Sue Welshman, former Cheshire drama adviser and champion of young people’s theatre and

educational drama, was a force to be reckoned with when it came to creating accessible, enjoyable

theatre at grassroots level. She inspired children, educators and arts professionals from as far afield

as South Africa, and the ripples of her influence on the careers of the young people she worked with

can still be seen and felt today.

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Her commitment to inclusive policies at a time when drama provision was regarded by many as

elitist, her enthusiasm and innovativeness in her productions and her determination to make

meaningful relationships and links between youth or grassroots groups from around the world

continues to inspire the work that we do at Off the Ground Youth Theatre.

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With that in mind, we have launched The Sue Welshman Bursary scheme, for our youth theatre

students, or would-be students, and their families, that are currently unable to afford the term fees.

The bursary is available in two forms, a half grant or a full grant toward one term’s fees. There is no

limit to the number of times, terms per year, or terms ad infinitum that a student can be considered

for the bursary scheme. We would ask, however, that should circumstances change and the bursary

is no longer needed, students and their families are considerate to the fact that unnecessary

claiming of a bursary can negatively impact other student’s chances of success, who may be more

in need of financial aid.

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We don’t ask for any proof of finances, income or otherwise when considering who is eligible for the

bursary scheme, just honesty with regards to means.