May I thank the hundreds of people who supported Stagecoach Youth Theatre York over the four "Carolthons" presented by our young people in the city centre just before Christmas.

They raised a record-breaking £4,500. The money will partly contribute towards an administrator's salary.

Those who helped us on Christmas Eve will already be aware that the preceding day we had discovered our revenue funding from City of York is to be terminated and that, in three years, Stagecoach will no longer exist.

This revelation came like a bolt from the blue.

After fourteen years of operation with more than 150 productions involving hundreds of the young people of York we find it unbelievable that this short-sighted cut will mean the end of our future as a company.

For five of those years our young people helped build their own studio theatre in Monkgate, which is also being used by many groups as well as Stagecoach.

We are the only youth theatre in the north of England which has consistently picked up rave revues from the press at the Edinburgh Fringe. Our young people were expecting to tour again to the great gardens of North Yorkshire after last year's huge successes at Castle Howard, Newby Hall and York Minster Gardens.

Our future in York, including the first youth theatre production of His Dark Materials, is now in jeopardy unless we can change the council's mind.

We have until January 16 to save that future.

May I ask your readers to write in protest to Councillor Stephen Galloway at the Guildhall, York? A copy of any letter of support could also be sent to the Evening Press offices in Walmgate.

We know we have the support of the majority of York residents. Please help us change the council's mind.

John Cooper,

Director,

Stagecoach Youth Theatre York,

Monkgate, York.

Updated: 10:12 Tuesday, January 03, 2006