Press Release

BTHA announces KidsOut as official Toy Fair 2020 charity

BTHA announces KidsOut as official Toy Fair 2020 charity

Safe House Toy Box Scheme, supported by Toy Fair donations, increases charity’s outreach by 20%

(London, UK) 5 November, 2019 –The British Toy and Hobby Association has announced today that Toy Fair 2020’s official charity partner will be the children’s charity, KidsOut.

KidsOut works with Women’s Aid Federation refuges across the UK. The charity provides support, organises positive experiences, and gives toys to vulnerable children who have escaped domestic abuse.*

For the fifth year, KidsOut will run the Trolley Dash donation drive on the last day of the Toy Fair. Last year’s show saw over 60 volunteers take to the show floor with empty shopping trolleys, collecting more than 4,000 toys kindly donated by exhibiting companies.

The toys collected at Toy Fair play a major role in KidsOut’s toy outreach programmes throughout the year. Supported by the huge collection from the Trolley Dash 2019, the charity was able to launch a brand-new service this year – the ‘Safe House Toy Box’ scheme.

Safe House Toy Box delivered toy boxes to more than 600 children in outreach and safe houses this year-to-date, increasing the charity’s outreach by 20%. The service is an extension to the charity’s existing Toy Box initiative, which distributes thousands of toy boxes to children in Women’s Aid refuges across the country. Both schemes combined have reached more than 3,000 children so far this year.

“KidsOut strives to bring fun and happiness to as many vulnerable young people as possible. Support from the Toy Industry through events like Toy Fair is essential in aiding KidsOut to expand its services and reach even more disadvantaged children around the UK,” said Gordon Moulds CBE DL, KidsOut CEO.

“We are always overwhelmed by the generosity and support from our exhibiting companies at Toy Fair,” commented Majen Immink, Director of Fairs and Special Events. “Thank you again for helping us to support this incredible charity, and their important work.”