Christmas For Kids 2014 Tour

Christmas for Kids is raising funds to take our uplifting show of song, storytelling and puppetry to eight children's hospices this Christmas. We are a collective of actors and creatives who are passionate about bringing joy, fun and escapism to sick children and their families at this important time of year. The collective came together in 2009, and the show and its tour base has been growing steadily ever since. This year we are visiting eight hospices, the most we have ever toured to, all based around the South East of England.

We have been working with specialists on special needs, to advise on stimuli for children with disabilities, and have had a free puppetry workshop to bring our puppets to life!

Here are Harry and Benson - our puppets! We always include a walkabout with them at the end of the show so that the children can really get to know them!

The show is tailored to soothe, stimulate and engage children of all disabilities, and their siblings and parents too. The feedback we have had from staff and carers continues to remind us how important our project is:

"Events like this are so important, especially in the run up to Christmas which is a really difficult time for the families. To bring some joy and laughter into the hospices makes such a huge difference, not just for the kids themselves but their families and siblings who are coping with a very traumatic situation.

The hospices don't have the funding to provide this kind of entertainment for the kids, so to have companies like 'Christmas for Kids' coming in to do it is a godsend for them."

Rebecca Dickson, Palliative Care Nurse Specialist

We are crowdfunding to cover travel to each hospice for four people (car and public transport); a more magical set; props and stimuli for the children; costumes; a small performance fee for each of the actors (who rehearse for free) and presents for each of the hospices.

Please help us to make this year's tour the best one yet!