Vera star Brenda Blethyn learnt "lessons for life" as a Chichester Player

Brenda told the Chichester Observer some years ago that it was Chichester – a city which remains a place dear to her heart – which gave her the encouragement to act.

Blethyn, who is 78, will film her last Vera scenes this summer, describing the series as “a joy from beginning to end.” It’s a journey which started with her days as a Chichester Player.

When she toured to Chichester Festival Theatre with Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie in 2008, she said she looked back on those days with pride.

“I was working in an advertising agency in Chichester with my husband who was a designer. Being an actor never entered my head. Nothing was further from my thoughts.”

She’d done some amateur dramatics in London: “But I gave it all up to come down to Chichester, but I just straightaway joined the Chichester Players.

“I think amateur dramatics are wonderful,” said Brenda who did a couple of productions with the Players including The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie and was encouraged by the director to consider taking up acting professionally.

“I said ‘Don’t be silly! What, give up my good job to pursue a hobby!’ But my husband encouraged me. I had worked while he was at college, and he said ‘It’s your turn now!’”

Brenda said she would recommend amdram to anyone: “It is such a good discipline. It really teaches you all sorts of things, lessons for life and not just for acting.

“You learn about trust and punctuality – things that are very very important in life. You learn to rely on others so that they won’t let you down and you learn to rely on yourself so that you won’t let others down. And there is such a wonderful camaraderie.”