Skip to main contentEnter
Join 7,550+ people who care about this town
Ipswich.co.uk logoSupport our work
Feature

Sisters choose performing arts school over Taylor Swift concert after brain tumour battle

Two Ipswich sisters have shown extraordinary dedication to their performing arts school by giving up Taylor Swift concert tickets to appear in their annual show, with younger sister Alice fulfilling her goal despite battling a brain tumour.

Why it matters: For Alice, performing in the show represented a personal goal she set herself after receiving her brain tumour diagnosis, making this year's performance especially significant.

The big picture: Both sisters have attended Stagecoach Performing Arts Ipswich for eight years, joining 70 other students in this year's annual performance.

Rebecca and Alice at Stage Coach Ipswich
Rebecca and little sister Alice before the Stagecoach Summer show performance(Stagecoach)

A family's journey: Their mum Alex has seen firsthand what the stage school means to her daughters.

"Stagecoach has literally kept my girls going over the last three and a half years," she said. "It's something safe, and certain, in a world which can sometimes feel anything but for Rebecca and Alice."

What drives them: While Alice sometimes finds social settings challenging since her diagnosis, she remains determined to perform. Meanwhile, Rebecca says the school has helped her stay connected with friends and manage everyday worries.

Their principal Sarah has watched both sisters develop over the years: "Having seen Rebecca and Alice grow in our school over the last eight years, I can see first hand how performing arts has made a huge difference to their lives, including through the recent very difficult times."

Alice at Stagecoach Ipswich with her classmates
Alice at Stagecoach Ipswich with her classmates(Stagecoach)

The bottom line: While Taylor Swift plays to packed arenas worldwide, for these Ipswich sisters the real spotlight shines on the stage they call home. Visit https://www.stagecoach.co.uk/ipswich for more information about Stagecoach.

You can read it for free thanks to the generous support of Kingsfleet and All About Hearing

Despite a lack of promotion, the big reveal drew a good crowd of passersby

We're regenerating Ipswich – but we can't do it without you!

People tell us every day that our work matters – that it's making Ipswich better; that it's needed. But our work costs money, and unlike the Ipswich Star, we're not funded by national advertisers or owned by corporate US overlords. For just £4.75 a month, you can help fund our mission to restore pride of place and accelerate the much-needed regeneration of the town we call home.
Become a member →

In other news...

News

GP contract promises faster care – but will it deliver for Ipswich?

The government says a new GP contract will guarantee same-day urgent appointments and boost childhood vaccination rates, but the British Medical Association has warned it risks creating "unrealistic expectations" given how stretched services already are.
by
Continue reading →
News

Teen found guilty of the manslaughter of Andrew Roche

A teenage boy has been found guilty of the manslaughter of Andrew Roche, 42, following an altercation in the Whitehouse area of Ipswich last summer.
by
Continue reading →
News

Suffolk County Council approves plan for two joint chief executives

Suffolk County Council has approved plans to appoint two joint chief executives to lead the authority through local government reorganisation, following the departure of current chief executive Nicola Beach at the end of March.
by
Continue reading →
News

Lovisa opening marks second tenant for revived Grimwades building

Global fashion jewellery brand Lovisa has opened in the former Grimwades building on the Cornhill, becoming the second ground-floor tenant in the landmark property that sat empty for over a decade before the council acquired the building using Towns Fund money.
by
Continue reading →
News

New exhibition to celebrate disability history

A new exhibition exploring the lives, achievements and challenges of disabled people in Suffolk opens at The Hold in Ipswich on Thursday, 27 February 2026.
by
Continue reading →
Feature

'You might just save that person's life': Students take on 24-hour CPR marathon

More than 50 University of Suffolk paramedic students are performing continuous CPR for 24 hours to demonstrate that using the yellow and green defibrillator boxes found across Ipswich is straightforward, with the ambulance service providing step-by-step guidance to anyone who calls 999.
by
Continue reading →
News

Council approves £38m aquatics centre plan

Ipswich Borough Council has approved a £38 million aquatics centre as part of its £70 million four-year capital programme – but questions are already being raised about whether it will ever be built.
byand
Continue reading →
Feature

Suffolk's aging population faces predatory marriage threat

As Suffolk's population grows older, local legal experts are warning families about a disturbing trend that could rob vulnerable relatives of their life savings through marriages designed purely for financial gain. New data reveals widespread public concern about gaps in current inheritance laws that leave elderly people exposed to exploitation.
by
Continue reading →
Load more content
Our journalism is free thanks to
Our journalism is free thanks to
Want our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday?

Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter?

If you haven’t, you really should. You’ll get our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday afternoon, just in time for the weekend. You can unsubscribe at any time, although 99.7% of people don’t.

  • Lee Walker
  • Joe Bailey of Brighten the Corners
  • Mark Hubert
7,550+ people are already loving it