With less than 80 days to go before the 2013 production of the Chester Mystery Plays opens, chairman Jo Sykes and I attended a consultation session run by Cheshire West and Chester Council on the bid for Chester to be UK City of Culture in 2017.

Although planning for the next production always starts immediately after the last performance of the current one, it has to be the first time we’ve been talking about it this early! By the end of April, council officer Katherine West has to draw an aspirational bid together that sets out an exciting programme of quality arts and cultural activity. She emphasised that there will be other opportunities for people to get involved and contribute ideas to the bid and that its impact would be borough-wide. To find out more information or show support, get in touch through our website www.chestermysteryplays.com, ‘like’ the Chester Mystery Plays Facebook page or tweet us @2013MysteryPlay and we’ll pass it on.

Meanwhile, our work for the 2013 production continues to intensify. We have taken up residence at 8 Abbey Square, with our thanks to Chester Cathedral.

Costume coordinator, Paula Cain said: “It’s such a valuable resource for us. We’re able to keep everything here and use it to fit Jesus and disciples with brand new costumes made by a team of volunteers. We couldn’t manage without these unsung heroes – working quietly at home, often late into the night, to make designer, Judith Croft’s, vision a reality. They are real stars!”