Local Theatre Rallies to Support Zoe's Place in Fundraising Effort

A local theatre has stepped up to help save a baby hospice facing closure. St Helens Theatre Royal has pledged to donate £15 from every ticket sold for its half-term pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, to Zoe's Place in Liverpool.

The theatre estimates that a sold-out run could generate £10,500 for the hospice.

Chantelle Nolan, the theatre's manager, expressed her concern over the potential closure, calling it "terrible news."

"We felt compelled to take action to help secure the future of this essential service for young children and their families in the North West," she said.

Zoe's Place, which provides care for babies and children under five with life-limiting and chronic conditions, is facing a fundraising challenge of over £5 million to continue its operations in Liverpool.

The hospice's current location on Yew Tree Lane, West Derby, is leased from the Catholic order, the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy. Due to an ageing community and a decline in the number of sisters, the order plans to move next year and sell the property.

Although Zoe's Place had planned to relocate to a new site nearby, rising construction costs and inflation led to the cancellation of the project.

Following the announcement of the hospice's closure, a large-scale fundraising campaign, supported by the public, businesses, celebrities, and politicians, has raised over £1.8 million in just a few days.

Aimee Clare, the charity's capital lead officer, expressed optimism, saying she was "very confident" a solution could be found.

The Sleeping Beauty pantomime at St Helens Theatre Royal runs from Saturday, 26 October, to Sunday, 3 November, with tickets starting at £24.

Ms Nolan added, "With the unwavering support of our panto audiences and the generosity of St Helens, I’m sure we’ll raise a significant amount for this incredibly worthy cause."