The Sunday Times

The Sunday Times has sponsored the National Student Drama Festival since its inception more than 50 years ago. We hope we will be linked by those young people with a magical and often transforming few days in their lives. Of course many of them go on to be highly influential figures in the dramatic world, from Anthony Sher and John Nettles, to Rik Mayall and Simon Russell Beale, but actually it also feels good for the newspaper to support an event that is such an antidote to jaded cynicism as young people from all over the country come together and bursting with enthusiasm commit themselves to all aspects of theatre. As anyone who has been to the National Student Drama Festival will confirm, it is characterised by youthful energy, optimism, commitment, hard work and fulfilment, and who wouldn't want to be associated with that?

Kathleen Herron, Deputy Managing editor, The Sunday Times