THE SAVE THE WATERMILL APPEAL REACHES
£2.5 MILLION AT THE SAME TIME AS BEING SHORTLISTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS FUNDRAISING AWARDS

Press Release - 30 April 2007

The Watermill appears twice in the Professional Fundraising Awards shortlist which includes internationally renowned charities, at the same time as it reaches the landmark £2.5million point in its fundraising appeal. 

The Elizabeth Emily Biggs Charity has granted £100,000 to help secure the theatre's future.  Trustee Peter Watts said:
"We are delighted to make this grant to the Save The Watermill appeal, particularly in recognition of the value of the theatre's outreach programme, and we wanted to help ensure that the theatre flourishes well into the future."

The appeal is now just £500,000 short of its £3,000,000 target.

The Watermill Theatre features twice in the Professional Fundraising magazine’s short list for the 2007 Professional Fundraising Awards. Now in its 16th year, the PF awards strive to recognise and honour outstanding individuals and organisations in fundraising. These Awards are a robust set of accolades focusing on four key categories. The Watermill has been shortlisted for both the Fundraising Charity of the Year and Fundraising Campaign of the Year.

The PF Awards are open to any individual or organisation from within the UK fundraising community. The winners will be announced at an evening reception for a specially invited audience on Wednesday 23 May 2007 at the London Marriot Hotel.

“There were a number of very strong entries and consequently the judges found it difficult to make their decisions. All those charities and fundraising teams which have been shortlisted should be proud that they are among the best in the country,” said Becky Slack, editor of Professional Fundraising magazine.

Susan Foster, Development Director of The Watermill Theatre said "The fact that The Watermill has been shortlisted for two awards is quite remarkable, especially when you consider the calibre of the other contenders and their achievements.  This is a superb endorsement of the work of the theatre and the success of the fundraising efforts, particularly for the Save The Watermill appeal. We have been completely overwhelmed by the response to the appeal and it is in recognition of this support that we have been shortlisted.  We offer a big thank you to our audience, supporters, private donors, companies and trusts for their belief in this wonderful theatre."

Felicity Harvest, Executive Director of Arts Council England, South East, which regularly funds The Watermill Theatre and financially supported its capital fundraising, said: "It’s really exciting to see an arts organisation recognised in this broader charitable context. One of our ambitions is to help create sustainable arts organisations and support them to use our funding to lever greater support in the longer term. We are absolutely thrilled that The Watermill’s wonderful fundraising efforts have been applauded in this way, particularly as they join a shortlist of such internationally renowned charities."

There are three prizes to be won in the Fundraising Charity of the Year and Fundraising Campaign of the Year categories: Gold, Silver and Bronze.

The shortlist:
Fundraising Charity of the Year - Sponsored by: Target Direct
ActionAid
British Red Cross
Merlin
NSPCC
The Salvation Army
The Watermill Theatre

Fundraising Campaign of the Year - Sponsored by ClickNow
Barnardo’s
Breast Cancer Campaign
Marie Curie Cancer Care
NSPCC
The Watermill Theatre
Whizz Kidz