The money was raised for a dementia charity in memory of Monty Python’s Terry Jones.
£10,000 has been raised for The National Brain Appeal, a dementia charity, by The Arches Theatre and Milton Keynes Theatre of Comedy following four performances of ‘Ripping Yarns’ earlier this summer at the quirky outdoor theatre new Olney, Buckinghamshire. With permission from Sir Michael Palin and Alison Telfer, former wife of the late Terry Jones, The Arches Theatre and Milton Keynes Theatre of Comedy were able to perform three tales from the former Pythons’ well-known comedy series. The local production raised £5000 over its summer performances, and this was match funded by an anonymous donor at The National Brain Appeal. Last week, David Pibworth, owner of The Arches Theatre, visited The National Brain Appeal with Sir Michael Palin and Alison Telfer, to hand over a cheque of £10,000 for the charity's capital project to create the world's first Rare Dementia Support Centre. The National Brain Appeal was the chosen charity following the death of Terry Jones to a rare dementia called primary progressive aphasia, a form of frontotemporal dementia.
David Pibworth also lost his father to dementia. David Pibworth said: “I am so proud that with the support of our theatre audiences and the amazing local actors who make up Milton Keynes Theatre of Comedy, we were able to give this life changing amount of money to this incredible charity. This is a phenomenal amount. “I know just how much it will benefit patients and their quality of life. We are forever grateful for everyones generosity.”
