The Southam Dramatic Group will be putting on four special pantomime performances this month in aid of the James Hopkins Trust.

Wayne Morgan, a Southam local who has been involved with the drama group for the three years it has been running, explains what the group has in store.

He said: “We’ll be performing ‘Aladdin’ this year, starring both children and adults from the village.

“There’ll be a fully licensed bar, refreshments including ice cream tubs in the interval, and all the profits go to a good cause.”

The James Hopkins Trust is a Gloucestershire based charity that supports children with serious illnesses and disabilities and their parents.

The charity helps to provide nurses who can care for children who need around the clock care, giving their parents much needed rest. The Trust has their very own purpose built multi-sensory respite centre and gardens in Gloucester – called Kites Corner – where families can stay, but also provides nurses who can come into the homes of children who need them.

“We knew we wanted to support a children’s charity,” explained Wayne. “We paid them a visit and saw it was a really worthy cause and decided to go with them.”

Some proceeds from the panto will also go towards a project which gives children in Southam the chance to get into drama and then perform in the annual panto.

Wayne added: “It’s a really quiet village with nothing to do for the kids, not even a playground.

“The drama group builds their confidence up. They start off really timid but then by the time they get up on stage it’s like they’ve done it all their life.”

The Southam Dramatic Group itself began when Southam local Gerry Jones identified that there simply wasn't enough to engage young people in the village.

Gerry decided to use the arts to engage kids of all ages.

“Gerry is the driving force behind all of this,” Wayne continued. “She’s in her 70s but still writes the script, organises rehearsals and works really hard to make it great. She even supplies us with tea, coffee and bacon rolls – what a legend.

“I’ll be playing Widow Twankey. I wanted to be the Genie, but Gerry said I’d never fit in the lamp!”

Aladdin will be at the Southam Village Hall from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th January, including two performances on Saturday 26th February.

For tickets and more information visit www.southamdrama.co.uk