funds have been used to equip the studios with lighting, curtains and audience seating (which forms the first step towards our ultimate goal of building a theatre) and to buy new equipment (such as professional dance tutor stereos and keyboards).

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

 

The Valle Academy strives to keep the costs for our students as low as possible, without compromising the quality of the tuition on offer. This means that students from less advantaged backgrounds are able to access performing arts lessons. Since 1999 the Valle Academy Trust has awarded 4 annual, full scholarship awards and 1 termly bursary in one of the 3 core performance offerings (singing, dance, acting) or for combined workshops. Students are invited to audition for scholarships annually and the Board of Trustees award scholarships according to a combination of ability, aptitude, attitude and financial circumstances.

 

Scholarship funding is raised via donation buckets at Valle Academy performances and through traditional fund-raising efforts, such as quiz evenings and raffles.

 

The next goal for the Trust is to raise funds to replace the very dilapidated kitchen in the Delamare Road studios. This will enable us to offer the studios as a venue for local voluntary and community groups (not to mention making the kitchen a more pleasant environment for Valle staff and students).

 

For more information on The Valle Academy Trust and its fund-raising programme, please contact the office on 01992 622862.