Wiggins Panto Group

Wiggins Panto Group was originally formed in 1963, at the request of the management of the company at Wiggin Alloys Ltd, Hereford. At this time, the only professional theatre in Hereford, The Kemble Theatre, was closed.

Wiggins performed their first ever pantomime in February 1964 to the employee’s children on two consecutive Saturday matinees and the Saturday evenings for the Mum's and Dad's. They performed to an estimated audience of 700 people per audience and due to this amazing success, the group were asked to do it all again the following year. And so the Wiggin Panto Group was born.

In the years that followed, the number of performances increased until 1969, the group were doing 14 performances to sell-out audiences. This continued until 1979-80 when it was reduced to 11 performances for its last two years.

Unfortunately, the facilities provided by Wiggins Alloys Ltd were no longer available and after the 1981 production of Dick Whittington’ the group disbanded. Between 1964 and 1981 it was estimated that the Wiggin Panto Group entertained 140,000 people and during its run gave over £5,000 to local good causes. These include local hospitals for a thrombosis detector, water beds for a complete ward, mechanical hoists and for an Old Peoples homes, over-bed trays.