IN response to Sarah Luxford’s letter about the rudeness of an audience member to her son, who has special needs, at a performance of Annie at Theatre Royal Brighton (The Argus, August 27), sadly her experience is not uncommon.

Amaze is a Brighton-based charity that works with parents of children with special needs.

Children with special needs are, above all, children and they and their families have the same rights as everyone else to use public facilities in our city.

At Amaze, we are working hard to encourage families to use public facilities through our leisure incentive card, the Compass Card.

This gives children with significant special needs free and discounted deals in a range of local venues – including the Theatre Royal, the Duke of York’s Picture House, the city’s swimming pools and libraries, Westow’s World of Play, Brighton Bowlplex and Sealife.

We’d like to thank the Theatre Royal for turning an unpleasant experience into a positive one for Sarah and her family. We were also delighted that another of our Compass Card partners, the Duke of York’s, was so quick to sympathise with her in its letter to your paper.

I hope the speedy response of these two popular city venues in supporting Sarah Luxford will encourage more families who have children with special needs to get out and enjoy themselves.

Our wonderful city is full of difference. Let’s embrace it.

In the meantime, Amaze is always looking for new city venues to become Compass Card partners. If there are any interested organisations, they are welcome to call me on 01273 234020.

Ann Blackburn
Amaze, Queen’s Road, Brighton