Dick Whittington and Salisbury Reds help poorly children in hospital

A special bus was laid on by the bus company to enable the cast of Dick Whittington's panto which included Dick, cool cat Cosmo and friends and foes to visit. 

Panto fun for children in hospital (Image: Salisbury Reds)

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Salisbury Reds Manager, David Newton, said: “Instead of seeking his fame and fortune, Dick wanted to spread some festive cheer to children who are feeling a little poorly at the hospital, and he wanted to take some of his chums with him.

“The characters like to spread out a bit, with all their costumes on and they would have taken up quite a bit of space on a regular bus, so we laid on some special special transport. It was a great day, with plenty of fun and laughs enjoyed by all.

All aboard Salisbury Reds (Image: Salisbury Reds)

“We know how important it is for those in hospital to enjoy some respite from their treatment - especially at this time of year, so we were delighted to help Dick Whittington and his friends today.

He added: “We’re pleased everyone had such a lovely time, and I know many of our team are looking forward to seeing the panto themselves over the coming weeks."

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Artistic director of Wiltshire Creative, Gareth Machin, said: “Panto celebrates togetherness and the heartwarming spirit of the festive season, so we were delighted that some of the cast members from Dick Whittington were able to share the joy of patients at Salisbury District Hospital.”

The panto continues to run at Salisbury Playhouse until Sunday, January 7. For ticket information, go to wiltshirecreative.co.uk