In Toy Fair’s 70th year, the celebrations continue with exhibitors having generously donated a record-breaking amount of product to KidsOut via the popular ‘Trolley Dash.’
KidsOut, in it’s 7th year as the show’s official charity partner, brought in more than 80 volunteers who scurried around the aisles collecting in excess of 5,600 toys and games generously gifted by exhibitors, the highest amount received to date.
Toy Fair concluded on a heartwarming note as exhibitors rallied together to donate a record-breaking number of toys and games to the charity KidsOut. The much-anticipated ‘Trolley Dash’ marked the end of three successful and busy days for the toy industry.
Celebrating 7 years as the show’s official charity partner, KidsOut witnessed an extraordinary outpouring of generosity from exhibitors as the volunteers hurried up and down the aisles at the culmination of the show, collecting an incredible 5,600+ toys and games – the highest amount ever received in the history of the Trolley Dash.
KidsOut, a charity dedicated to helping children who have been victims of abuse and forced to flee their homes for refuge, received a diverse and fantastic range of products. These items, meticulously categorized by age suitability, will be grouped to create toy boxes sent out to vulnerable children.
In 2023, KidsOut sent out over 11,200 toy boxes containing 10 brand new toys each, bringing joy to thousands of displaced children and providing loose toys to disadvantaged children facing various challenges such as poverty, disability, sickness, or other disadvantages. The total amounted to an impressive 227,976 toys sent to some of the most disadvantaged, vulnerable, and forgotten children.
The donations from this year’s Toy Fair will not only contribute to creating these special toy boxes but will also assist refuge homes and other community groups with bicycles, dollhouses, outdoor play sets, and much more.
Sara Williams, CEO of KidsOut, “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, said: “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.”
If you are interested in volunteering, a team bonding day or one of the many programmes they have working with businesses, get in touch with KidsOut. Please email [email protected] for more information or visit www.kidsout.org.uk.
Exhibitor applications for Toy Fair 2025 will open in March via www.toyfair.co.uk.
To view the 2024 highlights reel, click HERE.
