A festive trip to the panto with Syngenta

Christmas is a special time of year, but for many children in Kirklees a festive trip to the theatre just isn’t possible.

Our annual Christmas Heroes appeal helps us to spread the absolute joy of pantomime, as we invite children and their families from across Kirklees to our theatre, who otherwise may not be able to visit us. This year our pantomime is Jack and the Beanstalk, and we are thrilled to be able to spread some festive cheer to those in our community who need it the most.

For the 6th year, employees from Syngenta Huddersfield have supported our Christmas Heroes appeal by making a generous donation through the Syngenta Employees Community Gift, a fund where staff make donations from their salary which is matched by the company. Syngenta invited 400 children from the local area to see Jack and the Beanstalk, arranging transport to and from the theatre and treating each child to an ice cream at the interval.

Karen Fallows, Chair of the Syngenta Employees Community Gift, said: “We are now in our 6th year of backing the Lawrence Batley Theatre Christmas Heroes appeal. I was at the show this year and I can say without hesitation that the production was fantastic. We are delighted that our partnership continues with the Lawrence Batley Theatre, bringing the experience of theatre to local children who might not normally have access to the arts.”

Becky Atkinson, Chief Executive of Lawrence Batley Theatre said: “A huge thank you to the Syngenta employees for choosing to back our Christmas Heroes appeal again this year. As a charity striving to make a difference to people’s lives, this campaign helps us to reach directly into communities and bring the magic of pantomime to children who might otherwise miss out. For those children, we want to help Huddersfield be an amazing place to grow up and our Christmas Heroes appeal does just that.” 

There’s still time to donate to our Christmas Heroes appeal. For every £16 we raise this year, we can cover the costs to bring one child to experience the magic of pantomime with a VIP ticket, a programme and an ice-cream. Every donation, however large or small, can make a real difference.