This event was made possible with kind thanks to Kath Wainwright and is held in Bobby's memory.
We’ve worked with Made with Music for many years and they are just wonderful. They are engaging, accessible and fun. We’ve often held small music sessions in our Stay n Plays but have often wondered about doing something bigger for all the children to access. Because everyone loves music!
As Made with Music often hold Mini Gigs we wanted to follow their format (why change a winning formula) but we made some small differences to make it a Little Hiccups event. We held the event at Brudenell Social Club which is worth a visit just for their award winning pies and mash. The doors opened at 12pm which gave the families time to mingle before the first act at 12.30pm and we started off with the fantastic Matthew Tiffany who wowed the crowds with his juggling and balancing skills. Matthew really impressed us with his abilities and he managed to juggle, balance and bring a child on stage for audience participation all at the same time. Then because that wasn’t enough, why not throw in a ladder and a unicycle? Multi-tasking is very much Matthew’s forte!
Then it was our very own Trustee, Heather Watson who got the kids dancing with Disney hits. There was an audible gasp when Frozen came on! Most loud and right at the front was my own child who is a massive Frozen fan! There was Moana and Lion King as well – something for every child.
Finally we had Lucky Iris, who have a 80’s eclectic techno vibe going on. It was a more chilled set – which was perfect to relax the children just before home time. We had Maeve on vocals and Jasper on the instruments and together they created a delightful concoction of music to entertain our families.
Sets were only short with breaks in between for the children. This allowed them to stretch their legs in between acts and for parents to chat and talk to each other. There was of course snacks available because it is not a Hiccups event without food! There was even a little left over that I could take to Stay n Play the next day. Cookies for brunch – yum!
We also had our usual lovely Facepainter, Claire, who was busy painting throughout and she brought her friend, Roger who really impressed with his balloons! We had crowns, funny hats, mohawks, cherries galore. Any and anything you could think off! The bigger, the better I think in Roger’s case! Much like his puns. 😉
To make the event accessible Made with Music had Ear Defenders for loan and a black out tent that the children could use to reduce the sensations around them. We also had the fantastic Mobiloo available if anyone needed it. The Mobiloo is a brilliant initiative and is a mobile accessible toilet with adult-sized changing bench, hoist and a friendly attendant. The Mobiloo make it possible for disabled young people and adults to take part in everyday activities, enjoy new experiences and make memories with family and friends. And that is exactly what it is all about!
So thank you to everyone that attended – we had a great time!
What our families say:
“Zara’s first gig and my first visit to the Brudenell Social Club! Many thanks to Made with Music and Little Hiccups for a fab afternoon. We loved it!“
“Thank you so much for a lovely afternoon. First time we attended. All the family enjoyed it and the children loved it too“
“He had a blast but wasn’t happy when we were leaving! Even worse when he realised he couldn’t show his teachers tomorrow he was a dinosaur. Thank you Little Hiccups for such a lovely afternoon.“
“Lovely afternoon thank you xx”
“Thank so much for the lovely afternoon and the opportunity to listen to good music and meet new people.“
