So somehow I have agreed to do a skydive to raise money for Progress. Many of you know I am in fact seriously petrified of flying, planes, and heights in general - so this is not a challenge I am taking lightly.

Why then I hear you ask, am I putting myself through this ordeal?

The simple answer is I love Progress. It is a truly magical space where truly magical things happen. Lifelong friendships are formed, people learn new skills, hone existing ones, get good at pretending to be other people, and become more confident and comfortable with being ourselves. That is what Progress is to me, but it's even more to the wider community...

Progress Theatre is a self-governing, self-funding theatre group founded in 1946 and maintained by volunteers. As a registered charity, it is committed to promoting education in the performing arts as well as producing a programme of varied, interesting and challenging drama to the highest standard. It also takes part in various initiatives to support the local community.

The theatre’s vibrant youth group gives young people an opportunity to develop new skills, meet people and grow in confidence, and in some cases, such as Kenneth Brannagh, go on to have a successful career in the dramatic arts. The more recent outreach programme run by the Progress Theatre aims to raise awareness and support people with dementia in the local community.

As this community theatre does not receive government funding, it is entirely reliant on volunteers and support from people like you, so thank you for your support tonight. Your contributions will go towards an initiative to fix the theatre’s car park which has been in need of maintenance for over 10 years.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.