{"id":9030,"date":"2025-11-05T16:45:38","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T16:45:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=9030"},"modified":"2025-11-05T17:27:51","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T17:27:51","slug":"who-are-actors-trust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/who-are-actors-trust\/","title":{"rendered":"How Actors’ Trust Are Supporting Performers"},"content":{"rendered":"

What Actors\u2019 Trust is and how performers can receive financial and wellbeing support from it.<\/span><\/h2>\n

The performing arts industry is known for its creativity and vibrancy, but behind the scenes, many actors and stage managers face challenges like financial difficulty and social isolation. Thankfully, we have charities like Actors\u2019 Trust (formerly known as the Actors\u2019 Benevolent Fund). For over 140 years, this charity has been a lifeline within the industry, offering support and a sense of community to struggling actors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Spotlight is proud to continue supporting Actors\u2019 Trust as it uncovers the changing needs of performers within the industry. As part of this, we spoke to the trust\u2019s CEO, Alison Wyman, and Chair and actor, Alex Macqueen (<\/span>The Thick of It<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>The Inbetweeners<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>The Feud<\/span><\/i>). Together, they discussed Actors\u2019 Trust\u2019s mission, how it\u2019s currently evolving to offer the right support to modern performers, and how performers can reach out to them for support. Alex also shared some insights from his successful career and his top tips for other performers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what they shared:<\/span><\/p>\n

Hi Alison and Alex! Could you please introduce yourself and tell us about your industry background and how you first got involved with Actors\u2019 Trust?<\/h3>\n

Alison:<\/b> I’m Alison Wyman, the Chief Executive of Actors\u2019 Trust. My background is very much in the charity sector. I’ve spent the past 20+ years working for charities. I started my career doing debt advice, then moved into grant-making and then developing services within charities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I joined Actors\u2019 Trust in July 2023. I wasn’t actually looking for a Chief Executive role, but I realised that I’d managed larger teams and budgets within other organisations and I fitted the description of what they were looking for. So, I thought I’d apply, see what happens, and ended up getting the job. And I’m very pleased that I did. From day one, I had a real passion for the potential of the charity to continue the very rich legacy that it has, but also to reach more people and achieve even greater impact.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alex:<\/b> I started off very briefly as a barrister. I practised law for about a year before becoming an actor and did quite a bit of company and commercial law. About eight years ago, I joined another trust called Z2K, which is an anti-poverty trust in London, just to exercise the legal part of my mind. I’m genuinely very interested in how organisations work. I used to do winding-up petitions in the High Court, so I have insight into what makes companies work or fail.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Actors\u2019 Trust was recruiting new trustees, it felt like an appropriate thing to join because of the link to acting. I stood, got elected and have been absolutely delighted to be part of it since. I’ve only been doing it for a year and a half, and it’s been an incredibly steep learning curve.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Actors\u2019 Trust and what is its core mission?<\/h3>\n

Alison:<\/b> Actors\u2019 Trust is a charity for actors and stage management professionals, founded in 1882 as the Actors\u2019 Benevolent Fund. Our core mission is to support people who are unable to work for reasons outside of their control. Today, we do that by helping people in a range of ways to be financially secure, to be connected with others and to just generally thrive in their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alex:<\/b> Traditionally, over the last hundred years, it’s been for actors in the later stages of their career and life. But given that the industry has altered over the last 50 years, we’ve made a decision to broaden the amount and types of support we give, and the variety of people we give it to. It’s for all ages. People probably haven’t heard of it, especially younger people. We’re making a conscious effort to recalibrate how we’re perceived and what we can provide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alison:<\/b> Last month, we responded to engagement within the profession and feedback from our members by repositioning the charity so that we could raise more awareness, expand our range of support and make ourselves more accessible. Practically that has meant launching our new name \u2018Actors\u2019 Trust\u2019 and introducing a new website and new initiatives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was an interesting debate over<\/span> what to call it and I really like trust because I think it kind of denotes the longevity of the organisation. It’s got gravitas to it. It sounds like we’ve been around for a long time, which we have.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does Actors\u2019 Trust differ from other industry charities and support organisations?<\/h3>\n

Alison:<\/b> We were founded over 140 years ago by actors and stage managers, so we\u2019re sort of by the community for the community, and we’ve still got that solid community of members to help us reach and engage with the profession. As a charity, we provide the largest amount of financial support directly to individuals, and we’ve also been carrying out research to make sure that we continue to be as relevant and impactful as possible to the profession today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, being a membership organisation, we provide a place of community and belonging in an industry that can be wonderful<\/span> but also quite challenging. People can feel quite lonely at times, so we provide that place of community and belonging for people.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alex:<\/b> There are around 650 members [paying] \u00a320 a year to be a member, and what we’re aiming to do is broaden out what it means to become a member and what is offered. You don’t have to be a member to receive the support. <\/span>A<\/span>nybody in need who is part of the acting and stage management fraternity can apply and be assisted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Could you share some examples of how Actors\u2019 Trust has helped performers in recent years?<\/h3>\n

Alison:<\/b> We provide financial support directly to people in need and who can’t work. We have a history of being very responsive to changing needs within the profession. So, for example, during the Covid pandemic we provided emergency grants and during the cost of living crisis we also were very mindful of trying to protect people’s physical and mental wellbeing. We work in partnership with BAPAM to deliver free workshops covering a range of topics \u2013 stress, anxiety and burnout, coping with rejection, vocal health. Those are a few of the topics.<\/span><\/p>\n

We’re also starting to deliver more community events. We provide coffee and choir mornings in partnership with the Royal Theatrical Fund and we’re starting to provide more events for our members, including exclusive Q&As featuring leading industry professionals such as Simon Callow and Lesley Joseph.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alex:<\/b> There was a young performer recently who contacted Actors\u2019 Trust office in great need. They had advanced cancer and were at risk of being evicted from their home because rental bills could not be paid. We were there immediately to provide instant financial support to assist them. <\/span>W<\/span>e’re here for young people who are in need.<\/span><\/p>\n

I don’t know much more about that case because we’re very sensitive about protecting people’s confidentiality and their data. I think that’s a useful thing for people to know \u2013 trustees who are involved in Actors\u2019 Trust generally do not get to know the names and identities of those we assist.<\/span><\/p>\n

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