Dancing Ledge Productions Awards The Dawn Sturgess Bursary

Leading London based production company, Dancing Ledge Productions (The Responder, The Salisbury Poisonings) in partnership with Wiltshire Creative and Dawn's parents, has announced that they have awarded The Dawn Sturgess Bursary to a Salisbury based student who has been offered a place at Rose Bruford College.

The other two short listed candidates were so impressive that a decision was made to extend the bursary scheme to allow each of them to receive an additional contribution towards their costs of £2,500/year.

The bursary, open to permanent Wiltshire residents aged 18-25-year-olds with an accepted offer for a full-time acting course being taught within a UK drama school and will provide the recipient with funding of £10,000 year (with a ceiling of £30,000) towards their living costs while studying. Applications for the bursary were handled by Wiltshire Creative.

Laurence Bowen, CEO & Chris Carey, MD, Dancing Ledge Productions say, "Nurturing emerging talent is at the core of what we do at Dancing Ledge, and it is a great honour to provide this in Dawn's name. We are proud and excited to champion talent from her home county, and we are thrilled to be able support the beneficiaries that have been selected. Working with Wiltshire Creative to find the suitable recipients has been a rewarding experience and we look forward to what the future brings for these talented individuals."

Louise Dancy, Take Part Director says, "Wiltshire Creative are delighted to be working with Dancing Ledge Productions, and are thrilled to be able to award this bursary to these talented beneficiaries to enable them to access high quality drama training. We are passionate about championing local talent, and equal access to opportunities which are sadly unattainable for so many. The events surrounding the Novichok attack in 2018 are still very much present in the hearts and minds of those in Salisbury and across Wiltshire so it is fitting that we can honour the memory of Dawn Sturgess in this way."

Stan Sturgess, Dawn's father says, "With the uncertainty of the cost of living, the timing of this news couldn't be more welcome and to know that not only one young aspiring actor, but three students, will benefit from this Bursary set up in Dawn's name is just wonderful. Helping them to be able to study and follow their dreams is something that I know Dawn would be very proud of and I'm sure she will watch their careers blossom from above closely as we will ourselves."

The primary beneficiary Cassia, going to Rose Bruford College, says, "This bursary means I can breathe easy in a way I didn't think possible. Before being offered the bursary, I didn't realise how much the stress of costs was clouding and tainting my feelings around drama school. Now, I can allow myself to feel excited; I can think and plan, knowing I'll be able to get the most out of my training."

Beneficiary Mollie says, "This bursary creates a sense of relief and freedom for both me and my family. I now feel secure in my financial situation over the course of the next 3 years and reassures me that I can focus on my studies without having to worry about my finances. I'll be able to put my time and energy into focusing on my work at Rose Bruford."

Beneficiary Katie says, "I'm very grateful to have been awarded this bursary in memory of Dawn Sturgess. This bursary will allow me to fully immerse myself in my 3-year degree course meaning I will be able to gain the most out of my training. The knowledge that I will be supported throughout my time at drama school by Wiltshire Creative and Dancing Ledge Productions has reassured me that I will be able to fully apply myself to my drama school experience."

The eponymous bursary was set up in memory of the Wiltshire resident to help young creative people from the area achieve their full potential.

Dawn Sturgess died aged 44 on July 8, 2018, after coming into contact with the nerve agent Novichok, which had been used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia on March 4, 2018. The public health crisis and criminal investigation following the poisonings was the subject of the highly acclaimed drama series The Salisbury Poisonings, Dancing Ledge's first drama based on first-hand accounts and interviews with people caught up in tragedy.

Dancing Ledge Productions has an on going commitment and successful proven track- record for supporting emerging talent launching the UK's first TV Writer in Residence bursary scheme in 2016. From holding regular creative writing workshops with local school Kensington Aldridge Academy, mentoring students, providing work placements and fund-raising to running the High End TV Mentoring Programme with ITV, the BBC and Screen Skills. The company mentors more talent than any other production company in the UK.

The company was honoured to be approached by Dawn's father, Stan Sturgess, to set up the bursary alongside Wiltshire Creative,