Motor Neurone Disease fund-raiser will honour inspirational Horsham teacher

Charli Francis, manager of the Horsham branch of the Act Too Arts Academy, said: “Our principal Lance Milton was recently diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, and the students are working hard to raise money for the MND charity.”

The entertainment will be held at Heron Way Primary School, Horsham, on December 10, starting at 11.30am with doors opening at 11am. Tickets have mostly been distributed to parents when picking up the children after classes but if anyone else wants to come along, they can check ticket availability with Charli on [email protected].

“Act Too Academy was set up in 2005 by Lance,” Charli said. “He has been the principal for coming up for 18 years and earlier this year he had this diagnosis. Lance being Lance, he is doing the best he can and he is fully intending to fight it. He has not slowed down in any way and he's just trying to put a positive spin on everything.

“Usually at the end of every term, summer or Christmas, the children do a showcase to give their parents and friends and family a chance to see what they have done but this time we thought that we would do something different just to show Lance how much we think of him. Nothing is too much trouble for Lance and when it comes to offering children access to the best training and the best opportunities to perform that he can give, he is just the top. He is very inspirational. He's given so many children over those 18 years opportunities to be on the stage. He is always there to encourage them and to inspire them. And if it was not for him my daughter would not be a teacher now. She would not have gone to drama school to get her degree and there are many people out there who are on the West End stage or on cruise ships now because he had Act Too there for them just when they needed it. And he has done all that with his wife Sarah by his side. This is just our way of showing support. All of us are into doing our own little things for him in our own little ways and we just want to make this the best concert that we possibly can to get as much money as we possibly can for the MND charity. Everybody is aware of the condition but I don't think people know just how many people it affects. And then you discover the big names have been diagnosed with it and you just realise we need to know more about it. We just want to help raise awareness.”

Charli added: “We are looking for donations from local companies for the raffle.” Again, contact Charli on [email protected].”

Act Too Arts Academy is based on “learning through fun”, offering performing arts training in Haywards Heath and Horsham. It is open to all children and young people from school age and up. Classes are every week except Christmas, Easter and Summer holidays.