Birmingham Repertory Theatre is appealing to West Midlands businesses to sponsor theatre tickets and give local children the gift of theatre this Christmas.

To coincide with the REP’s festive production of One Hundred and One Dalmatians, the theatre is looking for one hundred and one local businesses to pledge an amount between £175 and £500, to provide family and group tickets to those most in need.

Christmas can be a difficult time for many, and the ‘101’ initiative hopes to bring light relief to hundreds of children and families who might otherwise never get to experience the magic and escapism of the theatre. People who will benefit from the scheme include children with learning disabilities, families living in sheltered accommodation and children who are terminally ill.

Rachel Cranny, head of fundraising at the REP said, “We are committed to making theatre accessible to everyone, regardless of social or economic barriers”, while Sally Swann from participating company JLT Speciality described the scheme as “a very worthwhile cause that will have a positive impact on the lives of many local children.”

The campaign is also part of The Big Give, a national fundraising initiative, which means that donations given between Wednesday 28 November and Wednesday 5 December have the chance to be doubled.

Companies which have signed up so far include Old Mutual Wealth, Deutsche Bank, Pinsent Masons, Mazars, Jaguar Land Rover, Gowling WLG and JLT Speciality.

If your company is interested in joining them, contact Rachel Cranny by emailing rachel.cranny@birmingham-rep.co.uk or calling 0121 245 2163.