The Giggle Factory was initially a millennium MIND funded project that rose out of a 10-week course that we undertook at Milford House, in Pembrokeshire. Milford House is run by social services and is a sort of halfway house for mental health service users.
The initial project took place in 1996 and was attended by residents and people using the day centre provision. It proved to be very popular and at the end we decided to evaluate the project by tape-recorded interviews. However when it came to writing up this evaluation, we realized that we couldn't hear what people were saying because of the laughter. It is because of this that the subsequent, Millennium MIND funded project name was the Giggle Factory. It was Alan Chandler who suggested the name and it was Alan Chandler who was the driving force behind the project. He had been a resident at Milford House and since leaving had wanted to be actively involved with the work of Theatr Fforwm Cymru. He became a volunteer and started fund-raising for further forum theatre workshops, specifically for users and providers of mental health services.
 The first Giggle Factory course was one day a week for 10 weeks and was attended by between 15 and 25 people. Alan hired the mini-bus and went around Pembrokeshire picking people up. The bus became know as the "happy bus" and was a very important part of the project, bearing in mind the rural nature of Pembrokeshire.
When the project funding came to an end, it was clear that people wanted more, (see the video!) so again Alan set about fund-raising; never an easy task!
Twice more he was successful and so we ran the Return of the Giggle Factory and the Giggle Factory Rides Again. We never managed to attract statutory funding to try and ensure some sustainability, despite the benefits users were attributing to the work. We kept the doors open to providers, but the only takers were from the voluntary sector. We also did a couple of shows, but again users were disappointed by the lack of response from the statutory services. The only exception was the NHS trust mental health service manager who came to both shows, a brave and much appreciated woman!
 Unfortunately, Alan died in 1999, much to everyone's deep sorrow. Since then Theatr Fforwm Cymru have managed to fund-raise for further Giggle Factories but we have been trying to create something more sustainable. So we asked Alais Wintern, who had been a volunteer with Th Ff C during the first Giggle Factory and who also held a degree in theatre studies, whether with some training, she would like to take on the task as the facilitator. Fortunately she agreed and with the active support of Pembrokeshire Mind, they are now making further projects happen. Of course we are supporting Alais and have already been privileged to attend the final afternoon of the first project. It was a very impressive and moving afternoon, and in good Giggle Factory style not without some raucous laughter. So good luck to Alais and to Pembrokeshire Mind, we're still behind you all the way!
Gill Dowsett
Theatr Fforwm Cymru
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