HOSPICE pantomime stars are looking forward to their next stage outing after a prestigious win at the Mayor's Civic Awards.

The Mary Stevens Hospice Pantomime Company won the Mayor of Dudley's award at the annual civic awards, held recently at The Copthorne Hotel after the ceremony set for March 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic.

The company, which has staged three fundraising pantomime shows to help boost hospice coffers since 2018, was chosen personally by the previous Mayor of Dudley, Councillor David Stanley, to pick up the award in recognition of the group's dedication to the hospice and honouring its 2019 production of Aladdin, The Pantomime.

In the last three years the group of volunteer actors and backstage crew have raised almost £50,000 that has been used to fund patient and family services at the hospice in Hagley Road, Oldswinford.

Amanda Bowen, head of fundraising at the hospice, said: "We are very proud to have been recognised by the previous Mayor, Cllr Stanley, for our commitment and dedication to The Mary Stevens Hospice.

"The whole pantomime team produce a fantastic, professional show for our audience, which in turn helps us to sustain our services both now and in the future."

She urged people not to take her word for it, or the mayor's, but to see for themselves and book tickets to see the next show, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which will be staged at Stourbridge Town Hall in February.

Tickets for the show, which stars singer Beverley Knight MBE as the onscreen Magic Mirror, are available from boroughhalls.co.uk/msh-snow-white.html or by calling the fundraising office on 01384 377778.