Christmas and children mix in city's Centre

Christmas and children mix in city's Centre

AUCKLAND, Twenty-five Auckland primary schools are taking part in THE EDGE annual children's Christmas Programme where up to six schools at a time come into the Aotea Centre and decorate Christmas trees, are entertained by storytellers, Cookie the Clown and visited by Santa and the lollipop fairy.

"We have more than 2,500 children coming to the Aotea Centre between 30 November and 9 December. This free programme introduces the children to the Aotea Centre and professional performances," says Sally Markham, THE EDGE Public Programmes Manager.

Before the performances start, each school is given their own tree to decorate using decorations the children have made in school. The trees are displayed in the Aotea Centre until after Christmas.

"It's a whole day of Christmas fun for years one to four primary school children. We are booked out months in advance for this programme. We have schools telling us they want to be involved every year!" says Ms Markham.

This year's theme is Trees of Light and Joy. During the two-week programme the Aotea Centre is taken over by young children celebrating Christmas.

Staged by THE EDGE Public Programmes, the Christmas Programme aims to continue to expose the children to performing arts while sharing in Christmas fun with other schools from across Auckland.

ENDS

Notes:

The schools involved in the programme are:

Meadowbank School Meadowbank

Campbells Bay School North Shore

Ranfurly Car Society Epsom

Titirangi School Titirangi

Kaurilands School Titirangi

Manuka Primary School - Glenfield

Bayview School Glenfield

Glen Taylor School Glendowie

Huapai Districk School Huapai

St Thomas School Kohimarama

Holy Cross School Papatoetoe

Hobsonville School Hobsonville

St Francis School Pt. Chevalier

Chelsea School Birkenhead

Cornwall Park School One Tree Hill

St Mary's School Ellerslie

Pt England School Glen Innes

St Pius X School Glen Innes

Glenbrae Public School Glen Innes

Keith Park School Mangere

Freyberg Community School Te Atatu South

Bairds Mainfreight Primary School Otara

New Windsor School New Windsor

Kawakawa Primary School Warkworth

Tauhoa School Warkworth

The programme runs from 9.30am to 2pm over eight school days from Wednesday, 30 November to Friday, 9 December 2005 .

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