14 January 2018: More than 3,500 toys were kindly donated by Toy Fair exhibitors at this year’s Trolley Dash.
KidsOut returned to the show for a third consecutive year as Toy Fair’s official charity partner and brought along more than 50 volunteers to roam the aisles collecting toys.
KidsOut deliver a range of UK children¹s services including support for UK children who have escaped domestic violence. Working with many different partnerships, KidsOut deliver innovative interventions to build self-esteem and confidence which have a long term positive impact on the lives of children and young people. Thanks to the generosity of our exhibitors, more than 3,500 children will now be recipients from the Trolley Dash.
The toys from the Toy Fair are packed into Toy Boxes, whereby every child that is relocated from refuge receives a box of brand new toys to call their own, which helps provide comfort in a time of such uncertainty. A mother of one of the children (who must remain anonymous for security reasons) said: “It’s exciting and very pleasing to receive anything like this for your child. It has different stuff to keep him busy for hours and things which are very useful and reusable. It will make him feel no different than any other kid and it will make him very happy.”
Sandra Doherty, Head of Children’s Services at KidsOut commented: “The generosity of exhibitors mixed with the enthusiasm of volunteers made the day a true success for KidsOut. We receive feedback all the time about how important our Toy Box service is to the refuges and the children who receive them. Without these toys many of the children would still be left with nothing, and I am so proud that KidsOut can be a part of making their lives a little better.”
Majen Immink, the BTHA’s Director of Fairs and Special Events added: “We’d like to thank all our Toy Fair exhibitors once again for their huge generosity when donating to the Trolley Dash. The support each year is overwhelming and it’s great to see the industry rallying behind this worthy charity and helping bring comfort to these children’s lives. Also, a huge thank you to the volunteers who give up their time each year to ensure the Trolley Dash is a success.”
Please note exhibitor applications for Toy Fair 2019 are now open. To keep up to date with the latest news, follow Toy Fair on Twitter @ToyFairUK.
