A charity fundraising initiative conceived in the lead-up to EAG 2023 has exceeded its ambitious five figure target ahead of EAG 2024 opening at ExCeL London (16th – 18th January).

The partnership between Whitehouse Leisure, the bacta Charitable Trust and Rays of Sunshine, saw Whitehouse donate 50p for every Eco Earth plush toy it sold.

With Whitehouse selling a total of 21,360 pieces the initiative has raised a magnificent £10,680 for the charity which brightens the lives of seriously ill young people and their families by granting wishes and providing ongoing support within hospitals. 

Reflecting on the completion of the fundraising partnership, Phil Setter, Managing Director at Whitehouse Leisure said: “I cannot thank our customers enough for supporting us and by extension supporting the incredible Rays of Sunshine charity.”

“Seeing how impactful our Cute Eco Earth animal plush looks in crane machines and branded with our eye-catching point of sale to promote the fundraising initiative was fantastic. Speaking to our customers that have supported the plush, they have said that it’s been incredibly popular with their customers and this is evident in the amount of money we have raised.”

“Being able to donate invaluable funds to Rays of Sunshine and support the work they do in helping put smiles on the faces of seriously ill children was an opportunity not to be missed and it’s gratifying that our Cute Eco Earth plush has enabled us to do exactly that.”

He added: “Our sector is built on family entertainment and doing something positive for families is something that I believe we all need to continue doing and why we wanted to lead the way and to support Rays of Sunshine.”

EAG Chairman Martin Burlin added: “I am delighted that a campaign which was developed and agreed at EAG 2023 will be completed with a presentation at EAG 2024.

“It succeeded in driving traffic to venues and put the Crane front and centre stage. It was fundraising for a brilliant cause and huge thanks should go to Phil and the entire team at Whitehouse Leisure.”

Rays of Sunshine, which in 2024 celebrates its 21st anniversary, is one of the most popular recipients of bacta fundraising. The charity, 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 on hold – even if it is just for one day. The work undertaken by Rays of Sunshine sets out to create a positive distraction, reduce isolation, improve self-esteem and create precious memories and smiles.

Whitehouse Leisure is one of the many leading innovators drawn from across the amusements and low-stake gaming sectors exhibiting at the 2024 edition of EAG Expo (16th – 18th January, ExCeL London). To join the 4,000+ operators expected to be part of the free to attend EAG simply register at https://www.eagexpo.com