A couple usually too busy working to celebrate their wedding anniversary are to take the time to mark the occasion this year - to help Woodbridge’s Riverside theatre survive Covid-19.
Eric and Maxine Reynolds, from the East Suffolk town, have been married for 28 years this year.
However, their busy lives running Woodbridge Boatyard mean they have never marked their anniversary - until this year.
The couple are passionate supporters of the Riverside theatre and have decided to help the venue out in a year when it has been forced to run at reduced capacity. The number of viewers for films has been in single figures on some occasions.
The Reynolds believe passionately in protecting performing arts venues, so will attend a special social distancing screening of the 2014 ENO performance of Britten’s opera, Peter Grimes.
They will invite along their friends, so they will be all able to enjoy the performance while helping the Riverside to fill seats.
“I thought ‘why don’t we take everyone to the movies?’ so that’s what we agreed to,” said Mrs Reynolds.
“We have not had a holiday since 1993. We just don’t do holidays or celebrations.
“Often problems turn into incredible opportunities.”
Mrs Reynolds added that she was “pleased we can help”, particularly as she and most of her friends would have attended opera performances this year.
“We are going to lose these places,” said Mrs Reynolds said of venues like the Riverside.
“We cannot let it slip away.
“If we let it go, it’s gone forever.”
A spokesman for the Riverside said: “We would like to thank Eric and Maxine for raising awareness of the plight of cinemas and the arts in Suffolk by kindly hiring the Riverside for their special wedding anniversary event.
“These are extremely difficult times for so many of us and it is thanks to the generosity and support of the community that we are continuing to survive.”
The couple are not the only special guests to the visit the Riverside this week with club jazz group Red Snapper having performed earlier this week.
MORE: ‘It will be a sinking ship very soon’ - concerns over future of historic Suffolk cinema
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