Retraining & Education
Here are some stories from people who have benefited
from our Educational Bursaries
“In 1991 I had a stroke at age 22. I spent many years in recovery and it destroyed my career, body and spirit. When I got the bursary from ECT I did my part-time MA in the subject I love, drama. It opened up my life again and brought me back into the world. I will always be grateful to the team for aiding my recovery. Today, I am a successful arts journalist who acts and directs and have moved forward with my life. Many thanks always.”
Nishita Sharma, MA in Drama and Directing
“I want to say how essential the grant I got from the Trust was. I am now successfully working as a psychotherapist and lecturer on the MA programme that I studied on. I could not possibly have achieved this move from struggling actor to practising psychotherapist without your help. Thank you!”
David Hudson, 48 years old when he started his course
“I am continually grateful to the Trust's educational bursary scheme for the new career I have embarked on since graduation. I am at present working with veterans from the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq wars, using the therapeutic arts to help them recover from post-traumatic stress disorder. My work is very much appreciated and I frequently tell people about my grant and how it enabled me to help others in the world through the Arts. Thank you.”
Anni Cree, 55 years old when she started her course
“Without the bursary I would not have been able to retrain. This was many years ago and I am now a senior physiotherapist in the NHS. I was also the therapist at RADA for 10 years, thus, keeping contact with my professional theatre roots. Thank you!”
Simon Needs, 41 years old when he started his course
“I regained my speaking voice after two years of therapy, but my singing voice will never return – but I no longer miss it. I am totally fulfilled in my new career. I would just like to say that the Equity Charitable Trust literally gave me my life back, it was hard work but I now have my own business as a communicator with deaf people – full time self-employed. My friends thought it strange that I was going from a world dependant on sound into a world of silence, but the work I do and the incredible people I meet in this job are all I could have wished for. So thank you! Thank you!”
Diana Barimore, 48 years old when she started her course