It means thousands of Armed Forces families have again been entertained for free this winter thanks to those who have so generously supported the initiative.
The BFF Panto Bus has traveled all over the UK – visiting bases from the top of Scotland to the tip of Cornwall, Northern Ireland and Wales – as well as performing for British Armed Forces families in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Cyprus.
In total there were six tours, five different productions, visiting more than 60 locations. Audience sizes ranged from 60 to 400plus – the figure averaging out at almost 150 people a show.
A massive thank you to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity for their continued support as well as The MacRobert Trust, the Veterans Foundation, the RAF Benevolent Fund and the Army Central Fund.
The free shows are a wonderful way to demonstrate support for those families whose lives revolve around the demands of military life and the exceptional pressures and sacrifices that can bring. Many of the communities are those where loved ones are away on deployment and the BFF Panto Bus visit provides a welcome distraction from that absence at home.
Sarah Riley-Evans, RAF Lossiemouth’s Community Development Officer, she said: “It was great to have the Panto Bus start their tour of Service bases by visiting us here at RAF Lossiemouth for the third consecutive year. It’s a wonderful initiative by the British Forces Foundation, and the pantomime was as popular as ever with our families.”
Started in February 2014 there have now been in excess of 250 BFF Panto Bus visits at 70 British military locations around the world. Based on the average audience figure the number of beneficiaries is more than 35,000. Many thousands more will have had their spirits lifted by the feel-good factor of the initiative and the all-important public support it conveys.
ENDS
