Date published: 10 January 2024 by Katie Inglis

Chessington Garden Centre has raised an incredible £12,377 in 2023, enough to support six families caring for a seriously ill child for one year.

Rainbow Trust and Chessington Garden Centre have been working in partnership for many years, with 2023 one of the most successful yet.

Rainbow Trust is incredibly lucky to benefit from Chessington’s award-worthy Christmas Grotto experience, with visitors generously donating over £9,000 at the Wishing Well in November and December alone.

Other fundraising fun kicked off over October half-term with a jam-packed Halloween week of entertainment with visitors enjoying various games and creating spooky arts and crafts to take home. This week wouldn’t have been possible without a wonderful team of volunteers – thank you to everyone at Police Federation, Taylor Wimpey, K2 Corporate Mobility, Bytes, Sevan Solutions, and Reeds School for your time and enthusiasm.

Katherine Burgess – Corporate and Community Fundraising Manager at Rainbow Trust said:

“We are privileged to be associated with such a spectacular event, the grotto is beautiful and such a lovely experience for families. We are blown away by the generosity and want to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated. We also want to thank all the staff at Chessington Garden Centre for encouraging donations and providing us with such a wonderful backdrop to our fundraising. This is an incredible achievement that will make a tangible difference to the lives of families caring for a seriously ill child.

“With the cost-of-living crisis continuing to impact families across the country, community partnerships are more important than ever. With rising prices of fuel, heating, food and specialist medical equipment, some parents face impossible cutbacks. A Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker can help alleviate some of this stress by taking a family to hospital appointments and saving them the cost of travel and providing them with emotional support throughout times of uncertainty, helping them to cope when the unimaginable happens.”

Jamie Port, Chessington Garden Centre’s Marketing and Events Manager, said:

“We want to express our deepest gratitude for this year's partnership with Rainbow Trust. Working together has been an absolute joy, with some entertaining and creative events. We are overjoyed with our customers' tremendous support, generosity and donations that have helped raise such an incredible total. The work Rainbow Trust does and its positive impact on the lives of families in need is truly commendable. We hope the money raised can bring happiness to those who benefit from Rainbow Trust's invaluable services.”