We had the pleasure of meeting the Skye and her family at our pre-show touch tour in Sheffield.

Our touch tours are held prior to the show to help enhance the performance for children with visual impairments. This was perfect for Skye, aged 8, who is blind and also has autism.

Sarah told us what it is like on a day to day basis for her daughter.

“Everyday life is challenging for Skye. She needs routine and lots of planning ahead for days out. She needs constant verbal and physical support, lots of encouragement and reassurance.”

With the nature of Skye’s disabilities it can often be a struggle for the family to spend quality time together, but this wasn’t the case at Circus Starr.

Sarah explained: “It was different to other family outings as Skye was a lot calmer. She arrived when it was quiet and was able to meet people and touch things which made her less anxious. The atmosphere was brilliant and so relaxed.”

“The touch tour was amazing and very helpful and beneficial for people like Skye. It was helpful throughout the show as she had felt some of the equipment they used and spoke to the people performing. Everyone was happy. The staff were amazing too.”

The visit to our magical Big Top also proved beneficial for the rest of the family.

“Skye’s brother also has ADHD, so having a calm family day out was amazing, a day I never thought we could have somewhere as busy as a circus!”

“A massive thank you to everyone who made it possible. I would like to say a big thank you to the businesses for supporting Circus Starr and making this possible for us and others. It was by far the best family day out!”

We’re passionate about making our show accessible for children like Skye. If you would like to help us bring the arts to families who may usually miss out in your community please call 01260 288690 or email donations@circus-starr.org.uk .