June Hancock's family moved to Armley in 1936, where June became a pupil at the Armley Board 'Clock' School. The loading bay of the nearby J W Roberts factory was a well known play area for local children, many of whom remember moulding the thick, white dust which covered the floor into snowballs to throw at each other and jumping up and down on sacks of it that were left outside. In 1993, June was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an aggressive form of lung cancer of which the only known cause is exposure to asbestos. June had already experienced the trauma of her mother dying from the same disease, and in 1994, despite having potentially only months to live; she set out on a mission to force the factory to take responsibility for the as yet unknown number of deaths that will be caused by its negligence. Almost three years later, and despite the company's extreme reluctance to produce vital documents, and two separate attempts at appeal, a landmark victory was won against T & N for negligent environmental exposure to asbestos. DUST tells the heroic story of June's fight for justice, and of the legal loopholes which mean that many asbestos victims are still waiting for compensation they may not live to see. All proceeds from the Armley performance of DUST will go to The June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund, a charity which was established by June’s family shortly after her death in 1997. The fund supports high quality mesothelioma research projects, contributes to clinical trials and assists with many patient and carer led information seminars and literature. Collections for the fund will take place at all other performances.| 15 Jul 09 to 18 Jul 09 | Leeds Playhouse (formerly West Yorkshire Playhouse) Leeds, West Yorkshire Performance Details => Venue archive |
