Grange Park Opera

Grange Park Opera is saddened to announce the death of Johnny Veeder QC.

Johnny supported Pimlico Opera over many years and the Johnny Veeder fund will be used to continue work in prison and in primary schools.

A colleague of Johnny writes : “It is difficult to find words to commemorate Johnny Veeder. Difficult because he was such an extraordinary person in so many ways. Difficult because everyone with whom he had contact was deeply affected and has their own special recollection. And difficult because his hatred of vanity and his complete selflessness was such that he would have loathed any such tribute.

Johnny is recognised worldwide as one of the most brilliant, visionary and respected counsel, arbitrators, scholars and teachers in the field of international dispute resolution andinternational law. He was, truly, a legend in his lifetime.”

Pimlico Opera

Pimlico Opera’s prison project began in 1987 and has since taken more than 60,000 members of the public into prison; worked with more than 1,000 prisoners and enabled over 10,000 prisoners to see a show. A cast, mainly of inmates, are taken from their prison regime and work full-time with professionals to create a show of the highest quality. We are currently staging Hairspray at HMP Bronzefield.

Primary Robins

Primary Robins enriches the the lives and expands the outlook of school children who have little exposure to music. Forty years ago, every primary school would have had children sitting around a piano learning songs. This essential part of growing up has been a casualty of today’s curriculum.

Every term the Robins have a new specially prepared Song Book of around ten traditional songs which they learn around the piano together. Today, there are over 3,000 Robins across Newcastle, Durham, Nottingham, Hampshire and Surrey.

The work we do in prisons and primary schools continues to thrive thanks to the generosity of trusts and individuals. We receive no public funding and rely on donations.

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