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Theatre fan doing good deeds to honour late friend

A theatre fan from Wolverhampton has embarked on a mission to carry out good deeds in honour of her friend who died in 2023.

Lydia Greatrix – also known as Theatrical Lydia – is currently following the UK tour of the theatre musical Come From Away and will be carrying out acts of kindness at stops along the way.

She and friend Laura were supposed to do the tour together, but after Laura's death Ms Greatrix set out to complete the mission in her memory.

She has since been up and down the country, where she has set up food bank drives, organised litter picks and beach cleans, bought supplies for a primary school and donated to animal shelters.

For the Wolverhampton leg of the production, she has teamed up with the Grand Theatre to help support the Good Shepherd charity.

Ms Greatrix, 25, who now lives in Colchester, began her tour in Leicester in March, but the latest stop on the tour means the most to her.

“Having been born in Wolverhampton and grown up in Hinstock in North Shropshire, I’m really excited to see the tour ‘come home’ to the city,” she said.

“I have heard all about the vitally important work the Good Shepherd delivers via its range of food and different support services.

“I am sure theatregoers attending Come from Away will be keen to show their support and ‘pay it forward’, to help people experiencing difficult times within the city.”

Come From Away tells the true story of how residents in Newfoundland in Canada showed kindness to 7,000 stranded airline passengers after the closure of US airspace following the 9/11 attacks.

Ms Greatrix said this inspired her and her friend to follow the production, and carry out good deeds of their own.

Audiences for the Wolverhampton run are invited to bring donations of new socks and underwear to performances of Come From Away, which will be passed on to the charity.

People are also invited to make financial donations to the charity.

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