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Celebrating 25 Years with New Fundraising Campaign to Boost Student Opportunities

By: Razzamataz Theatre Schools |  0 Shares     118 Reads

December 04, 2024 // Franchising.com // A theatre school franchise is marking its 25th anniversary by doing the one thing that matters most to them, supporting their students to achieve their dreams. To celebrate this milestone, Razzamataz Theatre Schools has launched a special fundraising venture dedicated to supporting students going on to further education.

The "25 for 25" campaign is a new initiative aimed at raising £25,000 for the Razzamataz Future Fund charity. Since its inception in 2015, the Future Fund has provided over £50,000 in grants to help young, talented performers continue their training. 

The Future Fund offers financial support to students across the Razzamataz network, helping them access the next stage of their performing arts education. Sarah Burrows, a scholarship winner from Razzamataz Carlisle in 2018, shared her experiences and what the support meant to her. “I was absolutely thrilled and shocked to have won the Future Fund. The help and support I’ve received at Razzamataz has boosted my confidence and skills immensely. The Future Fund allowed me to take my training further as I pursued my BA honours in musical theatre.”

More recently, Amy, a Future Fund recipient from Razzamataz Rayleigh West, spoke about the fair and transparent judging system together with the invaluable feedback and guidance she received. “The feedback from the judges was refreshing, especially compared to the typical yes, no, or maybe in auditions,” she explained. “It’s really helped me focus as I transition to full-time training. Razzamataz has been a huge part of my journey, and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity.”

The "25 for 25" campaign encourages Razzamataz franchisees, students and families to get involved by raising 25p, £2.50, or £25 per student, depending on each school’s preference. This campaign not only contributes to the Future Fund but also offers franchisees several business benefits, including building a connected community, increasing student retention, and creating a sense of pride and purpose within each school.

Denise Gosney, Founder and Managing Director of Razzamataz, explains how the Future Fund charity is particularly meaningful to her, given that financial constraints prevented her from completing her own theatre arts training. “The Future Fund is such an important part of Razzamataz because it embodies everything we stands for including helping young people achieve their dreams even if they are facing financial limitations, like I did,” Denise explains. “I had to drop out of my own training and it was truly crushing. The more money we are able to raise, the more we can support our students going through college or university, which we understand is particularly challenging now for many families. It is incredible what we can do together and the legacy we are leaving behind for the next generation of performers is something we are all so proud of.”

Each franchisee will work with their teachers and school community to explore the best ways in which they would like to raise money for the Future Fund. In the past, franchisees have got involved with physical challenges, theatre performances and different types of sales and raffles. To ensure they are fully supported, each franchisee will receive a fundraising pack of ideas, support via Zoom calls, and full communications, including social media assets, eshots, and PR guidance. This ensures every school has the tools they need to make the '25 for 25' campaign a success and inspire their local communities to get involved.

“The year 2025 is a big year for us as a network, and through this campaign, we are hoping that our success and celebrations will create a lasting legacy,” adds Denise. “By coming together to support the '25 for 25' campaign, we can make a big impact on our students and their families, helping to open doors to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.”

SOURCE Razzamataz Theatre Schools

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