Company Information
Our Mission Statement:
The Members of the Company place themselves alongside the daily struggles faced by people with learning disabilities. All of our projects are working towards a future, just and equal society.The company wishes to play its part in honouring and developing the culture of people with learning disabilities and intends to research, explore and develop new ways of working. The company values and intends to support, places where people with learning disabilities can explore and develop their ideas and help plan and take control of their futures.
Company Aims and Objectives:
Aims – The Lawnmowers aim to lay solid foundations for people with learning disabilities to participate fully in their own society, shaping their own environment and controlling their own futures.Objectives – At this point in the company's history, our overriding objective is to create a sustainable future for our existing projects and our anticipated projects to ensure we are able to continue offering rich and varied cultural training events which provide a valuable community facility to people with learning disabilities.
Starting Up:
The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company is a unique company run by and for people with learning disabilities. We are based in Gateshead in the North-East of England. The original group formed in 1986 and after years of hard work they chose to set up an independent company. In January 2001 the Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company, a charitable company limited by guarantee, was established. Over the last twenty years we have led hundreds of workshops and have researched, devised and toured work, mainly to learning disabled audiences. We have produced videos, booklets, DVD's, run residencies, summer schools, hosted nightclubs and established an apprenticeship scheme.
Establishing our company:
The company works with groups locally, nationally and internationally. In our last monitoring year the company benefited over 10,000 people and well over 100 different organisations. Over the last seven years the Lawnmowers have looked at all the skills needed to set up a company. When we formed one of the main objectives was to keep a company run by and for people with learning disabilities. Over the years this still remains strong in all our work including recruitment of staff, volunteers and management committee members, all of whom are chosen to support the company.Today The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company has over 35 members, eight of whom are paid staff, two of whom have learning disabilities and a committed board of trustees. Our company's work is very much in demand and we continue to explore ways of using theatre to champion the rights of people with learning difficulties, plant the seeds of social change and build a broader and better culture in the communities that we live.
Our Space:
We have a fully accessible cultural base at Swinburne House which includes, a state of the art dance studio and rehearsal facility, bathroom, shower room and kitchen area.Our Projects:
All the company members receive training in running workshops, performance and event organising and also in finance, funding and administration. This helps us to understand everything that is involved in running the company.
Lawnmowers Actors – who offer theatre and drama for social change, create issue based performances and workshops and develop their expertise in legislative theatre. Click the link at the bottom of the page for more info on Lawnmowers Actors.
The Krocodile Krew – learning disabled adults receive training to host and develop nightclubs and social events within the learning disabled community. Our Krocodile Klubs, Invading the Sage and Big Snapper celebrate learning disabled culture. Click the here for more info on the Krocodile Krew.
School for Fools - offers young adults with learning disabilities the opportunity to train in Clown, Commedia Dell' Arte, Mime, Mask, Physical theatre. The "Fool Ensemble" will tour a new show in July alongside proffessional non learning disabled theatre company and band. The Company will host a "School for Fools Festival" in June, hosting international prationers to raise the profile of Commedia work in the North East. The group are being mentored by the older and more experienced actor and Krew members of the company. Please see NEW IDEAS page to find out more about this project.
GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK
The Liberdade Apprenticeship Scheme - The Lawnmowers have run this apprenticship scheme for 4 years. After a request from the apprentices that they wished to become an independent group, the Company and its board of directors supported the apprentices over 2007/2008 to fundraise and set systems in place for them to form a new fledgling company which will specialise in diet and fitness and business skills. We wish them every sucess in the future.
Future:
will specialise in Currently the company is undertaking `Breaking Down the Barriers` to explore sustainable employment for learning disabled people. We will trail our findings with learning disabled groups, host a conference and produce a final report. This will help us all decide and plan the company's future. Click here for further info.