The Entertainer Raises £4 Million for Four UK Children’s Hospitals Through Pennies Partnership

Britain’s toy shop, The Entertainer, has announced that it has raised £4m for four UK children’s hospitals across the UK through its partnership with micro-donation charity, Pennies.

The UK’s largest toy retailer has revealed that it has now reached the £1m mark for each of the four leading children’s hospitals it supports in the UK, including Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Bristol Children’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.

The Entertainer reached the milestone in the last month as a result of customer micro-donations made at tills in 150+ stores. The donations raised have helped fund vital care, specialist equipment and support services for seriously ill children and their families across the UK.

As the first retailer to work with Pennies, The Entertainer’s customers have had the opportunity to round up their cashless purchases to the nearest pound since 2011, with every penny supporting UK-registered charities. In total, the partnership has raised £6.4m for over 500 charities.

“At The Entertainer, play is at the heart of everything we do, so supporting causes that bring comfort, hope and moments of joy to seriously ill children feels deeply important to us,” said Andrew Murphy OBE, Group Chief Executive Officer of The Entertainer. “We’re incredibly proud to have reached this significant milestone, which is a testament to the generosity of our customers and the value of our partnership with Pennies.”

Alison Hutchinson CBE, Chief Executive Officer of Pennies, added: “As Pennies’ pioneering partner in retail, we are delighted to celebrate this incredible milestone with The Entertainer and its customers. Raising £4m through millions of micro-donations, helping to fund vital care and bring moments of play, comfort and joy to children in hospital is a remarkable achievement. Thank you to The Entertainer team and to every customer who presses ‘Yes’ – together, you’re helping ensure every child can experience the power of play, even during the toughest times.”

Fiona Ashcroft, CEO Alder Hey Children’s Charity, also commented: “We are incredibly grateful to The Entertainer and its customers for helping to reach this remarkable milestone. Partnerships like this create real and lasting impact for children and families both here in our local communities and for the thousands of children from across the UK who come to Alder Hey for specialist care every year.”

Helen Miles, Head of Partnerships and Major Donors at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “One of the many areas The Entertainer has helped support is with play. Play is serious business at our hospital, as we believe children who are happy and relaxed, cope better with their treatment and recovery, compared to those who are more anxious. That’s why we’re so grateful to The Entertainer. Pennies is an incredible initiative and to have had its support for so many years now – amounting to such a phenomenal figure – means the world. The donations customers make helps us bring joy, fun and distraction to hundreds of children every single day.”

Helen Haskell, Head of Fundraising, The Grand Appeal, Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “It’s hard to emphasise how much of a difference The Entertainer’s fundraising has made to the patients and families supported by The Grand Appeal. It’s helped fund cutting-edge equipment and research; vital distractions like music, art and play; and home-from-home accommodation for parents. £1 million isn’t only an incredible milestone; it’s been transformative for Bristol Children’s Hospital. Thanks to The Entertainer’s amazing customers, small change has made a big difference to sick children and their families from across the whole of the South West and South Wales”.

Sarah Bissell, Deputy Director of Relationship Fundraising at GOSH Charity, said: “We are so incredibly grateful to the Entertainer and Pennies for raising more than one million pounds for GOSH Charity, which will help provide invaluable support for seriously ill children and their families who are facing some of the most rare and complex conditions. At GOSH Charity, we are committed to giving seriously ill children the best chance, and the best childhood possible. This is proof that no act of kindness is too small to make a lasting difference, and we are so thankful to every single one of The Entertainer’s customers who have contributed towards this incredible milestone.”

Hear from representatives of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Bristol Children’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, alongside The Entertainer and Pennies CEO Alison Hutchinson OBE, as they reflect on the impact of this achievement and what it means for seriously ill children and their families.