What Circus Starr does

Circus Starr (legally 'Starr in the Community CIO') is a UK-registered charity and Community Interest Company, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Congleton, Cheshire, that delivers free, accessible touring circus performances to disabled, disadvantaged, and bereaved children and their families across the United Kingdom. The organisation operates the only UK circus that moves location every other day, deploying a Big Top and indoor theatre production that reached roughly 75,000 visitors annually in 2026 award coverage and serves communities from Brighton to Dundee including Cardiff, Sheffield, Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Norwich and others. Its core product is a 1.5-hour relaxed circus performance featuring toned-down lights, quieter music, no motorbikes or loud bangs, and free re-entry, supplemented by an integrated accessibility stack: British Sign Language interpretation at every show (a first in the UK circus sector, with the troupe also teaching the finale chorus in BSL), Changing Places accessible toilets via partner Mobiloo, pre-show touch tours for visually impaired audiences, audio description, and a free downloadable and physical Sensory Story resource pack co-created with sensory specialist Joanna Grace of The Sensory Projects.

Tickets are provided entirely free of charge and allocated through a national referral network of schools (e.g., St Anne's Special School), hospices (St Richard's), hospitals, and disability support groups (RNIB, BID Services, Shine, National Autistic Society, Barnardo's, Autism Inclusive, Down Syndrome Support Groups), with a self-serve online application route for families awaiting diagnosis or unconnected to a group. The revenue model is donation-only and distributed across four streams: corporate sponsorships (100+ UK SMEs, with Swansway Motor Group as the flagship cause-related marketing partner since 2015 via the Motability scheme), individual donations (suggested from £25 via website, PayPal, telephone, gift-in-will, payroll giving and the easyfundraising.org.uk affiliate), institutional grants (notably £317,551 from the UK Government Culture Recovery Fund in October 2020 and over £200,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund in September 2019), and recurring local council grants (Crewe Town Council Community Grant Scheme). Go-to-market is hybrid: the show itself is the primary vehicle reaching beneficiaries, the in-house Congleton-based telephone fundraising team recruits corporate sponsors at scale, and digital channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, post-tour email newsletter, WordPress news blog) drive both ticket distribution and donor conversion. There is no proprietary software platform, no public API, no patents, and no app; defensibility rests on the 39-year touring operation, the accessibility methodology, the embedded referral network, and brand recognition within the UK disability sector, evidenced by Scope Award 2026 (Local Service), Visit Cheshire Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award 2025, and National Learning Disability and Autism Awards 2026 finalist ('Making a Difference').

Name

Circus Starr

Legal name

Starr in the Community CIO

Website

https://circus-starr.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Circus Starr (Starr in the Community CIO) is a UK-registered charity, founded in 1987, that delivers free accessible touring circus performances — with BSL interpretation, Changing Places facilities, touch tours and a Sensory Story pack — to roughly 75,000 disabled and disadvantaged children and families annually across the UK, funded by corporate sponsorships, individual donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Inclusive Live Entertainment

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Circus, Magic & Variety Shows (THAJAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Inclusive circus shows
• Accessible live entertainment
• Charity circus tours
• Disability family events
• Community circus performances

Headquarters

HQ city

Congleton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual donations: One-off and annual donations from individual supporters via online giving (PayPal), telephone fundraising (01260 288690), gift-in-will, gift-in-memory, give-as-you-earn payroll schemes, and in-celebration donations. Suggests donations as low as £25 can fund a child's ticket.
2. Corporate sponsorships and cause-related marketing: UK-wide corporate sponsorship programme sold via in-house telephone fundraising team. Includes cause-related marketing partnerships (e.g., Swansway Motor Group via Motability sales); sponsors are featured on the 'Our Sponsors' listings and recognised across tour communications.
3. Government and lottery grants: Public-sector grant funding. Awarded £317,551 from the Government's £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund (Oct 2020) and over £200,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund (Sept 2019) for Changing Places facilities. Crewe Town Council Community Grant Scheme (up to £2,500) has supported for three years.
4. Workplace giving and charity affiliate schemes: Give-as-you-earn / payroll giving schemes offered to businesses, plus easyfundraising.org.uk affiliate donations while supporters shop online. Also offers team fundraising packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Circus Starr is a UK registered charity (Starr in the Community CIO) that delivers free, fully inclusive touring circus performances — via a Big Top and indoor theatre — for disabled, disadvantaged and bereaved children and their families. Tickets are provided at no cost through a referral network of schools, hospitals, hospices and disability support groups, with accessibility features such as BSL interpretation, Changing Places facilities, touch tours and a sensory story pack built in as standard.

Product overview

Circus Starr operates as a single integrated service rather than a software platform: a touring inclusive circus charity that delivers one core product — the relaxed, accessible Circus Starr Inclusive Circus Shows — supplemented by a set of named accessibility add-ons that are delivered alongside the core show at every tour stop. These add-on modules include The Circus Starr Sensory Story and Pack (a free preparation resource created with The Sensory Projects), Touch Tours (for visually impaired audiences), Signed Performances with BSL interpreters (a first in UK circus), and Changing Places Facilities (delivered with Mobiloo and funded by The National Lottery Community Fund). Together, these named offerings form Circus Starr's portfolio: the core circus show as the platform, with the accessibility modules functioning as built-in features that make each performance inclusive for disabled, vulnerable, and disadvantaged children and their families across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starr Squad: The performance troupe of Circus Starr that interact with audience members during shows.
• The Circus Starr Sensory Story

