NOTTINGHAM Playhouse is ringing the changes in a trailblazing initiative to raise money for a cancer charity.
The theatre is the first major business to sign up to Calls For Maggie's, a venture run by local telecommunications provider Mason Infotech.
The company has pledged to donate a share of the profits from the service to Maggie's Nottingham, the cancer caring centre in the grounds of the City Hospital providing free emotional and practical support.
Calls For Maggie's is a route for businesses and institutions like Nottingham Playhouse to support Maggie's by providing constant revenue but without it costing them a penny.
Stephen Mason, managing director, of Mason Infotech, said: "Nottingham Playhouse is typical of many customer-focused businesses in that they need to provide robust voice and data services to staff across many functions, and in this case, more than one building. The solution we are implementing provides this, along with reporting and real-time call management for box office ticket sales."
He and his wife, Debrah, who is also involved in the Colwick-based company, are major supporters of the cancer centre after Stephen's sister Sharon died from breast and skin cancer aged 53, a year ago.
As a result of the partnership, Mason Infotech is to sponsor performances of The Ashes, a play by Nottingham writer Michael Pinchbeck about Notts cricketing hero Harold Larwood, which returns to the Playhouse in the run-up to the first Ashes test at Trent Bridge this summer.
Several performances will be dedicated to Maggie's, with Mason Infotech staff collecting donations from theatre-goers.
The Playhouse has also donated tickets for performances which will be raffled by Maggie's. Stephanie Sirr, chief executive of the Playhouse, said: "Thanks to the support of Stephen, Debrah and their team, we are able to install a fabulous new telephone system and to save money with a new tariff. As a registered charity, we must keep costs down so that we can invest as much as possible in making great theatre – shows like The Ashes – and developing our ground-breaking education programmes in the local community.
"Plus, thanks to Mason Infotech's brilliant Calls For Maggie's initiative, we are also able to help bring vital support to another hugely important local charity. It is a real pleasure to be involved with helping Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre."
For more about Calls For Maggie's go to www. masoninfotech.co.uk/ calls-for-maggies/or call 0333 240 0484.
