I APPEARED at the Theatre Royal for the first time in the 1950s with the Pilkington Choral Society in Merry England when the Theatre Royal reopened after Pilkington took over the running of the theatre.

Later I joined the South West Lancs Operatic Society and have also appeared with Pilkington Amateur Operatic Society and the St Helens Operatic Society in all the shows which each society has held at the theatre.

I have enjoyed being part of the Operatic Societies Shows at the theatre.

While living in Billinge I helped to organise shows for the Billinge School of Dancing at the Theatre Royal and to see the children and their faces on the stage is wonderful - they enjoy every minute. This also goes for other dancing schools in St Helens, the kids love it and the parents enjoy seeing them dancing.

A lot of brass bands have appeared at the Theatre Royal and they get a kick out of it. And there are many other organisations, including the Scouts, who use the venue.

The Theatre Trust do a good job of running the theatre and the Friends do a good job of raising money for the theatre.

These are my feelings for the Theatre Royal. I've donated money to the roof appeal because I feel I owe the theatre something for all the enjoyment I have had over the years and the times I've appeared there.

If I won the National Lottery, which is a million to one chance, I would see that the Theatre got a new roof.

Take away the theatre and you've nothing for the middle and old aged people of St Helens, only the goggle box (TV) or Eyes Down (bingo).

Alan Winstanley, Stafford Road, Toll Bar

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.