David Banks Performers Fund awards its second recipient

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is delighted to announce that Ché Tligui has been awarded a bursary from the David Banks Performers Fund. Established in 2022, the Performers Fund is an initiative supporting actors from a low-income background during their training, helping to relieve some of the financial pressures associated with the final year of drama school.

Ché will graduate next summer with a BA in Professional Acting alongside the rest of his cohort. Ché has recently appeared at Tobacco Factory Theatres as ‘Doctor Lanyon/Ensemble’ in Evan Placey’s adaptation of Jekyll & Hyde (above), and is set to perform to the Bristol community twice more during the 23-24 academic year.

The Performers Fund is named after David Banks, a Sussex born-and-bred lover of the arts. Raised in Eastbourne during the 1940s, David comes from a working-class family and has enjoyed theatre, music and dance throughout his life, regularly recounting his anecdotes about the old Sussex folk scene with friends and family. Recently diagnosed with Dementia, David is unable to manage the fund himself which has been set up by his family.

Amy Sparkes, David’s daughter and an administrator of the Performers Fund, commented: “We are fully aware that the creative industry is tough enough as it is without having additional financial pressures. We are keen to work with students who are at a disadvantage to try and level the playing field and give them the best possible opportunity.”

Ché is the second BOVTS student to be awarded the bursary, following on from Melina Sinadinou earlier this year. Amy continued, “We have attended several BOVTS shows and have been impressed with the calibre of the students. We are delighted to form a partnership with the Theatre School and hope we can make a difference to the recipient students.”

Ché commented, “I’m very grateful to be the recipient of this award. It’s a huge help in giving me a chance to focus as much of my time and energy on my final year as possible. I want to thank Amy and Alyn Sparkes for their generosity, it is such a privilege!”

To find out more about the David Banks Performers Fund please visit dbpf.org.uk.

Header image: Craig Fuller