AN AMBITIOUS York drama project has been awarded a £5,000 grant to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee next year.

The York Shakespeare Project received the grant from the Yorkshire and Humber region of Awards For All, which deals with lottery cash for local groups.

The money will go a long way to help with the project's first

performance, Richard III, which is scheduled for next April.

The project's professional director, Ben Naylor has already begun rehearsals with the 26-strong cast of local talent, and has set up a production team led by Anthony Bryce, a local man with a professional background in production management.

The project was only set up in April, and organisers hope to build on the community spirit and acting talent seen in last year's York Mystery Plays.

They plan to show all the Bard's plays in York over the next 20 years, as well as start up an educational and community outreach programme of workshops.

The project already has York-born Dame Judi Dench as patron, along with fellow actor Sir Antony Sher, and Adrian Noble, artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company as patrons.

Scarborough playwright Alan Ackbourn and actor Patrick Stewart, of Star Trek fame, are honorary members.

Chairman Frank Brogan said: "This is an honour and great news, and shows that we have backing for all the effort and work people in York have put in.

"For a group like ours this is an enormous amount of money - and it will allow us to help many local people.

"We have had great support locally from charity organisations and local business as well as setting up a thriving membership.

He added: "We want this project to be something all York can be proud of and this grant will be a big step on the way.

"Dame Judi has sent us a Christmas card - now I can reply and tell her this good news."

Updated: 10:12 Friday, December 14, 2001