To Chris Hallas, Academic Registrar, UCL

We, the undersigned, are concerned by the implications of the proposed restructuring of the Registry department at UCL, which involve potential redundancies including the proposal to cut the theatre's education work as it has been considered to 'not be aligned to UCL's academic mission'.

We are all deeply disappointed by this decision and believe the loss of the education dept will have a significant impact on the lives of the young people in our schools and communities.

We believe that this valuable work of the theatre is playing a vital role in engaging with a whole range of sectors providing opportunities for young people to access further and higher education and thereby maximise their life chances.  The diverse programme, involvoving UCL students coming into schools, brings benefit to both our students and the UCL students who gain so much in their communication skills and confidence. This programme should be viewed as an integral and important part of UCL’s academic mission to provide Knowledge Transfer to community organisations.

This work has life changing outcomes that have had a great impact on the local levels of volunteering, and positive attitudes to learning.

'The Education department has played a very supportive and active role in the partnership schools within the London Borough of Camden and within the work of the Camden Theatre Consortium and has brokered skill sharing and knowledge transfer across the 14 theatres' (Arts Development, Camden) 

We hope you will reconsider your proposal to cut the education dept and ensure this valuable work continues in its present form.

Yours Sincerely,

Supporters, staff and students of the Bloomsbury Theatre

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