CHILDREN in hospital will enjoy a bit of festive cheer as a special panto comes to Southampton/

Starlight's Christmas pantowill visit Southampton Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, December 1 at 3pm.

Starlight is a national charity that grants wishes for seriously and terminally ill children and provides entertainment in hospitals and hospices across the UK.

The eight week long Starlight Christmas panto, which will visit 91 children’s wards across the country, will deliver a dose of fun and laughter to poorly kids over the Christmas period.

This year’s pantomime is Aladdin; a fully interactive, this brand new adaptation of the classic children’s story.

It is full of fun and the young patients will get to laugh, cheer and sing-a-long as the four actors perform for the children, their families and the staff.

• For more information on Starlight, visit starlight.org.uk.

Joyce Stebbings, youth and play services manager at Southampton Children’s Hospital, said: “Play can significantly help to improve a child’s hospital experience and we are very grateful to Starlight for helping to bring some festive fun to our young patients. It really does allow them to forget about their illnesses for a short while and experience the magic of Christmas.” 

Sue Wildman, head of children’s services at Starlight Children’s Foundation, said, “Starlight aims to distract children from the pain and anxiety that they feel as a result of their illness. Starlight’s Christmas pantomime is a fabulous way of spreading some much needed festive cheer to poorly children and their families spending time in hospitals and hospices over the Christmas period. We hope that this performance of Aladdin will be just what the doctor ordered!” 

Matt Lee-Alliston, managing director of The Panto Company, said, “We’re thrilled to be working with Starlight to bring this interactive performance to so many seriously ill children. Our acting troupe can’t wait to hit the road and bring some laughter and excitement to poorly children across the country this Christmas.”