A YOUNG Hampshire actress has been awarded a £9,000 bursary from the biggest theatre on the south coast to help fund her studies in the arts.

Thanks to the Mayflower Theatre’s youth bursary scheme, Ciara Parker, 13, from Chandlers Ford, will receive £3000 per year for the next three years to support training at Redroofs School for Performing Arts in Maidenhead.

Ciara began her acting career at Stagecoach performing arts at the age of four before joining the Mayflower Musical Youth Theatre. She said:

“I am so grateful to the Mayflower Theatre for giving me this award so that I can follow my dream. It’s such a great help and I can’t thank them enough. It’s just the best news ever!”

Ciara is currently performing in the Mayflower’s production of Oliver! this weekend. She will return to Redroofs in September and already has a busy performance schedule planned. She will be filming with Tricell Films in October before jetting off to Italy during half term for an exclusive training opportunity with Teatro Stabile, a theatre in the heart of Verona, the city made famous as the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. She will also be taking time to visit the world famous Arena di Verona, the first century Roman amphitheatre, still in use today and internationally known for its opera performances.

To buy tickets for Oliver! go to mayflower.org.uk or call the box office on 02380711811.

Ciara is represented by Redroofs Agency and Sally King Casting. Visit redroofs.co.uk and sallykingcasting.com.