The Flying Seagull Project

Our Non-Stop Big Top team have just finished a day of juggling and games with a Yazidi community in Greece. Now it's time for the kids to relax!
It's easy to take this for granted. But when you think about what these children have gone through, a day of fun and games followed by a chance to relax is so important for helping them feel safe and valued again.
Thanks to all of you who've helped make this possible.

We simply couldn't be more excited to announce our Non-Stop Big Top project!
As many of you know, far too many refugees in Greece still live in unacceptable conditions. We're talking about poor shelter and sanitation, a lack of education and security. But - as always - we're also talking about children who have none of the things every child deserves: to feel loved and valued and the right to play and recreation.
For the next nine weeks, we're going to be doing our best to put this right. We'll be taking our big top circus tent and a truckload of magic, music and games equipment to some of the most difficult camps in Greece. These children deserve to go to bed with a happy memory, and your support will help us provide that.

Good luck to Seagull Supporter Lucas, who's raising funds for The Flying Seagull Project by running the Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday - top effort! Be sure to give him a cheer if you're there! x

We'd like to say a special thank you to Jen at Fidoodle. Fidoodle make children's toys from natural and sustainable materials, and Jen has kindly offered to support us by donating 10% of Fidoodle's profits to The Flying Seagull Project!
We love this way of sharing the gift of play with vulnerable and marginalised children. Play is our universal language, and all children should have a right to express themselves this way. Thank you for standing with us, Fidoodle!

After a hectic festival season - raising funds and awareness and meeting lots of you wonderful people - our Happiness Matters team is in Athens!
We're back in Athens because there are still so many families in desperate situations. Along with the fear and uncertainty, there's limited housing and education. And there's often nothing for children to do. This isn't just sad, it's also damaging. Let's put it right together x

Anyone free to help?
This week we're packing our entire warehouse in Brentford west London ready to move into our new container home in Silvertown east London next week. It's a lot of stuff, but many hands make light work. We're packing today and on Friday and moving next Tuesday and Wednesday. If you can spare an hour or a two it'd be really appreciated and warmly welcomed. X

We're really excited that Bash has been invited to TEDxJacksonville, where he'll be talking about the power of play!
Wherever we work, we meet profoundly disadvantaged and often traumatised young people. Re-introducing play is always the first step to helping these kids heal and have a chance to be children again.
Sharing this message is a big step forward. Around the world children are the victims of international problems, and we need a global rethink of how we approach the... rights of the child. Thanks to all of you for your support! 💛
#TEDx #thethinkingpersonsclown
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A big Fundraising Friday thank-you to Bread and Roses for Refugees Thame and John Hampden School! They invited us around to talk about how we bring love, light and laughter back to kids who've had their childhood taken away from them. They also generously raised money to support our work! Fantastic stuff 💛

We've now finished our Laughter to Lebanon tour. We've brought thousands of smiles back to children who've suffered unimaginable hardships and we're sad to be leaving.
Behind the numbers and stories there is the same basic injustice of someone being robbed of their childhood. We've been able to help put this right in Lebanon alongside some fantastic organisations, including Salam LADC سلام and CatalyticAction. And, of course, none of this would be possible without all of you. Thank you for all of your support - we've got more to come this year!

Sadly we're coming up to the end of our Laughter to Lebanon project, but it's been an extraordinary experience, unlike anywhere else we've worked.
More than 1 million refugees from Syria and several hundred thousand Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon. Many of them have lived in temporary settlements for years and have no chance of returning home. This is a desperate situation, but our team have worked with hundreds of kids each day to bring back some play, laughter and childhood. Wherever we go, our message remains the same: happiness matters - yours, mine, theirs, everyone's.
Thanks to all of you. Your support has made this possible. Let's keep changing the world, one smile at a time.

There's incredible energy in this circus and magic show and it's just wonderful to hear children who are going through unimaginable hardships have a chance to laugh, relax and enjoy themselves again.
Our love, light and laughter are so desperately needed in the Bekaa Valley, where our team have been seeing an amazing 500 children each day. Massive love to Intersos Lebanon and all of you who've made this possible through your support 💛

We arrive in costume, bringing games, music and magic. We have no other agenda than to share a good time.
In the Bekaa Valley, where tens of thousands of refugees live in the most basic conditions, play and laughter are luxuries. With your support, our Laughter to Lebanon team are changing this, one smile at a time.

Our Laughter to Lebanon tour is unlike anything we've done previously. There are so many children here who've fled conflict. The war they've escaped continues nearby and still feels very real and very threatening.
These kids desperately need our love and support. As always, play and laughter are the first steps towards getting back a proper childhood after the trauma and chaos of displacement.
Massive thanks to all our supporters and the fantastic Intersos Lebanon who we've been working with on this project 💛

Imagine having to flee your home to escape conflict and live for years in shacks like the ones in this photo. Now imagine what it must be like for a child to experience this.
This is the reality faced by tens of thousands of Syrians who now live as refugees in the Bekaa Valley. We believe that everyone, no matter their background, has the right to laugh, play and feel valued. That's why our Laughter to Lebanon team are out there doing what we do best - creating a space full of games and magic where kids can be children again despite the chaos and uncertainty surrounding them.

There are more than 1,700 temporary settlements in the Bekaa Valley, where tens of thousands of Syrian refugees live in harsh conditions. Some have been here for five years.
Whenever we work with refugees, we see children who are traumatised, angry and frightened. The boredom and uncertainty of life in a temporary settlement makes it so much harder for these children to heal.
We think this is unacceptable. That's why our Laughter to Lebanon team have joined with Intersos Lebanon to put on magic, circus and games and bring some proper childhood back for kids who really have nothing.

