The Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch received a £50,000 grant it will use to upgrade its foyer lighting, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 7.5 tonnes a year.

From the Veolia Havering Riverside Maintenance Trust, the grant will go toward the QNew Transformation programme, which has been established to give the theatre a facelift and make it more accessible for those with disabilities.

The £50,000 will convert incandescent bulbs to LED's and light the theatre's new Learning & Participation space.

Executive Director Matthew Russell said: "With this grant we will be able to improve the experience for all our visitors and improve our environmental performance."

Other parts of the transformation include improving front of house and backstage accessibility for those with disabilities, moving the lower level bar to the ground floor and opening a new onsite rehearsal facility. The renovations will cost around £1 million which must be fundraised.