A CBeebies presenter and new patron of the Polka Theatre entertained children as part of a visit at the weekend.

Cerrie Burnell has fond memories of the children’s theatre, having seen productions there as a child herself. She now enjoys taking her daughter along to the venue in The Broadway, Wimbledon.

Wimbledon Times:

She ran an interactive storytelling session for youngsters on Sunday, January 31 – her first event as patron.

She read passages from her books called Snowflakes and Mermaid, signing copies afterwards for lucky young attendees.

All proceeds from the event went to support Polka’s community outreach work.

Wimbledon Times:

Ms Burnell joins other Polka patrons including June Whitfield CBE, Michael Rosen and Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE.

She said: “I'm incredibly excited about becoming an ambassador for Polka. Every child should be able to experience the magic of theatre, and Polka is committed to making this happen. It’s a very special place, a community of creativity where stories come to life on stage - and all families are truly welcome.”

Ms Burnell has been a CBeebies presenter since 2009 and has written a number of children’s books. Her most recent book is Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella.