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A charity that provides cheap theatre tickets to low-income families and disabled children is facing a funding crisis.
The Mousetrap Theatre Project, which has taken more than 75,000 young people to see West End productions since it was founded 12 years ago, said fewer families have been able to benefit from its programmes this year following a drop in cash from individual donors and the corporate sector.
Director Susan Whiddington said: "There has been a fall-off this year - both from individuals who support us and the corporate bodies.
"Last year we took 750 families to our Family First Nights - this year we could only take 618 families."
Tonight more than 1,750 people drawn from London's poorest boroughs are to attend a performance of Sister Act: The Musical at the London Palladium thanks to subsidised tickets provided by Mousetrap.
Sheila Hancock, currently starring as Mother Superior in the show, said: "The work that charities such as Mousetrap do is essential and I am 200 per cent behind them."
www.mousetrap.org.uk
