In the spring of this year Circle 67 lost Steve Chadwick, a dear friend and a driving force behind the group, to cancer.

Steve was a member of Circle 67 for 18 years and his contribution to the group over that time was immense. Not only did he give many memorable performances on the stage, but he also directed some wonderful productions which inspired the group and pushed it to numerous dramatic triumphs. He also loved the whole ethos of our summer Shakespeare productions, he really enjoyed these and especially our three expeditions to France.

Steve often encouraged us to branch out in new directions and memorably during the covid pandemic he instigated Lockdown Theatre, setting up rehearsals and performances over the internet using Zoom. It was good fun and it kept everyone busy and socially interacting during a difficult time when theatres were closed and we couldn’t meet up in person. We performed numerous plays and other pieces, many written or adapted by group members, including a couple of series written by Steve himself. One of these was Aqua Vitae, the story of a remote Scottish island whisky distillery. Steve had a real affinity for Scotland — he loved to holiday there to watch the wildlife and to enjoy a wee dram of whisky! Steve made many good friendships within Circle 67 and his energy, drive and enthusiasm is hugely missed by many of us.

In recognition of Steve's contributions and because of his love of our summer Shakespeare, Circle 67 decided that all profits from this year’s tour of Coriolanus should be donated to his named charity, St. Elizabeth Hospice. Steve was grateful for the comfort and help he received from St. Elizabeth Hospice, as were his family and friends.

Due to the generosity of our audiences (plus some additional contributions) we have raised and donated the sum of £1,769. We sincerely thank you all.