Chitty Chitty Bang Bang lands at Chestnut Tree House

Carl Lovejoy from Hove (pictured above) plays the lead Caractacus Potts and said he was delighted to see children, parents and hospice staff all joining in with the songs. “I think we’ve got some budding performers here at Chestnut Tree House! It was just so wonderful to see everyone clapping and smiling. We have so much fun performing the songs, so it’s lovely to be able to share the joy of theatre with Chestnut families too. It was a performance I’ll never forget.” 

Chestival is now in its fourth year and has become a mainstay of the hospice’s summer events calendar, designed especially for its families to attend both at the House and in the community. The summer holidays can prove a challenging time for many families who have a child or young person with a life-shortening condition. Being able to get out and do something fun makes all the difference when the support from their usual routine pauses for the holidays.

One young person who especially enjoyed the performance was Phoebe who was at Chestival with mum Juliet and brother Rufus. Juliet said: “We love the show and the performers today were brilliant – especially all the children who are part of the cast – they did a fantastic job! Phoebe has limited vision so especially loves all the amazing sounds at Chestival. For us as families, it’s so nice to see everyone coming together and enjoying the day – plus Phoebe gets to meet new people and make new friends.”

She added: “It’s so lovely that the theatre group has taken time to come and visit the hospice, giving their time and sharing the songs to entertain us – it really means the world.”

Activities lead at Chestnut Tree House Alice Liley has been coordinating the calendar this year and said this Chestival line-up was one to remember. “We’re so grateful to all our performers, many of whom give their time for free. We’ve had everything from fairy magic to rockabilly fun! Making a fully accessible summer festival gives the families we support a truly scrumptious slice of summer, with colleagues and volunteers coming together to make it all possible. A huge thank you to everyone who made the day so memorable.” 

Chestnut Tree House – which is part of Southern Hospice Group – has cared for more than 1,400 children and young people since it opened in 2003. It costs almost £9 million to run the hospice with its NHS grant only funding less than a tenth of these costs.  

Director of Children’s Services Sharon Wheeler says the value of days like this can’t be underestimated. “It’s moments like Chestival that remind us all of the holistic value of hospice care. Yes, we are experts in palliative care, but we’re also experts in having fun and packing as much into short lives as possible. Children need time to be children, and families need time to be together – and that’s what our supporters make possible.” 

From Chestnut to the Brighton Theatre Royal, the cast will be landing on stage in August, featuring a cast of 40 adults, 35 children, 10 dogs and – of course – a flying car!  

Liley added: “We’ll be sharing more photos on social media throughout the summer so our supporters can see the incredible impact they are having on our Chestnut children’s lives, so a huge thank you to everyone who helps support life-changing hospice care – we couldn’t do it without you.”