Corrie star leads project for young disabled people

Coronation Street actress Cherylee Houston is leading a drama project for young people with disabilities in Manchester.

Cherylee, who plays Izzy Armstrong in Corrie, is aiming to set up a disabled youth theatre group for youngsters to ensure that drama is accessible to all and help youngsters with disabilities to fulfil their potential.

The pioneering actress and a group of like-minded artists are launching the group at the Royal Exchange Theatre in answer to government cuts which they are concerned have left many disabled people feeling like ‘prisoners in their own homes’.

They are reaching out to businesses in Manchester to help provide funding for the project.

Cherylee, who made history by becoming Coronation Street’s first disabled actress, said:

The group called Triple C - The Creative Confidence Collective – has the motto ‘To Never Leave Anyone Behind’.

Cherylee, who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome which affects joints and leaves sufferers in chronic pain, added:

It will initially be housed at the Royal Exchange with weekly workshops in The Lancasterian School in Didsbury.The long term aim is to host a weekly drama class for every age group in disabled schools across Manchester and to host sessions for different disability such as a deaf youth theatre, a group for young people with learning disabilities and a group for autistic youngsters, working across theatre, film and musical theatre.

Anyone interested in joining or supporting the theatre group should email triplecmanchester@gmail.com.