Variety Wessex favourite, Krazy Kev, entertained the delighted children before and after the meal. They thoroughly enjoyed the silly games, daft competitions, singing and dancing, all with a touch of magic. The cheering and clapping was so loud that there was almost a need for earplugs! The children will also be given Easter Eggs to take home on the last day of term.

Enjoying the party food at the Marsham Court Hotel.

Variety Wessex, who arranged the party, also provided Zoom entertainment from Krazy Kev for schools that preferred to have their Easter celebrations in-house. St Clements Infants, Linwood Campuses, Beaucroft School, Winchelsea School, Victoria Education and Kings Park School all enjoyed the Zoom shows as well as receiving chocolate eggs for all their children.

In addition, the local Women’s Refuge had a special Zoom show from Krazy Kev as well as 20 Easter Eggs for the children living at the refuge. There was also a large bag of ladies toiletries for the mums, donated by Anna Howard.

Krazy Kev with children during his show.

Funding for the party, Zooms and 2,500 Easter Eggs came from Shan and the BC Club and bucket collections at the Christmas pantomimes ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ at the Bournemouth Pavilion and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at the Barrington Theatre, Ferndown.

Frances Cornelius, centre left, with Variety helpers, l-r, Jenny Davies, Judy Hiscoke and Anita Kaursimon.

Frances Cornelius, chair of Variety Wessex, said:

Thank you so much to our wonderful entertainer Krazy Kev and the casts of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ and all the generous pantomime goers who threw money into the buckets. Thank you Shan and the BC Club for your funding of these Easter celebrations. Thank you to the Marsham Court Hotel and staff, especially the chefs for their delicious menu. A huge thank you to Lennie and Lorraine Segal who arranged delivery of 2,500 Easter Eggs – it is a mammoth task! Thank you Judy, Jenny and Anita for helping at the party and ensuring that everything went smoothly and Hattie for photographs that will help build lovely memories for the children to look back on. Thank you too the marvellous SENCO Julia Winston and Pastoral Lead Elisabeth Rawson-Jones from Bethany School. You really do ensure your children have wonderful memories to look back on with the challenging backgrounds that many of them have.

Liz Rawson-Jones, Pastoral Lead at Bethany CE Junior School said:

A huge THANK YOU to Variety for putting on this incredible Easter Party. At times the noise level was so loud that it was hard to hear anything – a sure sign the children were really enjoying themselves! Thank you Krazy Kev for your entertaining show that the children love and get so involved with – the children in school thoroughly enjoyed your Zoom shows too! It is fantastic that the whole school can get to enjoy all the fun. Thank you to the Marsham Court Hotel for your hospitality – the party food, devoured at record speed by the children – was delicious. Thank you Laguna coaches for taking the children safely to and from the party and everyone who contributed to such a marvellous and enormous fun Easter event that has given our children so many wonderful memories.