PANTOMIME audiences in Southampton dug deep and raised more than £20,000 for two worthy causes.

A total of £20,700 from bucket collections during Mayflower Theatre's festive run of Peter Pan will be split between the Saints Foundation and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

After seeing the great work of the official charity of Southampton Football Club, Mayflower Theatre decided to nominate them as their chosen charity for collections.

Great Ormond Street Hospital is the national charity chosen by Qdos, the producers of Mayflower Theatre’s pantomime, for all of their 34 panto venues.

Jazz Bhatti, Saints Foundation Fundraising and Partnerships Manager, said: “The funds will help us deliver our mission of transforming lives in and around Southampton – something I know the Mayflower Theatre are passionate about too – and we hope this is the start of something special for our community.”

Saints Foundation is the club’s way of giving back. By using the power and the passion of the club, they help people to fulfil their potential to be more involved, healthier and empowered members of the community. Saints Foundation works with more than 19,000 people each year from three to 103. Saints Foundation aims to invest more than £3million into the local community in the next year.

In 1929, with the popularity of both the play and the novel firmly established, Barrie unexpectedly and generously gifted his copyright of Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital and it has continued to benefit ever since. Every day, 619 children and young people from across the UK arrive at GOSH for life-changing treatments.