The Trust
The Michael Elliott Trust was founded in 1991 with two complementary aims: to provide a sanctuary for donkeys rescued from abandonment, abuse or neglect and to provide a safe place where special needs children can adopt a donkey and help feed, groom and care for it during their visit.
The Trust is dedicated to Michael Elliott OBE who was a most loved and admired theatre and television director, and an outstanding producer who sadly died in 1984 at the age of 53. Michael was responsible for bringing many big drama productions to the BBC - dramas of immense skill and imagination, bringing out wonderful performances from artists of the calibre of Sir Lawrence Olivier, Tom Courtney, Albert Finney, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael Hordern, Sir John Mills, Dame Judi Dench, Alan Bates, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Alec Guinness and many more. To work with Michael was to embark on a discovery because he combined technical mastery with a brilliant visual sense. Whether you were an actor, a writer or a stage-hand, you knew he would get the best out of you.
He founded Theatre 69 which he developed and built to become the renowned Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. Also, the West End always seemed to have a Michael Elliott production running; he turned his last production, The Dresser, into a fabulous film starring Albert Finney and Tom Courtney.
Michael received countless awards for his work and was about to take over the National Theatre from Sir Lawrence Olivier when his untimely death intervened. He was Olivier’s choice to take over and guide our most important theatre into the future and to new and greater heights. We can only dream of what might have been.
Unlike many in theatre, Michael believed in working with children and animals - preferably together - because of their purity, innocence and magic. The Royal Exchange Theatre stands in his honour and the Michael Elliott Trust commemorates a remarkable man who did so much to bring hope and confidence to those around him with his unique talents and gift of communication.
The list of those who choose to be Patrons of his charity says it all...
| June Brown (President) Edward Fox OBE (Vice President) Marianne Elliott Dame Judi Dench Lord Richard Attenborough Lord David Puttnam OBE Hayley Mills |
Bobby Charlton OBE Dulcie Gray CBE Stefanie Powers Brian Blessed Tony Britton Anthony Andrews Paul Scofield CBE |
Mark Knopfler Chris de Burgh Jean Fergusson Lesley Garrett Martin Shaw Jenny Seagrove Bill Kenwright |
| Never forgetting: |
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Marti Caine |
Michael Williams |
The Michael Elliott Trust is Registered Charity No. 1002448
