Lowther Pavilion celebrating another six-figure donation as £100,000 given in memory of impresario Duggie Chapman

The latest – £100,000 in memory of Blackpool impresario Duggie Chapman – follows a £180,000 grant from the Windmill Charity Benefit Society earlierthis month and £100,000 donated by Fylde Soroptmists International last summer.

All the money is going townards the building of the studio and education centre at the Lytham theatre, on which work beyond the already laid foundations is due to start this summer.

Lowther chief executive and artist director Tim Lince said: “Despite, the pandemic causing delays and shifts in behaviour across the world, it’s incredible to see these local donations being made towards our ambitious re-developments goals.

"It’s great to see the community come together and help secure Lowther for future generations.”

The latest donation, in memory of Duggie Chapman, who died in 2017, aged 81, was given by theatre producer Beryl Johnson, Duggie’s partner and a long-time supporter of all things Lowther.

She is eager to make sure the plans for the new education centre came to fruition as soon as possible, recognising the work the theatre is doing for young people, its classes for home-educated children, youth theatres and creative support for the whole community.

Beryl said: “I have watched the work of Lowther carefully during and since the pandemic and been so impressed with the team and their vision for the future providing this education centre and studio theatre and I felt I wanted to be part of supporting the funding.”

Tim added: “Beryl was standing on the shoulders of giants. Andrew Carnegie the Scottish-American philanthropist died just over a century ago leaving a mark on so many towns and cities with public buildings.

"But with no Carnegie around these days it falls on individual members of the community to make sure that we can build life-changing spaces that shape future generations, through the realisation that caring for the community, is what makes us all human.

"This tremendous donation will help provide services for everyone and allows Lowther to complete the building of the shell and start on the path to the final fit out.”

Once complete, the education centre and studio theatre will house daily classes and workshops, creative arts sessions, community cinema, parent and child groups - a safe warm space for all members of community to come together and compliment the cultural work already being done by the Lowther Pavilion staff.

Teresa Mallabone, who chairs the Lowther Trust, thanked Beryl by saying: “Your tremendous generosity will help us towards our target to complete the build. Each person that uses the facility once open will benefit from your kind donation and this will prove a lasting legacy for all the community.”

The tender for the build will go out in April with construction due to start in June and hoarding coming down in late November.

Duggie Chapman produced stage shows for more than 50 years, including many at Lowther, and was awarded the MBE in 2009 for his services to light entertainment.