A SECOND Hinkley Point C (HPC) community fund grant has boosted performance and career training for Stacked Wonky, a not-for-profit contemporary dance company based in Porlock.

It takes the total received since May of last year by the Stacked Wonky team to £15,000 from the fund which is managed by Somerset Community Foundation.

Stacked Wonky puts on professional dance performances ‘anywhere but the stage’ across Somerset, including unexpected locations such as the Somerset West and Taunton Council offices, in Taunton. 

It also runs academies for children and teenagers in the area and has become an important provider of dance training in Somerset.

The company aims to benefit the community by enhancing cohesion as well as building the confidence of young people.

Sarah Shorten, from Stacked Wonky, said: “We work with West Somerset landowners and organisations to source unusual places for workshops and performances.

“Currently, we run two weekly academies for young people aged five to 18 in Porlock and Old Cleeve, both of which are full and have had waiting lists since September, 2021.

“And we are delighted that over half of those attending are boys, many of whom might not necessarily align with or respond well to the traditional educational system at school.

“It is important to note there is a limited offer in the way of drama or performing arts in our part of Somerset.

“There is a specialist drama lesson just once a week for years seven and eight at two middle schools in West Somerset, GCSE dance and drama were both removed from the curriculum at West Somerset College in 2016, and as that is the only secondary provider for the whole of the region, career-building choices for creatives and young artists have been severely affected.”

Community foundation senior programmes manager Amelia Thompson said: “This is an exciting project to develop young people’s aspirations in the arts.

“Stacked Wonky identifies and responds to the needs of young people to nurture specific skills, access training, and apprenticeships, and it helps them to gain more advanced, hands-on experience across all aspects of professional performance-making.

“It is a site-specific dance theatre company running academies for young people, but they also open up access to the world of professional theatre, work experience, and careers advice.

“They build skills in, and the self-esteem of, young people in West Somerset, working closely with the local colleges and schools to share knowledge to ensure young people can access best pathways for the future.”

HPC senior stakeholder relations manager Andrew Cockcroft said: “We are really pleased that this latest grant will help the team at Stacked Wonky continue their good work.

“Community benefit is at the heart of our fund, and we are thrilled to be supporting organisations which are improving lives in Somerset.”

Stacked Wonky opened a more accessible office and studio in Porlock in 2021 due to its growing success in working with local businesses, educators, and families.

It led to a number of collaborations, including Porlock Tree Toddlers, a creative, forest school-inspired learning environment for local families struggling to travel to groups further afield.

The foundation has awarded grants worth more than £100,000 from the HPC community fund’s small grants programme since May, 2022.

The programme gives up to £5,000, £10,000 over three years, for charities, voluntary groups, and social enterprises which normally operate on less than £100,000 per year.

There is also an open grants programme for larger applications, typically more than £10,000, details of which are available by visiting www.hpcfunds.co.uk.

Anybody who wants to discuss a project or idea should contact Amelia Thompson by emailing [email protected] or calling 01749 344949.