Our talented home shopping colleague Joanne Brookes has raised more than £1,600 by performing hits from the 1950s on her own YouTube channel in a bid to keep her local theatre alive.
Joanne, who's 23 and has worked at our Great Bridge store since March, is a member of The Crescent Theatre in Birmingham which, like all other theatres around the country, has had to close during the lockdown.
Over the past week. Joanne had been singing hits from 1950s stars such as Judy Garland, Billie Holliday, Doris Day and her favourite, Peggy Lee, and asking for donations.
Joanne, who's been doing drama and dance since she was a child and studied musical theatre and drama at university. She said: "I've been at The Crescent Theatre or two years now and I've done three shows so far. I got cast as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and that was supposed to be in May this year but because of lockdown it was postponed until September and now it's been moved to May next year.
"The Crescent may not see any of the arts funding that the Government is giving and I just really did not like the thought of my favourite theatre, my favourite place, being shut down."
She said the response she'd received from her YouTube performances had been fantastic.
She said: "It's been amazing. I thought I'd may be get to £200, but it's over £1,600 now. People have been so generous. My colleagues here are all supportive and have been watching my videos and donating too."
"I've been dressing up each time too as best I could. I went to the theatre and got some wigs and I've been to the charity shops too.
To help Joanne's fundraising efforts, visit her Just Giving page.
