This Volunteers’ Week, we are celebrating the wonderful people that give up their valuable time to help Ropetackle run smoothly. More than 80 people are now on our books, offering services that include helping people to their seats, booking tickets, serving the drinks, distributing our brochures, organising the Film Club and sitting on the Trust.

We are so appreciative of their energy, stories, wisdom and sense of fun.

Community is everything at Ropetackle and our volunteers bring that spirit along in spades. Audience feedback shows time and again how valued and kind these guys are, whether it’s a big night out, a kids show or a film.  Thanks to all of them – with a small team of staff, we really couldn’t do it without them. Thanks also must go to Board Member, Sheila (herself a volunteer), who updates the monthly rotas and ensures every show is adequately “manned.”

Let’s take the opportunity to get to know Liz, who lights up our Box Office every Wednesday morning, which, as her photo shows, involves a lot of plate-spinning!

1) What is your role at Ropetackle and how long have you been doing it? 

I just do the Box Office now. I did some stewarding back in the day. I began training sessions for Box Office at the end of 2017 and really enjoy it.

2) What did you do in your previous life?

Various administration posts at the University of Brighton

3) Why did you apply to volunteer at Ropetackle?

It looked interesting and fun!

4) What is the best thing about volunteering here (apart from the wine at the end of a night-shift…)

I meet lots of nice people, both staff and punters.  No two shifts are ever the same and I’m learning all the time.

5) What’s the best show you have seen at Ropetackle and why? 

I’ve seen SO many, it’s hard to choose.  I will never forget the first show I saw following the second lockdown and the opening in June 2021 – The Brighton Beach Boys singing Bowie and they opened with Heroes… The woman socially-distanced next to me and I both burst into tears!  Big emotion…  Another big memory was the Billy Joel tribute band – that was amazing.