Stratford Circus Arts Centre is raising £12,000 to make Christmas a magical one for families in Newham who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford a seasonal treat.

Full Hearts, Full Tummies offers a hot meal and a ticket to a newly commissioned circus show for just £1 - last year, over 385 disadvantaged children and their parents benefited from the scheme, some of whom had no access to cooking facilities to provide hot meals.

This year the arts centre is hoping to exceed this number.

Their fundraising efforts have already started with resident youth choir NewYVC performing at Canary Wharf raising nearly £200 in just under two hours, and the charity have received match funding from The Childhood Trust via The Big Give with all donations made between 28th November and 5th December being doubled.

Stratford Circus Arts Centre will be collaborating with children's centres, food banks and local charities to ensure they reach those most in need.

Families will share a festive lunch after watching a special performance of circus adventure , Stratford Circus Arts Centre's Christmas show.

For many children taking part it will be their first experience of live performance, ensuring creative inspiration for their learning development as well as some magic Christmas memories.

Speaking about Full Hearts Full Tummies, Stratford Circus Arts Centre's Director Tania Wilmer said ...

"Stratford Circus Arts Centre believes passionately that everyone has the right to a creative childhood.

Full Hearts Full Tummies is one of the many ways we make a fun outing to experience the theatre, accessible to local children and their carers."

Following last year's event, local children's centres and charities spoke of their joy and gratitude for the opportunity to provide valuable family time and food for their most vulnerable families.

This year, the Arts Centre hopes to raise enough funds to reach 600 children and families and is collecting donations in person or online here.

Families will be invited to one of ten performances taking place on 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th and 21st December 2017.

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About Stratford Circus Arts Centre

Stratford Circus Arts Centre is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England and a registered charity.

It receives more than 120,000 visits a year and is a key resource for the local community.

Stratford Circus Arts Centre provides world-class, accessible creative experiences and performances on the doorstep of people in Newham and East London with a vision that access to art brings joy, empowers people, and draws them together.

A vibrant place to create and experience art through world-class theatre, dance, music and circus and visual exhibitions, it presents work for families, young people and adults.

Its education programme works with local schools and community organisations to introduce local people to artistic experiences through workshops and bespoke creative learning projects.

Reaching over 60,000 people per year, more than one in three of the venue's audiences and participants come from hard-to reach groups.

Newham is a deprived borough where two in five children live in poverty.

Stratford Circus Arts Centre know that heavily subsidised tickets and engaging proactively with families who would not normally attend the theatre is a significant step in removing perceived barriers to attending.

The charity provide hosts to welcome them when they arrive and provide backstage opportunities such as meeting the artists and jargon-free information in advance to help them to feel comfortable attending an arts venue to encourage them to return.

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Venue

Stratford Circus Arts Centre

Theatre Square

Stratford

London E15 1BX

Dates

Families will be invited to one of ten performances taking place on 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th and 21st December.

The Ramshackle House plays from 4 to 24 December 2017

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Links

Stratford Circus Arts Centre

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