Over 1,000 pupils attend Mayflower Theatre with free travel

The milestone was reached through the Mayflower Transport Subsidy Scheme, a partnership between Mayflower Theatre and coach provider Xelabus.

Launched in January, the scheme covers 100 per cent of transport costs and has enabled 1,042 young people from 19 schools to attend live theatre, with 58 per cent experiencing it for the first time.

Pupils from The Romsey School and Mayflower Theatre bus(Image: Robin Jones)

Michael Ockwell, chief executive of Mayflower, said: “Reaching over 1,000 students in just the first year of our Transport Subsidy Scheme is a milestone we are immensely proud of.

“Our mission is to ensure that as many people in our community as possible can enjoy the transformative power of live theatre, and this partnership with Xelabus helps us remove one of the biggest barriers – the cost of travel.

“As a charity, it is vital for us to make theatre accessible to all, and this scheme is already making a tangible difference.”

The scheme supports Mayflower’s core belief that everyone has the right to experience live theatre.

It is part of the venue’s wider work to promote theatre access in line with UK Theatre’s Theatre for Every Child campaign, launched in 2023.

Partick O’Sullivan, head of participation at Mayflower, said: “It is inspiring to see more than 1,000 young people benefit from this scheme already, many experiencing live theatre for the very first time.

“For too long, the cost of coach hire has prevented schools and community groups from attending, but our work with Xelabus means those barriers are being lifted.

“This milestone shows what’s possible when we work together to ensure that live arts are open to everyone.”

Mayflower’s Transport Subsidy Scheme is designed to help state-funded schools and community groups with limited budgets.

Eligible schools can apply for support up to twice per academic year.

The scheme is also open to community organisations engaged through Mayflower’s participation department.

Phil Blair, commercial manager of Xela Group, said: “Over 1,000 students have now travelled with the support of this scheme – that’s over 1,000 opportunities to be inspired by live theatre.”