NOT-FOR-PROFIT cinema Movies by Burswood is set to open again this summer and is aiming to raise in excess of $100,000 over its four month opening period. Now in its fifth year, the cinema has raised over $250,000 for Western Australian children’s charities. Located in the Burswood Parklands, movies screen from December 23 through to April 2 on Tuesday to Sunday nights. Movies by Burswood event coordinator Ken Gibbons said “the outdoor cinema is one of the few places in Perth that offers old fashioned family entertainment at a reasonable price” ($29 for a family of four). Mr Gibbons said he decided that after selling his business he wanted to give something back to the Perth community. He said he had a vision of an event that could provide the sort of family orientated entertainment that Perth was lacking and at the same time benefit charities. The board and volunteers of Movies at Burswood meet monthly during the off-season and Mr Gibbons believes it takes between 12,000 and 15,000 hours per year to organise. A feature of the season is WAMI Live at Burswood on three Sunday nights in February commencing on 13 February – a series of live performances by Western Australian bands presented in association with the WA Music Industry. Charities supported by Movies by Burswood include Speak Easy, Camp Quality, Riding for the Disabled and the Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia. Mr Gibbons said these charities were chosen because of their commitment to helping to improve the lifestyle of children who are suffering a health or phy-sical ability crisis. “The hardest thing about running the event like many community service events in Western Australia is we struggle to find that critical sponsorship which ensures our ongoing survival,” Mr Gibbons said. To run Movies by Burs-wood takes the time and dedication of 300 volunteers and the cinema is always looking for volunteers, however sponsorship is harder to come by, he said. He added that he had seen more and more companies directing large amounts of their funding and support towards national events with local events getting ignored. Movies by Burswood is keen to see the return of corp-orate nights and company picnics to help support events like Movies by Burswood and to strengthen WA families. Anybody who wants to help out Movies by Burswood either by volunteering their services or corporate sponsorship can contact Ken Gibbons on 9397 5545 or email Info@moviesbyburswood.com.