Minister Foss Bails Out Another

This is just me playing Devil's Advocate...Steven Shaw's Press release included this paragraph:"The irony for the Theatre profession is that Concert Enterprises is nota fully professional company. It employs and pays a small number ofperformers in major roles as well as the musicians and crew it hires. Everyone else is a volunteer. Mr Foss's actions suggest he has a preference in offeringsurvival support to a company using unpaid volunteers rather than to acompany employing waged, highly skilled professionals."Now, as far as I was aware, Effie Crump only ever employed a small numberof performers, whereas Concert Enterprises, as well as employing a 'smallnumber of performers as well as the musicians and crew...', gave somepossibly valuable experience to its 'unpaid volunteers'.I'm also a little affronted by Steven Shaw's assumption that becausesomeone is paid, they are immediately more worthy than someone who is notpaid. As a person who does a small amount of volunteer work (and I'm nottalking about my acting) I find this attitude insulting.Now for the silver lining...If, as Mr Shaw says, Mr Foss has "a preference in offering survival supportto a company using unpaid volunteers", maybe this is an avenue that Acorncould possibly look at? Personally, if I had to choose between Effie, MTCand Acorn surviving, I know which one has shown they deserve it most, bytheir tenacity and dedication to their cause if nothing else. Sue, if youread this, count me in as a strong supporter for the Acorn cause.Paul Treasure[Keeping my fire extinguisher close to hand, because I know I'm going toget flamed badly over this one! ;)]