BETRAYAL is how the Malvern Theatres Association describe the revelation that Malvern Theatres Trust and the district council have been in talks with the Surrey-based Ambassador Theatre Group with a view to a commercial takeover of the Malvern Theatres. It is hardly too strong a word.

The volunteers of the Association have kept the theatre running when no one else was interested and helped make it one of the best provincial theatres in the country.

Now their role in it may be under threat, another potential victim of the district council's cash crisis. Hardest to believe is that the talks have been taking place without anyone involved feeling the Association needed to be consulted.

On a happier note, we would like to say a big thank you to former Malvern artist Jenny Steward and all our readers who bought her limited edition print Winter Sunshine which was sold through the Malvern Gazette & Ledbury Reporter to raise money for Children in Need.

We have to date sold 22 prints at £50 each, so a cheque for £1,100 will be on its way to the charity although we do still have some prints left if anyone would like one.