Setup is Friday 13th November 
Party on Saturday 14th November

The Christmas Party is a free, invitation only event that aims to provide 1,200 children from Cairns and as far north as Port Douglas, south to Cardwell and inland to the Tablelands and all the points in between with a day they will never forget.

The children invited may be living with serious illnesses, physical and/or intellectual disabilities, or complex needs. This special event is not open to the public; invitations are extended through schools (both mainstream and private), as well as charities and care providers.

We host a full day of fun and celebration, including lunch, drinks, fruit, lollies, ice creams, and chips, along with a three-hour live stage show. The festivities also feature face painting, games, a petting farm interactive displays, and much more. And of course, no Christmas party would be complete without Santa Claus! Each child will receive at least three high quality presents.

This year's Party will be held at the Cairns Convention Centre Sheridan St &, Wharf St

About Volunteering for the Party: 

• Your role for the day will be assigned prior to arrival. 
• We encourage you to be flexible and exercise initiative during the busy 4 hours of this event. 
• We appreciate, value and depend heavily on all volunteers turning up on the day. 

Volunteer Responsibilities

Thank you for being part of this special event! To help things run smoothly and ensure a safe and enjoyable day for everyone, please take note of the following guidelines:

Dress Code: Volunteers must wear their official Christmas Party T-shirt and name badge at all times.
Check-In: All volunteers must report to the Volunteer Registration Point to sign in.
• Check-in opens at 9:00 AM on Friday and 8:30 AM on Saturday
• Please use the check-in app provided or sign in manually upon arrival.
Footwear: Please wear sensible, closed-in shoes for safety. Thongs and sandals are not permitted.
Hydration: Stay hydrated throughout the day – water will be available.
Mobile Phones: Refrain from using your phone while on duty, except in an emergency.
Smoking/Vaping:
• A designated smoking/vaping area will be available for parents.
• Volunteers who smoke are asked to use this area discreetly, out of public view.
• Keep the area clean and use the ashtrays provided.
Valuables: We strongly advise against bringing valuables, as storage is not provided.
Leftover Gifts: Please do not request leftover toys. These will be distributed to partner organisations and hospitals.
End of Event: The party concludes at 2:00 PM. Clean-up will take only 30–40 minutes if everyone helps—please stick around and lend a hand!
Feedback Welcome: We value your feedback and suggestions! Please share your thoughts by emailing us at [email protected].

If you are under the age of 15 or a member of your team is under 15, they can help during the party, however they must wait in the foyer until the back loading dock doors are closed. All children (under 15) must be offsite before we re-open the dock doors. Anyone under 15 will be asked to vacate when the children leave at 2:00pm. The venue will not allow the dock doors to open unless all children are offsite.

COVID Safe

Because of the recent pandemic, we are governed by restrictions to maintain the health and safety of our guests. Participants are reminded to stay home if unwell.

Blue Card

We are committed to providing a safe environment for our invited guests it a requirement that you hold a valid Blue Card or exemption. It is free to apply for a Blue Card as a volunteer, more information and application can be found here: Blue Card Application

Our Organisation ID: 1033781
Please let us know if you have applied by emailing: [email protected] 

VOLUNTEERING AT THE SETUP
Friday 14th November
Cairns Convention Centre

We require a number of volunteers to assist the day before the party with the following tasks:

Volunteer Arrival and Sign-In:

• Arrival Time: Volunteers will sign in between 9:00 am – 9:30 am.
• Start Time: Work will begin promptly at 9:45 am.
  Please present your QR code to be signed In.

Volunteer Tasks:

• Unpacking and moving boxes, Setting Up & Displaying Children’s Gifts in the Toy Room
• Decoration of Toy Room and Santa’s Area
• Infrastructure Setup - Trestle tables, Unstack and arrange chairs, wrapping tables and position for activities, set up Signage to indicate different areas     (e.g., Toy Room, Santa's Area).
• Unloading Deliveries of Food and Other Goods
• Pre-Pack Snack Bags

Lunch will be provided. We will try to contain this component to 6 - 7 hours.

All volunteers for the SETUP must be over 15 years and older

If you have any volunteers in your team under the age of 15, they can help during the party, however they must wait in the foyer until the loading dock doors are closed. All children must be offsite before we re-open the dock doors. They will be asked to vacate when the children leave at 2:30pm.