ANNABEL Hooper is passionate about drama and how it can help other people.

"I was always taken to the theatre as a young person. I wasn't amazingly academic but I got involved in drama, dance and music," she admits.

"It is a marvellous way of building confidence."

One of her great experiences was as an unpaid member of the stage crew in James Roose-Evans's memorable Ludlow Festival production of Pericles in 2000. "They were a tremendous company. I was the only non-professional allowed on the show," she recalls.

"Basically I had to do any job I was asked.

"That included setting up and striking the stage and checking props."

Now she is in charge of education and outreach at Ludlow Assembly Rooms.

Somehow she manages to cram a lot into her 24 hours a week.

She is working with a group of eight to year-olds on a story-telling session and looking with an older group at how multi-media can be used in a series of duologues.

The results will feature in a special Showcase performance in January.

Annabel is also talking to people who have never had a painting or a photograph or any piece of their own work in a public exhibition before.

This is for the annual Hidden Talents show at the Rooms, where artistic debutantes can show their work free of charge from January 7 to February 13.

If anyone has not been in contact yet, they have until next Monday.

There are even bigger challenges. She is keen to set up a scheme for a group of youngsters to put on their own show, all the way from planning it to mounting and promoting it.

Being 22 and energetic (she enjoys scuba diving and horse riding) can only help, especially as Annabel also takes two 300-mile round trips every week to work at the prestige Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield.

The outreach section of her portfolio involves working with schools over a wide area, from Cleobury Mortimer to Wistanstow.

She already has 700 youngsters coming to the Assembly Rooms for a Quid a Kid show.

"When you have lots of schools in a rural area, transport costs can be high if they want to take children out," she explains.

"Just charging a pound makes it easier for the schools and is a great opportunity for the kids."