Products and services

• Circus Starr Inclusive Circus Shows Touring relaxed circus performances for disabled, vulnerable, and disadvantaged children and their families, delivered through seasonal Big Top and indoor theatre tours (Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn). The approximately 1.5-hour show features toned-down lights, quieter music, no motorbikes or loud bangs, and free entry/re-exit to accommodate sensory needs.
• The Circus Starr Sensory Story and Pack A free sensory preparation resource created with sensory specialist Joanna Grace, available as a digital download or posted physical pack. It walks families through the show experience using sensory stimuli (light changes, popcorn smell) to reduce anxiety before attending.
• Touch Tours Pre-show tours where visually impaired children and their families meet performers and physically handle props, enhancing the performance experience for blind and partially-sighted audiences.
• Signed Performances (BSL) Circus Starr is the first UK circus to feature a British Sign Language interpreter at every performance as standard, with the troupe also teaching the audience the chorus of the finale song in sign.
• Changing Places Facilities Accessible toilet and changing facilities provided at every Big Top show, delivered in partnership with Mobiloo, making Circus Starr the first UK circus to offer Changing Places facilities at every performance.
• Easyfundraising Donation Cause Circus Starr is registered as a cause with easyfundraising.org.uk, enabling supporters to generate free donations for the charity at no extra cost when shopping online with participating retailers.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~75,000 visitors per year attend Circus Starr events
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor corporate sponsor, flagship corporate partner, core content partner and major operational partner.

• Wyatt Homesminor corporate sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2025Privately-owned Dorset house builder sponsoring Circus Starr (post listed Aug 2025) and supporting the creation of inclusive magic moments for children with additional needs.
• Taylor-Davis Ltdminor corporate sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2025UK metal and plastic containers supplier sponsoring Circus Starr from August 2025 to support creation of magical moments for children with additional needs.
• Logika Groupminor corporate sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2025UK-based environmental consultancy that began sponsoring Circus Starr in 2025, citing shared values around inclusion, social value and removing barriers.
• Knight & Jones Recruitmentminor corporate sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025Healthcare recruiter (50 years combined experience) sponsoring Circus Starr from June 2025 as a national partner.
• Majas Switchgear Ltdminor corporate sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025Haydock-based electrical switchgear manufacturer sponsoring Circus Starr from June 2025.
• VitalityPROminor corporate sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2025North-of-England-based longevity supplements brand sponsoring Circus Starr from May 2025 to help deliver inclusive magical circus experiences to children who might otherwise miss out.
• Blue Group (Blue Machinery Central)minor corporate sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2025Cheshire-based materials processing equipment supplier sponsoring Circus Starr from May 2025. Operations in Northwich and Nantwich.
• Chiorino UKminor corporate sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Chiorino UK sponsored Circus Starr's Winter Tour (Jan 2020), making a donation that funded three children's tickets to attend. Coverage and backlink published on Chiorino's corporate blog.
• Swansway Garages Ltd / Swansway Motor Groupflagship corporate partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2015Family-owned car dealership group supporting Circus Starr since 2015 via the Motability scheme. For every Motability vehicle they sell, Swansway makes a contribution to Circus Starr — a cause-related marketing initiative. Latest single-year contribution reported at £5,460 (Oct 2020), their highest yet.
• Joanna Grace / The Sensory Projectscore content partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSensory specialist Joanna Grace collaborated with Circus Starr to co-create the Circus Starr Sensory Story and accompanying pack — a free downloadable digital story and a free physical resource pack sent to families. The Sensory Projects provided specialist expertise in sensory accessibility, which Circus Starr used to extend its audience preparation offer.
• Mobiloomajor operational partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner delivering Changing Places accessible toilet and washing facilities at every Circus Starr Big Top show, making Circus Starr the first circus in the UK to offer Changing Places facilities at every performance.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mencap: One of the UK's largest learning-disability charities serving children and adults. Overlaps with Circus Starr on the learning-disability and family audience base, and competes for the same pool of UK corporate CSR and individual donor funding.
• KIDS: UK-wide charity working with disabled children, young people and their families. Shares Circus Starr's disabled-children mission and family-inclusive ethos, though delivers services rather than live performance experiences.
• Whizz-Kidz: Major UK charity supporting disabled children with mobility equipment and inclusive experiences. Compares to Circus Starr on the disabled-children beneficiary base and UK-wide delivery model, though operates a different service mix.
• Sense: Large UK disability charity serving people with complex disabilities including deafblindness. Comparable to Circus Starr on disability beneficiary base and accessibility focus, though with a much broader service portfolio and national infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Gandey's Circus: One of the UK's largest touring circuses running a Big Top operation that travels across UK towns and cities. Compares to Circus Starr on the touring circus operational model, though it operates as a commercial paid-ticketed operator rather than a charity.
• Circus Extreme: UK touring Big Top circus operating a multi-venue regional tour with combined Big Top and theatre performances. Closely comparable operational format to Circus Starr, though targeting mass-market family audiences with paid tickets.
• Zippos Circus: UK touring Big Top circus with a multi-decade touring history and a family-entertainment focus. Shares Circus Starr's touring Big Top operational model and UK regional town tour stop structure, but operates commercially.

Emerging players

• Access All Areas: UK inclusive performing-arts organisation producing theatre and live work with learning-disabled and autistic artists and audiences. Comparable mission and accessibility-led performance approach to Circus Starr, though operating at smaller scale.
• Mind the Gap: One of the UK's longest-established inclusive theatre companies producing work with learning-disabled performers and audiences. Shares Circus Starr's disabled-audience focus and inclusive performance methodology, though based in theatre rather than circus.
• Diverse City: UK inclusive performing-arts company championing disabled and non-disabled performers together. Comparable to Circus Starr's accessibility mission and disabled-audience focus, though operating across multiple art forms rather than exclusively circus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CircusStarr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjT4ZZVHnuvoY_x0QHblaow
• Facebookfacebook.com/circusstarr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/circus-starr
• Instagraminstagram.com/circusstarrcio

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Circus Starr