Sheila Toomey Award
The Sheila Toomey Award is granted annually to assist financially those students with exceptional talent who wish to pursue a career in the fields of Art, Dance, or Drama.
Students of Music can secure an award from our sister charity – The Brickhill Music Fund – administered by The Sheila Toomey Award.
More than £30,000 has been awarded to over 80 talented local children since the foundation began.
The Brickhill Music Fund is administered by the Sheila Toomey Award Panel with a specific interest in supporting musical talent.
Criteria for applications:
- Applicants must be aged between 16-21
- They must live within the area designated by the Warminster Town Council and outer village parishes.
- Applications via email to: admin@theath.co.uk
- Applications invited between 1st January and 31st March each year.
Judging applications
An independent panel judges all applications on talent and merit. Special consideration is given to those who have demonstrated their enthusiasm, i.e. by involving themselves with the Warminster Athenæum Centre or its associated arts organisations.
Award Panel
* Adela Forestier-Walker
* Adrian Phillips
* Jacky Page
* Susi Tenty
* Andrew Frostick
* Amanda Williams
* Wendy Dopheide
Past Sheila Toomey Award Panellists
Fran Pearson (Founder Member), Micky Toomey (Founder Member) and Tony Nicklin (Honorary Member)
Little Sparrows
Little Sparrows Theatre Company was formed in 2003. It is the theatrical arm of the Sheila Toomey Award, which puts on musical shows to raise funds for the Award. Little Sparrows gives young people the opportunity to share their talent and enthusiasm – and to help a worthwhile cause within our community.
Shows have included: ANNIE The Musical (2010), OLIVER! The Musical (2012), PETER PAN The Musical (2013; with most profits (£6,000) going to the Athenæum for the restoration of the Auditorium, Stage, and Technical Department, the exit collection and raffle proceeds went to the Sheila Award), SMIKE The Musical, based on Charles Dicken’s Nicholas Nickleby (2015), SHEILA’S STARS A Gala in aid of the Sheila Toomey Award was held on April 9th, starring many of the Award recipients since its inception (2016) and CATS The Musical (2017)
Sheila Toomey was a quite remarkable lady – although not from Warminster, she took the town to her heart and there are few organisations here that did not escape her inspirational touch. She came to Warminster with her husband, and large family, in the early 1980s and became involved with the Town and the Athenæum almost immediately – one of her first projects was the Community Play based upon the lives of the people of Imber.
Sheila’s input in the many organisations of the town cannot be under-estimated; – She was a Founder Trustee of the Warminster Athenæum Trust, and a member of the Civic Trust and Preservation Trust; she served on the Warminster & District Chamber of Trade & Commerce where she was President at the time of her last illness. She was also a founder member of a retailers group, fostering joint working relations and buying. From 1995, she was involved with the Warminster tent at the West Wilts Show, and Chairperson for the Warminster Tourist Information Centre.
With Sheila’s inspiration and driving force The Christmas Lights Committee was re-enthused and the deteriorated lighting scheme completely replaced with a wonderful new display. She was deeply involved in the community of St George’s Church and St George’s School, where she taught voluntarily and served as a Governor for many years. She was an active member of Churches Together from 1980, and coordinator of the Warminster Festival and Biannual Street Fayre. She organised the Warminster contribution of the Wylye Valley Art Trail, and the Warminster Townscape Millennium Project. In recognition of her contribution to Warminster life, Sheila was awarded Warminster Citizen of the Year in 1998.
SHEILA was ABOVE ALL a wife, mother, daughter, granny and good friend. She devoted her life to the town for 20 years, working tirelessly and Warminster will never forget her passion for her loves; the Arts, Theatre, and promoting both of these for the young, in whom she had the greatest faith.