Wicksteed Park's fundraiser hits another big milestone

Wicksteed Park has now raised an incredible £90,553 through their fundraiser.

Kettering's treasured park announced the news this morning (Thursday) in a Facebook status.

Wicksteed Park said: "Today's updated fundraising total is a truly amazing £90,553. Thank you so much, you wonderful people."

Wicksteed Charitable Trust has been asking for public donations since it announced on Monday that the park's operating company, Wicksteed Park Limited, has gone into administration.The trust owns the park land and is backing a new company and asking for donations to secure Wicksteed's future.

Yesterday, chairman of the trust, Oliver Wicksteed, 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.

"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."

Mr Wicksteed told BBC Northampton that the cost of operating the park alone, without the rides and attractions, is around £110,000 a month.

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 released yesterday (Wednesday), 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."

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.

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.

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