Burnley teacher is honoured guest at Royal garden party

Drama teacher Russell Lane was one of the guests at the Royal garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Thomas Whitham Sixth Form’s Drama teacher, Russell Lane was invited to the prestigious event by Lord Shuttleworth, Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire for the work he had done over the past year within the community.

Russell was the leading light behind a Lottery Heritage project ‘Our Tommy’, which was a theatrical

telling of the life story of Thomas Whitham, who received the Victoria Cross in 1917.

Russell's royal treat at the Buckingham Palace garden party

The play, which was devised with Theatre Studies students from the sixth form, was seen by over 1,000 pupils across Burnley, Pendle and Ribblesdale and was supported by The Imperial War Museum North, The Royal British Legion and The Muslim Heritage Centre in Manchester.

Russell said: “You do the work because it’s important that people are able to experience a live theatre event.

"Sometimes because of economic or social constraints this isn’t always possible and young people in particular respond in a really enthusiastic way to seeing live theatre.

"It is nice to get recognition for making a positive impact, although that doesn’t enter your head when creating the work”.