Thank you to L'Orient-Le Jour in Lebanon for this excellent article on our Laughter to Lebanon project! The team are interviewed about our current work and offer some really moving insight to what it's like bringing happiness back to such vulnerable children. This is well worth a look if you can read French (or use Google Translate!).

We're hiring!
The Flying Seagull Project is looking for a part-time Financial Administrator on a freelance basis. The full description is in the link but - needless to say - we'd love to find someone who's followed and supported our work and understands our values. So get in touch or pass the message on to someone who'd be interested!
Nothing but love,... The Seagull Team xx
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Our founder Bash came up with the idea for The Flying Seagull Project after playing guitar and doing magic tricks for children in an orphanage. The kids were happy and relaxed but he realised these were feelings they didn't usually experience.
In the ten years since, we've worked with over 100,000 children. Our entertainers arrive in costumes, bring games and create a space where childhood can flourish. This is urgently needed in Lebanon, where child refugees live just over the border from the conflict in Syria. Play, games and laughter are the first steps to helping these children feel safe and happy again.

Here's another photo from our work in Tyre alongside Amel Association International. ⠀ It's amazing the difference that a few wigs and bow ties can make. Around the world, conflict and poverty force millions of children into premature adulthood. Having the chance dress up and be silly is crucial to helping traumatised children feel safe again and start getting back a proper childhood filled with play, laughter, magic and imagination.

You guys are absolute the best thing! I miss seeing ash around Moria. All my love to you guys

What an amazing team of people who bring out only the best in children with their infectious enthusiasm and happiness.

Christmas at Grenfell was made all the more special by your presence. THANK YOU ALL!!

What an amazing charity. We basically spent every day of Green Man Festival at your stage. The kids had the best time ever. You made me laugh, you made me cry and you touched us all with what you do and how you do it. Can't wait to see you all again and we will spread your name as far and wide as we can. Thank you ���

We spent the afternoon with you at the Geronimo Festival today and just want to say thank you so much. You were simply brilliant! Not only in the activities....and boy we had some serious fun.....but in the messages you gave. You do such an amazing job, we feel very lucky to have seen you. You made an impact on us all today and we can't wait to see you again! �

We saw this glorious project, full of amazing people at Geronimo festival this weekend and I felt truly humbled and inspired to spend the afternoon with them.

What wonderful humans!

Family is so important to us and I hope I am nurturing and raising my children to the best of my ability, filling their life with as much love and laughter as possible.

To think that there are so many millions of children living without these basic needs hurts my heart.

Bravo to the Flying Seagull project for fighting this, keep up the fantastic work. As a family we have decided that this year we will raise some money for this amazing cause....we will also work on Lily’s ‘no eye deer joke’.

Thanks for a fabulous Saturday in the sunshine �

We saw the Flying Seagull Project at Geronimo and absolutely loved it. They just "get" kids and it's amazing to see everyone, babies, children and the parents alike totally engaged and hanging onto every word. �

We need more people like you guys!

This group of loving, humble and enthusiastic people are helping heal the inflicted trauma that is being experienced daily- one beautiful soul at a time. Every time I watch one of your videos my heart breaks for the children’s situations, but then is miraculously repaired ten fold by the selfless energy that is radiating from Ash and his comrades. Cheers to you, cheers to what you stand for, cheers to the lives you are saving and smiles you are creating. You radiate magic and all that these children need, but are missing out on by being in undesirable situations. Following you on your journey from the mountains of Montana. Wish I could join you!

They are full of magic jumping beans; today my daughter was in absolute awe at the characters and stories they created. They made her feel so special and involved. Thanks for your talents! St Donat's Storytelling Festival 😍

These guys do such an important, great job! Maybe these kids get a warm food and maybe a kind of shelter - but what about their hearts and souls? Here comes The Flying Seagull Project! Thank you!

Thank you for what you do with my children Thank you from the heart You have entered into their heart joy and pleasure

My family & I saw The Flying Seagull Project at Meraki Festival in Hertfordshire. They totally made the festival amazing and awesome. We spent hours every day with them playing games, laughing at jokes and being pirates. So pleased to have had the pleasure of meeting this group and seeing their positive messages spark fun and laughter in children & adults alike.

More peace, love and smiles needed in the world... These guys are making that happen...

I've seen them is action - incredible rapport with children and adults alike. A fabulous show and an amazing ethos. This is a charity worth supporting - fund them, share them, talk about them.

I fully support these guys and their incredible undertaking to bring the miracle of laughter and joy to children and their families during such extreme hardship. I love that they are putting the spark and magic of childhood and wonder back into the sweet eyes of these beautiful people. I will continue to support financially as long as I can and one day it would be a dream to be a part of it physically! Love! Love! Love! From Arizona USA

I am truly inspired after having the priveledge of seeing The Flying Seagull Project at Geronimo festival, if they can bring so much joy to our fortunate children, one can only imagine what they must do to those where everything feels hopeless! Thank you so much for all you do �

I am not someone who tears up easily but I cryed when I watched their video. Partially of pain and sorrow for what is happening in the world, partially because those people are doing this amazing job to change it.

Heard loads of great things about them before seeing them in action at a festival but wasn't disappointed - just fantastic entertainment and such an amazing project. �

An incredible group of people with an immense capacity for joy, which they are more than willing to share with children and adults alike. Truly phenomenal.