Child safety gets big boost

Police pantomime’s future given welcome donation

THE award-winning Child Safety Pantomime put on by Toowoomba police every year has received a $5000 boost to help educate more children in the region.

Garden City Zonta Club president Helen Fletcher yesterday delivered the funds which will be used to cover transport and venue hire costs, as well as provide school and classroom resources.

Produced by Toowoomba Crime Prevention Unit each year, the Child Safety Pantomime teaches young children about protective behaviours and early warning signs in an engaging theatrical performance.

Mrs Fletcher said the decision to support the production was simple.

“The Garden City Zonta Club is part of Zonta International and we have, really, a remit to do things that help women and girls in particular, and that is linked in with the United Nations and their projects,” she said.

“We have a major fundraising event every year and members suggest somebody who might be a worthy beneficiary, and one of our members suggested the pantomime.

“We just thought this was a really good program, particularly to get in early when children are young to start educating them then, rather than try and fix the problems at the other end when it is much more serious and harder.”

CPU Senior Constable Jo Bailey said the donation and support from the wider community kept the program viable in the long term.

“We can’t fundraise that much and donations such as the Garden City Zonta Club has enabled children to get

❝Originally the focus was on those children who do live in lower socio-economic areas. — Snr Const Jo Bailey

to the pantomime at little to no cost,” she said.

“Originally the focus was on those children who do live in lower socio-economic areas to try and get them to the show at basically no cost to the school.

“With the help of Stonestreets, over many years helping us out with reducing the costs, it’s getting all the schools to the pantomime for free.”

More than 1700 students in Year 2 saw the show this

year.

Schools are also given a number of resources.

The CPU thanked various supporting businesses and

organisations including Stonestreets, Heritage Bank, Keith Gay Foundation, Garden City Zonta Club and Empire Theatre.

PHOTO: BEV LACEY WELCOME FUNDS: Celebrating the donation are (from left) Sergeant Scott McGrath as Boz, Senior Constable Jo Bailey, Garden City Zonta Club president Helen Fletcher and public relations and fundraising chair Nat Foster.