THURROCK Council has put up funds for an award-winning play with a powerful message about sex to be shown at Palmer’s College.

Secondary schools and parents of teenagers are being to take young people aged 14 and above to see The Diary at the college, in Chadwell Road, Grays, on April 16 and 17 from 6.30pm.

The play, performed by the Lightnin Drama Group, is about a young girl who contracts Aids after having unprotected sex.

Written and directed by the group’s leader Sue Ospreay, it was performed at Thurrock Drama Festival in 2010, where it picked up lots of awards.

It also got two awards at the British All Winners final.

Thurrock Council’s deputy leader, Labour’s Val Morris-Cook, saw the play at the festival and thought it would be great for sex education purposes, so organised for it to be seen free of charge.

Cllr Morris-Cook said: “It is a fantastic play, so very powerful and full of up to date messages that are sometimes difficult to have as a conversation.”

Anyone who wants tickets for the play on either night, can call Sue Ospreay on 01708 522245 or 07870911029.