Ian's smiling after being shortlisted for award
IT was well over 20 years ago that a young teenager started helping out at Chorley Little Theatre.
In those days Ian Robinson helped out with the lighting for shows, since then he's become more and more involved with all activities there, joined CADOS, the amateur drama group based at the Theatre, and for the past year has been its chairman.
Now Ian has been shortlisted for a Chorley Smile Award, a scheme run by Chorley Council which rewards those people, community groups and businesses who go that extra mile to help local people and make a difference in their neighbourhood.
The Chorley Smile Awards proved a huge success when they were first launched in 2008, and judging by the quality of entries this year, they are just as popular this year.
Ian, who has been shortlisted in the Arts and Culture category, said: "I am delighted to have been shortlisted for a Smile Award. It is an honour. And I'm delighted too my girlfriend Estelle Bryers has also been shortlisted – luckily for a different category!"
Ian started helping out at the Theatre in his early teens and just got more and more involved particularly behind the scenes. Five years ago, he became a member of CADOS and has been its chairman for the last year.
And he has also been on the committee of Chorley Film Society, based at the Theatre, since 1998, and is the Chairman of Chorley Culture Festival, an upcoming year-long event to promote arts, culture and sport in the Borough.
All those shortlisted for one of the nine award categories, plus their family and friends, have been invited to Chorley Council's Chorley Smile Picnic in the Park on Sunday, July 4, to take part in a special ceremony in the Walled Garden where the winners and runners up will be revealed.
Councillor Peter Goldsworthy, Chorley Council leader said: "The Picnic in the Park is going to be a fantastic event – around 4,000 people came along last year and we hope to get as many this year. So I'd like to invite everyone to come along and enjoy an afternoon of fun and entertainment in our wonderful Astley Park and one of the highlights of that will be the presentation to the very worthy recipients of the Chorley Smile Awards 2010."
The Chorley Smile Picnic In The Park is now an annual event, where people are invited to bring a picnic to Astley Park for a fantastic day out with free activities including sports, games, theatre performances, the opportunity to meet the Park's pets at Pets' Corner, the chance to have a look round the famous Astley Hall and there will be a special appearance by the popular children's characters Fireman Sam and Fifi the Flowertot. The picnic fun and entertainment starts at noon and will finish around 5pm with the Chorley Smile Awards taking place at 2pm.
People are being advised to park for free on the car parks in Chorley town centre.
