THE Chicken Shed Theatre Company is staying in Harrow, thanks to donations from local companies and individuals.

The charity, which works with able-bodied and disabled children and teenagers and which was a favourite cause of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, has found a permanent home in the borough, at Hatch End High School in Headstone Drive.

Chicken Shed is committed to setting up after-school community theatre groups for young people which will be open to all those who want to get together and have fun while learning about the performing arts and creating new works.

Marina Dunford, deputy head of Hatch End High, has been campaigning for the group to set up a local branch since last summer, said: "I am so pleased that everyone's hard work has paid off. I feel that the project is community-led. Donations from the John Lyon Trust, the Rotary Club of Northwick Park, Harrow Community Trust and Kodak have all contributed to helping this happen. The project has just started in a number of Harrow schools."

Chicken Shed had originally set a December deadline to secure the funding needed to establish its presence in the borough, and although this was not met, Marina never gave up hope and the charity was so impressed with their local supporters' enthusiasm it extend the deadline.

Any area wanting to adopt Chicken Shed has to raise £35,000, which is matched by the charity, to help train the teachers for the many roles necessary to set up a theatre company.

So far, Chicken Shed has worked with pupils of Pinner Wood First School in Latimer Gardens and West Lodge Middle School in West End Lane, Pinner, and more projects are lined up. Pupils from both schools were joined by children from the Alexandra special school in Rayners Lane.

Sue Pender, headteacher of Pinner Wood First, said: "It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to be involved with Chicken Shed and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience."

Chicken Shed believes that everybody has the potential to "thrive within the performing arts", and the right to participate whatever challenges they may face. But, it says, society still dictates that, even in after-school activities, most young people are separated into "mainstream" and "special" activities.

For the new group to succeed, Chicken Shed needs volunteers from the community willing to train alongside its professional staff. It is looking for actors, dancers, musicians, and teachers, as well as people who might not know anything about the performing arts but want to learn. Training on one of Chicken Shed's projects is free: all you have to do is commit one evening a week to working with young people aged seven and upwards.

The group also needs practical help with publicity, registration, first aid, and fundraising.

Anyone interested in working with Chicken Shed in any capacity should call 020 8351 6161.

May 29, 2003 14:30