Jessica’s Story told by her Mum, Jo…

“Jessica was aged 4 when we visited Circus Starr. We received the tickets through the charity Shine as Jessica is a member due to having Hydrocephalus.  She also has Cerebral Palsy and sensory difficulties.

It can be challenging for us to plan family trips due to Jessica’s condition. We can never just decide to go out.  Everything has to be planned ahead, ensure places we are visiting are accessible as Jessica is a wheelchair user.  She doesn’t always cope with new experiences so if we can show her pictures and videos of where she is going, and what she is likely to see or hear beforehand it makes her calmer.

As this was our second visit to Circus Starr we knew what to expect, and it was a relief knowing that we wouldn’t have to worry about everything.

The venue was very accessible and staff were helpful.  The disabled facilities were clean. There were plenty of seats, so we were able to sit away from the other groups which made us more relaxed.

We really enjoy the environment at Circus Starr’s shows. It’s nice knowing that everyone in attendance is there because their child has additional needs, it makes you feel a little more comfortable.  Jessica likes seeing other children in wheelchairs as it’s very rare that we see others when we go out.  Everyone there is understanding of problems and so it’s comforting knowing that if any meltdowns occur people probably wont even bat an eyelid.

Our daily lives are filled with therapy and medical appointments so it’s rare we get to relax and have some ‘normality’. It was really nice to be able to enjoy going out as a family, and the show had such a positive impact on my daughter. Jessica was overjoyed that the first act, Jesyka Jasters, shared her name and she keeps announcing herself as ‘Jessica Jasters’ now!

Seeing how much Jessica enjoyed the show has inspired me to book some tickets to see another show at our local theatre, something I wouldn’t have dared to do before.  Thank you so much to everyone involved in making the Circus Starr shows possible, it honestly means the world to families like ours.”

If you would like to help children like Jessica experience our magical and inclusive show you can donate today! Simply click here, email donations@circus-starr.org.uk or call 01260 288690.