Gulliver’s Valley hosts special charity ‘Toy Bank’ weekend

Gulliver’s Valley in Rotherham will be the host for a national charity that supports children affected by domestic abuse by discounting its entry price on one big weekend in April.

In aid of KidsOut, a national charity who supports mothers and children who have escaped domestic abuse, Gulliver’s are inviting their guests to access a reduced ticket price on entry for all the family in return of a donation of a brand new toy, which goes into Toy Boxes that KidsOut put together for children in Refuge up and down the UK. 

For the weekend of April 27 and 28, a donation of one new toy per family will reduce the theme park ticket price from £22.00 (online advance booking price) to just £14.00 for both adults and children. And don’t forget, it’s free entry as normal for children under 90cms in height.

Craig Seedhouse, resort director at Gulliver’s Valley, said: “Families can bring along any new toy, large or small, which will go towards providing a little hope to these disadvantaged children who have been through so much. We hope the park is really busy that weekend so that we can pass on a huge number of toys to the team at KidsOut.”

Each year over 20,000 children flee domestic abuse to seek sanctuary in refuge or a safehouse. Typically leaving home with only the clothes on their back, these children have either witnessed or experienced physical, emotional, and even sexual abuse and arrive at refuge with nothing.

Each Toy Box contains 10 brand new toys that are both age and gender appropriate, filled with a family game, jigsaw puzzle, craft activity, educational game, action figure/doll, books, outdoor play and a cuddly toy. Receiving the Toy Box can help children regain a sense of normality, make the world seem a little kinder, and give them a reason to invite other children over to play.

Louise Sherwood, community engagement manager, at KidsOut said: “Working with an amazing, well known attraction like Gulliver’s across the country is very exciting for a small, national charity like us.  Over 850 children are supported in the South Yorkshire area by KidsOut through our Toy Box project who are in local refuges so it’s fantastic Gulliver’s Valley is on board to support us.

Sara Williams, CEO, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Gulliver’s Valley for their generous support of KidsOut through a toy donation. She emphasised the significant impact such donations have on the lives of disadvantaged, vulnerable, and often overlooked children. This act of kindness will undoubtedly bring joy and hope to those in need.

“An example of someone we have helped is a young boy named Amir and his family who sought safety at a refuge in the Midlands to escape honour-based abuse and their journey away from physical, emotional, and financial abuse was full of challenges. Arriving with nothing, they faced the overwhelming task of rebuilding their lives from scratch while dealing with the profound loss of home and belongings. The KidsOut Toy Box are always a welcome sight when placed in the homes at refuge, ready for the child to receive. Among the treasures in the box were many books and toys, items that his mum would never be able to afford.

“Amir’s mum told us that they had never been gifted anything before so it meant so much to them to see that people care.”

The national Toy Drive Weekend is taking place at all four Gulliver’s sites across the UK on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April 2024. Tickets can be purchased online www.gulliversvalleyresort.co.uk and to redeem the discounted price, all you need to do is book online and bring your toy donation on the day of entry. 

KidsOut are the only charity in the UK to reach children in refuges with a toybox of brand-new toys. Plus, by working with our charity partners we also help disadvantaged children and young carers experience carefree fun days out. If you would like to help support our work, please visit: www.kidsout.org.uk or follow us on our social media platforms to find out more about the work we do.

For more information about the work of KidsOut, visit: https://www.kidsout.org.uk/