Thirteen brings youngsters festive cheer

Around 40 children aged 3 to 7-years-old hopped on buses from Middlesbrough and Stockton and headed to a performance of The Tin Foil Astronaut at the ARC Stockton Arts Centre.

Thirteen provided transport to the performance and as part of a partnership with the ARC, funded tickets for children and their parents and carers.

Jayne Dale, community development co-ordinator with Thirteen, helped to organise the trip. She said: “It was great to see so many smiling faces getting on the buses to come to the ARC.

“I think it’s important that as many children as possible get the chance to see a production like this. I’m so pleased that Thirteen could support them to see the performance and enjoy the theatre experience.

“We work in our communities to not only provide homes, but also to support communities to strengthen and develop. Events like this help young people who might not usually have the chance to be involved in the arts, to experience something different during the Christmas holidays.

“I was really happy to help organise the trip and hopefully everyone enjoyed their day.”

Thirteen worked with The Community Hub and Kids Kabin in Grove Hill, and Eastern Ravens in Primrose Hill to invite children onto the trip.

Paula Marshall, from The Grove Hill Community Hub, said: “It’s lovely for the children to be able to have experiences like this, especially those from low-income families who might not usually have the opportunity and may not have even been to a show before.

“We’re looking forward to continuing working alongside Thirteen and other partners on future projects and initiatives in Grove Hill.”

Thirteen provided funding for the trip from its community resilience budget which provides support for communities across the area.