A charitable fundraising initiative designed ahead of EAG 2023 has surpassed its ambitious five-figure target ahead of the opening of EAG 2024 at London's ExCeL (16-18 January). The partnership between Whitehouse Leisure, bacta Charitable Trust and Rays of Sunshine has seen Whitehouse donate 50p for every Eco Earth soft toy sold. With a total of 21.360 pieces sold, the initiative made it possible to raise 10.680 pounds for the association, which works to brighten the lives of seriously ill young people and their families by granting wishes and providing continuous support within the hospitals.
Reflecting on the completion of the fundraising partnership, Phil Setter, managing director of Whitehouse Leisure, said: “I can't thank our customers enough for their support of us and, in turn, the incredible Rays of Sunshine Association. Seeing the impact of our Cute Eco Earth animal soft toy in the crane machines and with our eye-catching point of sale to promote the fundraising initiative was fantastic. Speaking to our customers who have supported the plush, they told us that it has been incredibly popular with their customers and this is evident in the amount of money we have raised. Being able to donate precious funds to Rays of Sunshine and support the work they do to help make seriously ill children smile was an opportunity not to be missed, and it's gratifying that our Cute Eco Earth plush has allowed us to do exactly that. Our industry is built on family entertainment and doing something positive for families is something I believe we all need to continue to do and that's why we wanted to lead the way and support Rays of Sunshine."
The president of the EAG, Martin Burlin, added: “I am delighted that a campaign developed and agreed at EAG 2023 will be complemented with a presentation at EAG 2024. It has succeeded in driving traffic to the venues and putting the Crane at the forefront. It was a fundraiser for a brilliant cause and a huge thank you goes to Phil and all the team at Whitehouse Leisure.”
Rays of Sunshine, which will celebrate its 2024st anniversary in 21, is one of Bacta's most popular fundraising recipients. The association, which has reached more than 80.000 seriously ill children and their families, believes that every child deserves to experience happiness and put their illness aside, even if just for a day. The work done by Rays of Sunshine aims to create positive distraction, reduce isolation, improve self-esteem and create precious memories and smiles.
Whitehouse Leisure is one of many leading innovators from the low-cost entertainment and gambling sectors who will be exhibiting at the 2024 EAG Expo (16-18 January, ExCeL London). To join the over 4.000 operators who are expected to participate in the EAG for free, simply register on https://www.eagexpo.com.
