WITLEY-BASED Past Pleasures, the UK’s leading live historical interpretation company, is celebrating forging coser links with the National Gallery.

It follows the company being commissioned in February by Parliament for the launch of the Vote100 campaign at Westminster Hall celebrating women getting the vote.

Corporate clients booking events at the National Gallery can enjoy ‘action replays’ of associated leading characters by the company, now it is an accredited supplier.

Past Pleasures creative director Kate Howard, said: “We are thrilled and honoured to have been chosen.

“We have a myriad of ideas covering 1,000 years of history and are able to provide someone from whatever period clients require.

“Characters can act as hosts, give speeches or deliver a bespoke theatrical entertainment. ”

The National Gallery’s head of events Kate Rolfe told The Herald: “The National Gallery is delighted to have Past Pleasures on our approved supplier list.

“We’re looking forward to collaborating with them over the coming years on our own and client events.”

Past Pleasures, which was established in 1987, is fast becomig a major historical player at many of the UK’s most important heritage venues.

In 2015, the company was commissioned to recreate the sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede for the Magna Carta 800 celebrations and chosen by the Waterloo 200 committee for the New Waterloo Dispatch, travelling across Europe in the footsteps of Major Percy and Royal Navy Commander James White to bring news of the Iron Duke’s victory at Waterloo.

In 2016, Past Pleasures was honoured to be part of the Shakespeare 400 programme.