Families enjoy the festive spirit of pantomime thanks to Wiltshire Council's FUEL Programme and Wiltshire Creative
Wiltshire Council was delighted to have been able to recently offer families in the Salisbury area the opportunity to attend a pantomime performance this winter thanks to support from Wiltshire Creative.

Working in partnership with Wiltshire Creative and the council's FUEL programme, nearly 60 tickets were issued to families who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a pantomime performance. The arts and education charity, Wiltshire Creative (Salisbury Playhouse, Salisbury Arts Centre and Salisbury International Arts Festival) is passionate that no local children should miss out on the experience of live performance.
The FUEL programme is funded by the Department for Education to provide enriching activities and nutritious meals for children eligible for benefit related free school meals during the school holidays. During 2024, the FUEL programme provided nearly 20,000 activity places across the county for eligible children, including sports, creative arts, performing arts and outdoor pursuits.
Wiltshire Creative provided activities during the summer and offered tickets for families who had booked places on the winter FUEL programme. Their ' Be a Star For Giving' campaign has raised over £20,000 in donations from generous audiences and supporters and their Pantomime Sponsor, Howden Insurance. These donations were matched by two local philanthropists who share Wiltshire Creative's belief in the power of the arts to lift spirits, create memories and forge connection.
The response from families has been overwhelmingly positive.
Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council and Cabinet Member for Arts, said We are delighted to work with our arts partner Wiltshire Creative to be able to offer this opportunity to Wiltshire families. It is a fantastic example of the benefits that working in partnership can bring and this type of positive work demonstrates the bond of our organisations each with a commitment to supporting our communities in creative ways.
Cabinet member Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling stated The Fuel Programme has supported Wiltshire families providing enriching activities and hot meals during holiday times since 2021. Being able to offer this additional activity of enjoying a panto has really finished the 2024 Winter Fuel programme off in style and I thank Wiltshire Creative for their generosity.
Executive Director Rosa Corbishley says, We are delighted to welcome FUEL participants to pantomime. Over 800 children and their families were invited with free tickets thanks to the support of our partners. Wiltshire Creative is determined to continue our work to break down barriers, so that everyone can access and enjoy live performance. We are hugely thankful to all those who donated to create this opportunity, for those most in need. We look forward to bringing more panto joy in 2025 with Jack and the Beanstalk!