Anna Travers
Pete Postlethwaite Memorial Scholarship Fund
Fundraising for Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Story
*OVER £50,000 RAISED SO FAR* Thank you!
With the support of Pete’s family, the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is establishing a scholarship fund to honour his legacy; the fund will support acting students facing financial hardship during their training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Pete trained on the two year acting course at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (1970-1972); “Bristol was the only drama school I applied to… two of the best years of my life, I had a fantastic time”.
Pete had been working as a teacher and had resigned his position to take up his place at the School; as a mature student Pete found that his local education authority, Lancashire, wouldn’t fund him, so he had to pay his way himself, taking, amongst other work, a job in a sheet metal factory.
At the time, as is the case now, only limited support was available to less well-off students; Pete received some financial support from the Peter O’Toole Scholarship and the Bristol Evening Post Theatre Merit Award.
His family now wish to establish a scholarship fund to help the many acting students in circumstances similar to those of Pete when he started out.
The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is one of the UK’s leading drama schools with an international reputation for excellence; past students are working in all branches of the arts and entertainment industry – many, like Pete Postlethwaite, becoming household names. The training is rigorous and hugely demanding on the individual, with students in class for over 40 hours per week; this allows little time for them to support themselves with paid, part-time work.
Selection for training at the School is based purely on talent; competition for places is fierce. With the help of the Pete Postlethwaite Memorial Scholarship Fund we can ensure that the School continues to train students from all walks of life; talent has no social boundaries.