Former Port legend’s car yard opens the Lolly Jar
A circus school that makes a difference is taking its troupe to a new site rumoured to have been once used as a car garage by one of Port Adelaide’s best-loved footy players.
Lolly Jar Circus is moving into a new venue at 117 Frederick Street, Welland, rumoured to once have been a car yard of Port legend Charlie Dixon, as its founder challenges misconceptions around creating inclusive spaces.
Judy Bowden, who is the founder and CEO of Lolly Jar Circus, said it was “very important” for Lolly Jar to have its own dedicated space, as it means the inclusive circus school can offer more classes and spend less time setting up equipment.
“It’s a place where all children and young people, and older people too, will feel very, very happy,” Bowden told InDaily.
To mark the occasion, Lolly Jar is hosting a “grand unveiling” today, featuring a live demonstration and attended by representatives from the Make a Difference Foundation and local dignitaries.
Bowden said that Lolly Jar received a $100,000 cheque from the Make a Difference Foundation to hire and fit out its own venue, with volunteers spending countless hours transforming the space from a “grey warehouse” to a “dream circus”.
This included repainting the entire venue with “Lolly Jar colours” and decorating the space with “quirky decorations”.
The dedicated venue means Lolly Jar can run its regular classes throughout the week, while the space can also be used for birthday parties, performances and other events.
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As founder of Lolly Jar, Bowden said she often hears firsthand evidence about the positive impact of the classes.
This includes participant Archer, “one of the greatest success stories” of Lolly Jar, who now runs his own coffee cart and is organising the catering for today’s event, as well as taking part in a demonstration class.
“I often hear that the day that a child or young person comes to classes is the favourite day of the week, and parents tell me that being part of Lolly Jar has helped them grow in self-esteem and confidence and take on lots of other activities outside of our classes,” Bowden said.
Twenty-three-year-old Brooke, who has been attending Lolly Jar for six years, said she looks forward to trying the new trampoline.
“I try new things and make new friends,” she said.
“I got a lot better at my cartwheels as well.”
Archer, who is 20 years old, said he enjoys using the stilts and doing flips at Lolly Jar.
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He said the circus has helped him build confidence and make new friends during his 10 years attending classes.
Bowden told InDaily that Lolly Jar had changed a lot since it first started in 2013, when it ran two classes once a week at a church hall in St Peters.
“It was a bit of an experiment, but it worked really well,” she said, adding that Lolly Jar is a place where “everyone is welcome”.
“We are an inclusive social circus school, which means that we include everyone, and that means people with or without disabilities, people at social risk in any way, people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, from any cultural or linguistic background.”
Many of those who attend classes have autism, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy and other muscular conditions, Bowden said, while others have experienced trauma in their childhood.
There are also participants from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and refugees, as well as foster and LGBTQIA+ participants.
A typical class would start by everyone greeting each other, Bowden said, followed by warm-up games and stretches, and then different activities such as tumbling, stilt walking, balancing on globes, aerial and trapeze work and silks.
Participants can also have a go using a hula hoop, juggling, spinning or twirling ribbons.
“Most of all, we have a lot of fun,” Bowden said, adding that Lolly Jar’s activities are tailored to be accessible to all participants’ needs.
Asked some of the challenges faced by Lolly Jar, Bowden said “times are tight” for all charities, adding that there was also a lot of misunderstanding about inclusivity.
“Back in the old days, people with disabilities were put in separate schools, separate classes, separate events, and that still happens in some places,” she said.
“But our concept from the beginning has been to have everybody in the same class together, and that works brilliantly.”
Editor’s Note: Charlie Gilchrist is the son of Lolly Jar Circus founder and CEO Judy Bowden
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