1. A
couple of years
ago, Simone Unett
joined a circus.
Her mission was
to make children
happy. She doesn’t swing on
the trapeze in sparkly tights,
walk a tightrope or wear a
red nose, multi-coloured
wig and enormous shoes –
not at work, anyway.
Simone is a fund-raiser –
or perhaps that should be
fun raiser – for Circus Starr,
a unique show that gives
away all its tickets to
vulnerable, disadvantaged
and disabled children and
their families.
Her job is to phone
businesses in the 75 towns
a year that the circus visits
and ask them to help
children in their area by
donating the price of tickets.
The tickets are then
distributed to local hospitals,
hospices, foster homes,
special needs schools and
women’s refuges.
“A lot of families who
have a child with a physical
disability or autism can’t get
out to events because
they’re afraid people will
stare or that their child will
make a lot of noise,”
Simone explains.
“They don’t feel they can
be themselves and enjoy
quality family time, so we’ve
created an environment for
them where they can be as
loud as they want and have
a really good time in a
relaxed environment with
people who are dealing
with the same issues that
they are.
“Sometimes it’s the only
event they get to as a whole
family in an entire year,”
Simone adds. “That really
means a lot to them.”
The flexible seating inside
the blue and yellow big top
means they’ve even
accommodated children in
hospital beds.
Circus Starr was the
brainchild of Philip Gandey,
a third-generation circus
showman who also runs
such shows as the Chinese
State Circus and Spirit of the
Horse. His philanthropic big
top was born nearly
30 years ago when Gandey’s
Circus was asked to stage a
fund-raising event for a school.
According to director
Neville Wilson, “That first
show was so successful that
word got around to other
charities that wanted to do
the same thing, so we set
up Circus Starr to help
low-profile local charities
like hospices that didn’t
have the resources to raise
funds for themselves.”
As well as providing an
afternoon or evening out for
hundreds of children and
their families, the show’s
profits are given to a charity
that it partners with in each
town.
“We donate over one
million pounds worth of
tickets each year,” Neville
says. “Then there are a lot of
hospices and baby care
units that get a nice cheque
at the end of the show, so
everybody wins.”
Circus Starr is an
independent, not-for-profit
Community Interest
company. But Philip Gandey
continues to produce the
circus to the high standards
of his other shows and
books top-quality
performers from all over the
world. It’s a family show
with as much for parents
and carers as the children.
“It’s a proper touring
circus, moved on six
articulated lorries, that could
compete as a commercial
circus, no problem,” Neville,
a former acrobat who has
worked in the circus
business all his life, says.
For the performers, living
in caravans alongside the
big blue and yellow circus
tent, life is very different
from that of the fund-raisers,
who are based in an office
in Congelton, Cheshire.
But one of the perks of
Simone’s job is visiting the
circus, so she and her team
can describe the show to
potential donors – and also
so they can see the result of
all their hard work on the
phones.
“Cold calling companies is
difficult, because a lot of
people say, ‘No,’” Simone
admits. “So to see the smile
on a child’s face and to
know you did that is very
motivating.”
Pinned to the walls of the
fund-raising office are
countless thank-you cards
and letters from families
who have been given
tickets. Simone proudly
reads one out.
“Tonight we came to the
show with our two
daughters. Due to our elder
daughter’s special needs we
generally stay away from
outings that involve
confined spaces and
crowds, but tonight was a
magical experience for us all
– the chance to be a family
and see an amazing show
that captivated the children
and us from start to finish.”
Simone is especially
proud of an award-winning
app the circus has
developed to prime children
for their visit to the big top.
“A lot of children with
autism struggle with
anything outside of their
normal routine,” Simone
explains. “So they can
download the app to their
iPad and it takes them
through their day at the
circus. It has pictures of the
entrance, the seating and
the acts, so the child can get
used to it and feel confident
enough to go on the day.
“The feedback we’ve had
has been brilliant. Families
have said they’ve been
playing dress-up circus in
the garden before the show.
They’ve sent pictures of
children with a blanket tied
around them like the
ringmaster’s cape. It’s lovely.”
On the day, everyone is
assured of a warm
welcome. Even those – and
there are a few adults
among them – who are
afraid of clowns.
“We’ve had some of
those!” Simone admits with
a laugh. “But Chico Rico, our
clown, has such a warm,
welcoming smile that those
barriers are soon broken
down. The children love him
and they have time at the
end to get their face painted
if they want to.
“There’s always the
chance to get their picture
taken with some of the acts.
It’s a magical day for them
and we want to make it as
special as we can.”
For Simone, meanwhile,
every day is a circus day.
“I’ve been doing phone
work for a long time, but
this job is really special. I’ve
got two kids of my own, so
to be able to talk about
something that benefits
children, and just the fact
that the circus is such a fun
subject to talk about, is
really lovely. You can tell I
love my job, can’t you?” she
concludes with a grin. n
If you’d like to make a donation to Circus Starr or
nominate a family deserving of tickets, visit
www.circus-starr.org.uk.
An Amazing
Spectacle
Want To Know More?
HELPING OTHERS 45PhotographsbyPaulBriscoe,exceptwherestated.
“There’s
never a dull
moment, but
life is good!”
AndrewPayne.
One of Simone’s
favourite acts is
contortionist Romy
Bauer who performs in a
crystal globe suspended
high above the ring.
“She’s dressed as a
fairy and snow falls all
around her while she’s
performing. It’s
absolutely beautiful, and
the gasps from the
children are amazing.”
The day-to-day
running of the show
falls to Robert Price. In
the spotlight, he’s the
dashing ringmaster in a
scarlet coat. Backstage,
he cracks the whip
(metaphorically
speaking!) as show
manager.
“We do everything we
can to ensure every
child enjoys the show,
whether they need
ringside seats or a bit of
time out,” Robert says.
“We don’t want to scare
them with big flashing
lights. We make it nice
and gentle for them.”
The circus is in
Robert’s blood. His
mother was a foot-
juggler and he’s now
started a circus family
of his own.
As soon as he joined
Circus Starr, Robert fell
in love with his wife,
Oana, who worked in
the box office. Today,
the couple travel around
the country with the
show and their two
children, the younger
born last summer.
Robert is also
responsible for the
troupe, the sound, the
lights, the transport and
just about everything
else.
“There’s never a dull
moment, but life is
good!”
Robert with Chico Rico and
Jackie Morales from Las Chicas
Morales.
Chico Rico
the clown.
The troupe is ready
with a warm welcome.
“Roll Up, Roll Up!”
Completely captivated.
Circus Starr gives away
all its tickets to disadvantaged
people. Douglas McPherson
finds out more.