The Questors in Race Against Time to Fix the Roof
Fundraiser needs to hit £50,000 to cover costs of emergency repair
Umbrellas needed indoors in parts of The Questors Theatre
June 10, 2026
The Questors Theatre, based on Mattock Lane, is aiming to raise £50,000 through a Crowdfunder campaign, with the total set to be doubled to £100,000 thanks to the support of an anonymous donor. The theatre says the repairs cannot be delayed, with work needed this summer to address worsening conditions across the site.
While the roof above the 350-seat Judi Dench Playhouse was replaced in 2022 following community support, other parts of the building—now approaching 70 years old—are in need of urgent attention. Heavy rainfall has already led to serious leaks, raising concerns about safety and the long-term usability of the venue.
As a registered charity, the theatre does not receive council funding and relies heavily on donations and community backing. The pledge from the unnamed benefactor means every contribution made through the campaign will effectively be doubled, provided the target is reached in time.
At the time of writing, over 200 people have donated to the appeal bringing in a total of £37,000. The crowdfunder has another 58 days to run.
Organisers say the theatre plays a crucial role in the borough’s cultural life, hosting a wide range of performances and activities while supporting local groups and residents. Alongside its own programme of productions, the venue provides space for music therapy, dance classes, choirs, yoga sessions and parent-and-baby groups, helping to tackle isolation and promote wellbeing. It also hosts visiting professional productions, school performances and community events, including the Borough of Ealing Art Trail and the Ealing Book Festival.
The theatre is run by more than 1,000 members and stages at least 18 productions each year, as well as operating one of the country’s largest youth theatres with over 450 young participants attending weekly sessions. Organisers say the building is not only a performance venue but a place for learning, creativity and community participation.
The campaign has already attracted backing from prominent figures in the acting world, including the theatre’s president, Dame Judi Dench, who has supported the organisation for decades. She said the theatre is “hugely important” to its members, young people and the wider community, and urged supporters to contribute to help secure its future.
Vice-president Amanda Redman also endorsed the appeal, describing the venue as an “invaluable community and cultural asset” and highlighting its role in providing opportunities for young people to engage in theatre.
Donate to the fundraiser here.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We’ve always done that and won’t be changing, in fact we’d like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we’d be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you’d like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |