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How we work
Our People
Membership of Stepping Out Theatre is open to all mental health service users and their allies. Involvement in any of our productions or activities confers membership. Our members are at the heart of what we do. We work with hundreds of people experiencing mental health problems, empowering them to connect with the arts and the wider community Read more about our member's stories and our impact here.
Since 1997, Stepping Out Theatre has employed hundreds of freelance artists and service user artists working on individual productions and has also employed core payroll staff since February 2005. Our core payroll team are -
Mark Breckon - Project Co ordinator
Elliot Hall - Music Projects Manager
Stepping Out Theatre became a registered charity on 12th February 2007. Stepping Out Theatre became a charitable incorporated organisation (1179310) on 24th July 2018.
AGM
The last AGM was held on Tuesday 19th December 2024 on Zoom. There were 18 members attending. The following candidates were elected or endorsed as trustees. Trustees serve a three year period from their year of election.
Dr. Sue Chambers
Maria Falzetti (Safeguarding Lead)
Mike Hindle (HR Lead)
Geoff Innoles (Chair)
Ravi Kullar (Treasurer)
Danann McAleer
Emma Stadon (Secretary)
Associate Artists
Stepping Out works more closely with a small number of artists to develop their careers in theatre. At the moment these are -
Chris Loveless - Associate Director
Garth Williams - Associate Artist
Mark Breckon - Associate Playwright
Lily Maryon - Associate Artist
Annual Reports
You can look at recent Annual Reports from Stepping Out Theatre, incorporating our Annual Accounts, by clicking on the links below.
Annual Report 2023 / 2024
Annual Report 2022 / 2023
Annual Report 2018 / 2019
Annual Report 2017 / 2018
Annual Report 2016 / 2017
Annual Report 2015 / 2016
Annual Report 2014 / 2015
Annual Report 2013 / 2014
Annual Report 2012 / 2013
Annual Report 2011 / 2012
Annual Report 2010 / 2011
Annual Report 2009 / 2010
Annual Report 2008 / 2009
There are a limited number of paper copies of these reports, and if you would prefer one of these, then CONTACT us.
Funding
We would like to thank all our funders for the support they give us making our work possible. Mounting high quality theatre productions, (some of them involving up to forty service users onstage, and many more in other roles), is an expensive business. The work of raising money for these productions, and for all the workshops and social activities that the group organises goes on constantly. If you would like to support the work of Stepping Out Theatre, you can donate to us directly using the DONATE button on the top of this page. Donating in this way means that Gift Aid can be claimed on donations, making them more valuable to the group.
Current funding
The Garfield Weston Foundation
A one year grant from The Garfield Weston Foundation to fund core costs 2024/2025
A grant from the Foyle Foundation to fund our production of ‘Dairy of a Ukranian Madman’.
A one year grant from the Newby Trust towards our core costs in 2025.
Previous funding
A one year grant from the Nisbet Trust funded core costs in 2024.
The Garfield Weston Foundation
A one year grant from The Garfield Weston Foundation funded core costs and production costs throughout late 2021 and into 2022.
A one year grant from The Foyle Foundation funded core costs and production costs throughout late 2021 and into 2022.
A one year grant from the Edward Gostling Foundation funded emergency support for our members around the Covid pandemic throughout 2021 and into 2022.
A three year grant from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation funded core costs and production costs from 2021 - 24.
A two year grant from the Tudor Trust funded core costs and production costs from 2022 - 24.
The Society of Merchant Venturers
A one year grant from the Society of Merchant Venturers funded emergency support for our members around the Covid pandemic throughout 2021 and into 2022.
BIG were our largest and most important funder for 14 years with continuous funding from the Reaching Communities Fund from 2002 - 16 for core costs and salaried posts enabling the group to enjoy stability and continued growth throughout that period and right up to February 2016.
A three year grant from the Henry Smith Charity has funded core costs and production costs up to February 2022.
A two year grant from the People's Health Trust helped fund a new Music Projects Manager post up to February 2022.
A three year grant from the Lloyds Bank Foundation funded the Project Co-ordinator's post up until Feb 2022.
EF provided crucial core funding for the group over the period of June 2010 - June 2016 which saw continuous expansion in both activities and productions throughout that period.
For a five year period of 2011 - 16, Comic Relief was the biggest single funder of production costs for the company. In 2011, it funded a massive twelve week tour of the four linked 'Lullabies of Broadmoor' plays. In 2012 and 2013, it was the main funder for the large scale community plays 'Madhampton.co.uk' and 'Hermione Steel and the Island of Lost Minds', 'Wallace Real's Ministry of Madness' and 'The Square Wheel of Time'.
The Arts Council have regularly supported individual Stepping Out Theatre projects, from 'The Power of Speech' (2001) to 'Lullabies of Broadmoor' (2011) and the musical 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' (2014). In 2015, the Arts Council funded a record breaking four productions for the company - 'Anton's Shorts', 'The Bedminster Bigfoot', 'The Most Effective Drum' and 'The Divided Laing'. During 2017 - 18, the Arts Council funded a further four productions by the company, including Paul Mason's 'Divine Chaos of Starry Things' and an adaptation of Will Self's novel 'Great Apes'.
Along with the Big Lottery Fund, one of our most important funders. Steadfast support from Lankelly Chase helped the group first to survive, and then to grow and flourish for six years. Our first paid worker, the Development Worker (subsequently Project Co - ordinator) post was funded by the LankellyChase Foundation from 2007 - 13.
With the help of a grant from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, this post was upgraded to Project Co - ordinator in 2010 and this new post was funded by both foundations until 2013.
Additional work and productions are funded separately from other sources on a project by project basis. For instance, 'Waiting for Wilmot' (2009) and 'Lullabies of Broadmoor' (2011) were partly funded with the help of Awards for All grants.
Additional work over the period 2007 - 2009 at Fromeside Medium Secure Unit was funded by NESTA.
Ridge Property and Construction Consultants
The Bristol office of Ridge made Stepping Out Theatre one of their Charities of the Year. Money raised by their staff team helped us fund our core activities including our flagship activity, 'The Big Show'.
Music Theatre Bristol are a student theatre company from the University of Bristol. We were delighted when they picked Stepping Out Theatre as their chosen charity. They fundraised for us at all of their shows and at special charity events.
A three year grant from the John Ellerman Foundation funded core and production costs up to February 2020.
Contact
Stepping Out Theatre
Flat E
3 Lodge Street
Bristol
BS1 5LR
Registered Charity (CIO) 1179310 (since July 2018), Formerly Charity 1117912 (since February 2007)
e. info@steppingouttheatre.co.uk
m. 07896 684097
Current Sponsors
