Toy Fair charity partner KidsOut grabbed more than 5,600 toys and games during the seventh annual trolley dash that brought the curtain down on the London event – a record amount for the good cause.
More than 80 volunteers scurried around the giant halls at Olympia as Toy Fair 2024 came to an end, loading up trollies with product donated by exhibitors.
The charity helps children who have been victims of abuse and forced to flee their homes for refuge and the “diverse and fantastic range of products” it nabbed on the trolley dash will be sorted and sent out in toy boxes to vulnerable children. Last year, KidsOut sent out more than 11,200 toy boxes containing 10 brand new toys each, with a grant total of 227,976 toys sent to some of the most disadvantaged, vulnerable, and forgotten children.
The toys from this years event will be sent out in toy boxes and also go to refuge homes and other community groups.
“It has been our pleasure to once again partner with KidsOut on this fantastic annual initiative. The staff are highly organised and the volunteers work speedily and efficiently to gather the thousands of items which ultimately will go directly to help spread joy to children in desperate situations:
Majen Immink, Director of Toy Fair
Sara Williams, CEO of KidsOut, said: “We were once again overjoyed and overwhelmed by the level of support shown by the industry at this year’s Toy Fair. We are so grateful for the incredible amount of product gifted to the charity, which will contribute immensely to bringing a smile to so many children’s faces at what can be the most difficult and painful time in their young lives. We would like to express our huge appreciation to the exhibitors who so generously donated their stock, but also the BTHA for their continued faith in the cause, as well as the volunteers and unseen heroes supporting with trolleys and transport, Tesco, Morrisons, and Marks and Spencer.”
Majen Immink, Director of Toy Fair, added: “It has been our pleasure to once again partner with KidsOut on this fantastic annual initiative. The staff are highly organised and the volunteers work speedily and efficiently to gather the thousands of items which ultimately will go directly to help spread joy to children in desperate situations. The generosity displayed by our exhibitors never ceases to amaze us and we are so pleased to be able to be involved in supporting a charity that works directly with children in need of support.”
To get involved with KidsOut, from everything from volunteering to holding a team bonding day email info@kidsout.org.uk for more information or visit www.kidsout.org.uk.
