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The North East holds many traditions over the festive period, from the Fenwick window display to Durham’s Lumiere Festival, Newcastle Christmas Markets to Greggs festive bakes, and for many, the festive season kicks off when Disney on Ice comes to town.
This year, a special trip was arranged so that a group of our children could experience the magic of Disney and make memories with their families.
These were kids who had been supported by The Sunshine Fund, a North East charity whose main provision is funding specialist and life-changing equipment for babies, children and young people with complex needs and life-limiting illnesses.
We also facilitate free, inclusive events for their families so they can access new opportunities, and open the door to new experiences.
This was made possible thanks to local housebuilders, Bellway Homes, who generously donated 40 tickets to the evening show.
In addition, families were invited to a behind-the-scenes Touch Tour, where they could see and feel props and costumes used in the show, and meet some of the characters ahead of the performance.
Five-year-old Harrison said, “I love Mickey Mouse in all the parts and then they do ice-skating which is my favourite thing to do.”
Gemma, whose son Charlie was one of the children in attendance, said, “He loved it. It’s been a great experience for children like Charlie to get involved, exposing them to new experiences”.
Emma Chesterton, Sales Director at Bellway North East said, “It made our donation so worthwhile to know that we were able to provide fun and a night to remember for families at Disney on Ice.
“Seeing how much the children loved meeting the characters was delightful.”
David Wilson, Head of Charity at The Sunshine Fund, said, “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to invite our children and families to see Disney on Ice and enjoy an unforgettable family experience together.
“At the heart of everything we do at the Sunshine Fund is the vision that we can all work together to remove barriers, create joyful memories, and make a real difference to local children’s lives.
“Our families had an amazing time so thank you to Disney on Ice for making this happen and Bellway for gifting tickets to our families.”
The Sunshine Fund is a small charity that receives zero statutory funding, and relies solely on the generosity of its donors. All donations made over the festive season will be used to fund the specialist equipment that has been applied for in the last quarter – totalling almost £40,000.
