Letter: Paying the piper

Sir: As a trustee of a grant-making charitable trust, I was intrigued to read the culturally superior article by David Benedict.

If the Royal Court Theatre requires an additional pounds 3m and a generous offer is made, with very few strings attached, it is up to them to decide whether to accept. The Jerwood Foundation is keen to support British playwrights and that must be its right.

Our trust offered free office accommodation to a rape crisis telephone call service. We requested that a certain level of activity and use of the office should be made, but the charity indicated that it would not provide any information about its workings. We provided the facilities to another good cause which provides us, on an annual basis, with details of its activities. This meets the objects of our charity as detailed in our trust deed.

We have made a similar offer to a fringe theatre on the basis that gratuitous violence should not be portrayed and it are being similarly supercilious towards our offer, which is likely to be withdrawn.

JOHN BOTHAMLEY

Four Acre Trust

Croydon, Surrey