Armed Force Community Event
Armed Force Community Event at Colchester Arts Centre
About the show
Join us for a FREE evening of conversation, connection and wellbeing at the beautiful Colchester Arts Centre, set within the historic surroundings of St Mary’s Church.
This special community event has been co-produced by Healthwatch Essex, Lost Sock Productions, and members of the Armed Forces Community. It has been shaped with veterans, service leavers, reservists, serving personnel, families and carers to create a safe, welcoming and meaningful space for people to come together, listen, share and feel connected.
Throughout the evening, we will hear from guest speakers sharing their lived and military experiences, including reflections on mental health during and after service. These stories will support open and honest conversations about wellbeing, the challenges people may face, and the importance of accessing support.
There will also be a range of stalls around the venue, hosted by military charities and support organisations. These will offer information, guidance and signposting for anyone who would like to find out more about local and national support available to the Armed Forces Community.
Later in the evening, audiences can enjoy performances from two brilliant professional comedians :
Ben Norris - Mock The Week
Nick Page - Britain's Got Talent
This event is being delivered in partnership with the Thrive Together Programme and Veterans Voice in the East of England, hosted by The Bridge for Heroes and funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.
Featuring - Ben Norris
A stand up comedian working in the UK and abroad.
A popular comic/DJ on MTV, Ben has also performed on the BBC's Stand Up Show and They Think It's All Over.
His routines are a breath of fresh air, and highly original - check out his Shakespearian Porn routine...
'Killer gags' (The Scotsman)
'well-stocked arsenal of sharp lines and the wherewithal to work any crowd make Norris one of the more engaging and enjoyable comics' (Chortle)
'A master of the craft... an hour of the most polished stand-up you are likely to see'
(GQ Magazine)
'One of the comedy circuits best improvisers' (The Daily Mirror).
Nick Page
With storytelling comics there's a moment where the audience asks themselves 'I wonder if that's true?'. With Nick there is more doubt, because the stories are so outlandish, and yet at the same time there's the sure knowledge that every story is true, and that his is a life lived laughing from disaster to disaster.
His debut Edinburgh Festival show had sell-out performances, critical acclaim and a host of 4 star reviews. He is in enormous demand in comedy clubs throughout the UK, as a headline act and MC, and has been for the last 12+ years.