Wicksteed Park raises more than £70,000 in 24 hours

Oliver Wicksteed has thanked people for their support
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The Wicksteed Charitable Trust has raised more than £70,000 in just 24 hours since it announced the park's operating company had gone into administration.

The Trust also announced today (Wednesday) that a new company has secured most of the park's assets and is working to secure the remainder, in another positive step towards preserving Kettering's beloved park.

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Oliver Wicksteed, chairman of Wicksteed Charitable Trust, said: "The response of people both locally and further afield has been absolutely staggering and we cannot express how much it means to us to have so much support at what is such a difficult time."

Wicksteed Park has thanked people for their supportWicksteed Park has thanked people for their support
Wicksteed Park has thanked people for their support

The Trust appealed to the public for donations to support Kettering's beloved park after Wicksteed Park Limited's financial woes were announced on Monday night and by the end of Tuesday, the total amount donated (including gift aid) was £71,443.

Mr Wicksteed said: "To see the love for the park expressed in so many ways, ranging from people organising their own fundraising events to offering to help around the park or simply expressing their support on email or social media has been amazing."

Many people have been asking how much money Wicksteed Park needs to open fully. Mr Wicksteed said the cost of operating the park alone, without the rides and attractions, is around £110,000 a month, a huge sum of money.

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Wicksteed Park is currently free to visit. Visitors pay for parking and rides and attractions, but play parks and the open spaces are free for all.

Wicksteed Park Charitable Trust said the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown had placed huge financial strain on the subsidiary company and caused Wicksteed Park Ltd to go into administration.

The trust is now backing a new company.

In a statement today, the trust said: "A small group of employees has formed a new company, much reduced in size, to try and safeguard the future of the park and keep it open to the public until it can look to reopen fully next spring.

"It has successfully acquired most of the park’s assets and is working to try and secure the remainder."

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Mr Wicksteed said: "The new company, funded by the Trust, is a much streamlined business aimed at getting the park through to next spring when it can hopefully start to reopen fully.

"Assuming that is around ten months then people can see the financial challenge that we face.

"I can guarantee that every penny that people donate to the Trust will contribute to safeguarding the future of this park that we all love so much."

Yesterday, Mr Wicksteed and other senior staff members supported those who have sadly been made redundant.

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Mr Wicksteed said: "Wicksteed Park is a family and it is truly heartbreaking to see so many of those family members having to leave us.

"But even at a time of such devastation for them personally, many of them expressed their desire that we do everything we can to safeguard the park and start to build it back up again to what it was."

You can donate to Wicksteed Park's Just Giving page here.