For many years Children's World worked solely in schools and special schools, but over the last 2 years we have formed strong links with Somerset Impact (an umbrella organisation linking more than 50 gorups concerned with special needs), SCOPE and Social Services and are now taking on far more out-of-school work with children who have special needs and their families.. We are particularly pleased to be doing so as we strongly believe that Education does not finish at the school gate, and that there is a great need for exciting out-of-school facilities for children with special needs.

25 different out-of-school visits were made by the Sensory Dome (often with additional play equipment such as inflatables plus badge-making, face-painting, parachute games and music workshops) to out-of-school groups such as Asbah, the Ups and Downs Club, SNAP Playscheme, Escape, Gateway Clubs, Dorset Social Services Playschemes and the National Autistic Society, and we expect to be undertaking even more out-of-school work in the coming year as we seem to be one of the very few organisations with the experience to be able to provide fun activities for such a wide range of ages and abilities.

"We all had a wonderful time...Several children who are not easily stimulated clearly loved their time in the Dome, stroking and chuckling..."

Blandford Opportunity Playgroup

THE BRISTOL MILLENNIUM CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

Thanks to a Millennium Commission Festival Award, we were able to stage the Bristol Millennium Children's Festival on Bristol Downs on 22 and 23 July. This was attended by more than 3,000 and very much enjoyed by familes from all over Bristol, who had never seen anything quite like it. Thanks to the Millennium Festival Award we broke even, and if we can find sponsorship we intend to run the Bristol Children's Festival in 2001 and future years so that it can become a much-loved annual event like the annual Glastonbury Children's Festival. We are most grateful to the Millennium Commission, Bristol City Council, Georgian Toilets and Wessex Water for the assistance they gave us in the staging of this lovely event.

"It was wonderful! Please come back next year!"

Happy Parent

THE 19th GLASTONBURY CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

Children's World ran its 19th Glastonbury Children's Festival on 28, 29, 30 and 31 July and were blessed with virtually dry weather despite appalling weather forecasts! As usual more than 20 performances per day took place from children's theatre companies, puppeteers, clowns, magicians and circus artists. There were juggling and circus skills workshops, inflatables for bouncing, large-scale New Games, a Craft Marquee where children could make hats, masks and costumes for each day's Grand Parade, a menagerie of giant inflatable animals for the children to dance with, a daily Talent Show where each child won a small prize and much, much more. More than 4,000 had a wonderful time and approximately £7,000 was raised for Children's World's work with special needs children. We would like to thank all the performers who come to us so cheaply because they appreciate our work, Cleanaway Limited, Georgian Toilets, Wessex Water, Erik Lukins and all our many volunteers without whom we could not hope to run such lovely and safe events.

"We had the best possible time - it seems to get better every yearand our children just love it!"

Another happy parent!.