Wilmslow volunteers are launching street theatre on Grove Street this Saturday, April 24th, to campaign with Oxfam and promote the need for the Robin Hood Tax. Robin Hood, Maid Marian and Friar Tuck will deliver two street theatre performances at 11am and 2.30pm in the town centre to propose a solution to international poverty.
According to Oxfam, The Robin Hood Tax is a small price to pay to alleviate the poverty we see both at home and abroad, which has been compounded by the financial crisis. Oxfam are in support of a 0.05% charge on bank to bank financial transactions which would raise enough money to help poor people, protect public services and tackle climate change.
In conjunction with the dramatic street scenes the Oxfam shop on Water Street is to deck out window displays in the green Robin Hood theme.
Wilmslow Oxfam Shop manager Gwendaline Garner said: "We're really excited to raise awareness about the Robin Hood Tax in Wilmslow this Saturday. I'm going to make the window of the shop green and merry in honour of the day. I think it's a really important issue for Wilmslow because we want to see money to tackle poverty both at home and abroad.”
Frisko Dan, accomplished educator, poet, and rapper will be directing the performances of volunteers. He said: “I support this cause because global poverty is an important issue, whether it’s on our doorstep or a developing country across the world. I believe in the Robin Hood Tax because it will make a massive difference to thousands of peoples lives and very little difference to the pockets of the bankers who are charged this tiny amount.”
Frisko has initiated programmes at the Contact Theatre in Manchester as well as his own theatre group Sharpening SAWDS, and he is asking budding stars to come to the big day in Wilmslow. Volunteers will meet at 11am on Grove Street, near the flower stall, and whilst men in tights are not obligatory Oxfam would like supporters to wear green.
Gwendaline concludes: “Wilmslow is a fairly wealthy town with a lot of banks and nothing like this normally happens here so I think it will be great to raise a few eyebrows about this really important issue."
Further information on The Robin Hood Tax can be found online.
