A HAMPSHIRE theme park has donated £45,000 to its local charity partners, to support those with life-limiting illnesses.
The Karen Ingram Foundation, Young Lives vs Cancer, and Southampton Children’s Hospital Charity each received £15,000 from Paultons Park.
Liz Blunt, senior fundraising engagement manager for Young Lives vs Cancer (Hampshire), said: “We are over the moon to be working with the award-winning Paultons Park. To receive £15,000 makes such an impact on the support that can be given to children and young people with cancer and their families.
“We only have our team of Young Lives vs Cancer Social Workers and Jean’s House, our ‘Home from Home’ in Southampton close by to Southampton Hospital thanks to the kindness of companies like Paultons Park.”
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Young Lives vs Cancer works to reduce the hardships faced by children and young people with cancer and their families.
Fellow partner charity the Karen Ingram Foundation was founded in 2008, in memory of Karen Jane Ingram who died of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, aged 40. The charity aims to raise awareness of the disease and the donated funds support clinical research.
Earlier this year, Paultons Park, near Ower, expanded its charity scheme to formally support the Karen Ingram Foundation as its small charity partner and Young Lives vs Cancer as its medium charity partner.
The family-owned attraction has supported Southampton Children’s Hospital Charity since 2019, and the organisation remains Paultons Park’s headline charity.
James Mancey, operations director at Paultons Park, said: “Playing an active role in our local community is a key pillar in our Paultons Promise and is our commitment to helping to make the world a better place. Over the past 40 years, we have eagerly supported local causes, and I am incredibly proud that we have been able to donate such significant funds to three brilliant charities in Hampshire this year.
“We chose to expand our charity partnership programme earlier this year to ensure we were supporting causes and organisations of all sizes, and ensure donations are reaching those who need it most.”
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The theme park has raised more than £150,000 for Southampton Children’s Hospital Charity which has been used to refurbish and equip a specialist sensory playroom for patients and create a designated play and activity space within the Children’s Hospital.
The business supports its charity partners through a variety of events, activities, and guest donations. Donation points where visitors can tap to donate are dotted around the park and proceeds are funds split equally between the three charity partners.
Earlier in the year, three members of the marketing team undertook a 15,000ft tandem skydive, to raise funds and awareness for Southampton Children's Hospitals Charity’s.
For more information go to paultonspark.co.uk/info/our-community.
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