The Laughter Specialists

Who we are

The Laughter Specialists Charitable Trust

Fun, giggles, shows, workshops and special visits to hospitals, hospices, schools, and other centres with the Laughter Specialists.

“I need a good laugh” how many times have you heard this said? Especially when people are sick or in some way vulnerable. Laughter and fun are essential to our lives, without them we become depressed and prone to illness.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to help children and adults who are sick or who have special needs by cheering them up with laughter and fun? That sounds like a Job for The Laughter Specialists.

These groups often miss out on the simple things that we take for granted, one of those things is joking and laughing and play acting.

The Laughter Specialists are a team of entertainers and Clown Doctors specially trained in bringing fun and laughter to all. We play and use comedy, clowning, magic, songs, music, puppets and most importantly improvisation.
Teachers, doctors and care staff tells us they have found our visits to be stimulating and enhancing, more importantly the children and adults we meet have said how much they love to join in the laughter and fun and how it improves their well being.

The Trust was founded in 2007 with the aim of training and funding specialist entertainers/performers to visit sick children and those with special needs, bringing interactive play aimed at improving the children’s well being. Founders Annie Aris and Patrick Jacobs have a great deal of experience working in the field of children’s entertainment with many years of as clown doctors in Great Ormond Street, Broomfield and Addenbrooke’s Hospitals and in special needs schools.

They play and use comedy, clowning, magic, songs, music, puppets and most importantly improvisation.

“Where a child is able to smile, giggle and laugh they have no disabilities and are equal to all.”

Our current programmes involve projects at Addenbrooke’s hospital and Broomfield Hopsital in Chelmsford, as well as a number of local special schools in Essex and Cambridgeshire including Granta in Linton and Edith Borthwick in Braintree.  We also visit Milton Children’s Hospice and Grove Cottage Special Needs Nursery in Bishops Stortford.

In hospital our specialists will visit all the children’s wards including the Burns Unit at Broomfield.  The children may be there for a one off procedure or in for long term treatment and surgery.  We also run events at specialist clinics and birthday parties within the hospital.  Being in hospital can be a scary time with unfamiliar surroundings and the fear of treatments.  Sick children can become depressed and withdrawn so we interact with them bringing out smiles and laughter. The special needs schools receive a programme of visits on a weekly basis where we work with children with profound and complex learning disabilities.

We are currently funded by a number of organisations including BBC Children in Need, The Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, Uttlesford District Council and both the Cambridge and Essex Community Foundations. We are also sponsored by a local Dunmow based business.  In addition to sourcing grants a number of fundraising activities take place during the year.  

We have a very supportive team of trustees and volunteers and a professional fundraiser. 

We want our charity to grow and train more laughter specialists so every hospital and special school can benefit from their visits.