Community colleagues celebrated for excellence in local theatre

Two of the East Cheshire NHS Trust’s community colleagues have been recognised at the Association of Community Theatre Spotlight Awards for their outstanding contributions to local theatre.

This follows their involvement in a special stage adaptation of the BBC sitcom The Good Life celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Rachel Wood, administrator for Congleton and Holmes Chapel (CHOC) District Nursing and Therapy Teams, won the award for Outstanding Theatrical Achievement for directing the show, while Emily Bourne, Community Coach, was nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of Barbara Good.

The pair were nominated in the Spotlight Musical Awards, with nominations coming from reviewers and agents who attend productions and submit recommendations for consideration.

Produced by amateur theatre group Congleton Players, the show ran for five days at the Daneside Theatre in Congleton in June.

Rachel, who has worked for East Cheshire NHS Trust for over five years, said:

“It’s been an incredible experience bringing such a well-loved show to life with our local community.

“Winning this award is a huge honour, not just for me, but for everyone who worked so hard to make the production special.”

ACT representative Katy Thomason-Stewart added:

“In the 2024/25 season we reviewed nearly 50 drama productions, all with incredibly high standards. For The Good Life to stand out above and beyond is something to be immensely proud of.

It was not just the acting but the entire immersive experience and the community involvement—I feel that in particular needs shouting about.”

Both Rachel and Emily are now preparing for their next challenge:

Frankenstein – The Fire and The Silence, coming in February 2026.

This thrilling reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic promises another inclusive and inspiring community project, with volunteers of all ages and abilities including neurodiverse and disabled individuals working together in both cast and crew.

Pictured - Rachel Wood (left) displays her award alongside Emily Bourne (right).

East Cheshire NHS Trust is the main provider of acute and community health services for people across East Cheshire. The Trust is based at Macclesfield District General Hospital and also manages Congleton War Memorial Hospital and Knutsford and District Community Hospital.

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East Cheshire NHS Charity goes above and beyond standard Government funding to make your local NHS that extra special. From supporting staff health and wellbeing to providing toys to brighten up our young patients’ days to making long stay patients feel more at home – our mission is to make a visible difference. 

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