Here at the World of Beatrix Potter™ Attraction, we know that together we can make a difference. Over the last three decades, we have done lots of fundraising and charitable giving to organisations we know make a huge difference to people in the world. We are also committed to doing what we can to protect the environment. If you visit the Attraction, you will be helping too as 10 pence of every admission ticket goes to environmental charities.
The World of Beatrix Potter™ Attraction is the Old Laundry Theatre’s biggest sponsor. Each year, the Attraction supports the Theatre with a significant amount of financial income; without the Attraction, the Theatre would not be able to deliver its exciting season of Drama, Family Theatre, Music, Film, Comedy and spoken word.
The Old Laundry Theatre - proudly sponsored by The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction.
December 2024 - Crisis at Christmas Appeal
The World of Beatrix Potter™ Attraction staff have recently completed another fun sponsored walking challenge to raise money for the Crisis at Christmas Appeal. The vital funds for the Crisis charity help someone start a life beyond homelessness.
Attraction staff learnt that on a single night in the UK, hundreds of thousands of families and individuals experience homelessness. The challenge for the team was to walk as many steps as possible over a three week period and be sponsored for every step they took.
Lakes Story Ltd Directors were delighted with the team’s enthusiasm and dedication to the challenge and all the happy steppers who made a real difference. In total, £2858 was donated to CRISIS.
Staff stepping out for the Crisis at Christmas Appeal raising £2858.
UNICEF CHALLENGE - £9,336 raised.
In December 2023/ January 2024, following on from the success of the autumn UNICEF challenge, staff embarked on another fitness challenge - this time to support families in crisis in Gaza. Directors set a similar target, encouraging staff to walk as far as they could over a month and the result was nearly £10,000 was gifted to UNICEF with a specific request it go to the Gaza Appeal to help support children and their families in the current crisis.
Staff challenged themselves to walk through the winter to raise vital funds for UNICEF.
UNICEF CHALLENGE - £13,131 raised.
In September 2023, Directors set a challenge, sponsoring each member of staff to walk as far as they could over two months. Staff at the Attraction stepped up to the challenge and walked an amazing 6 million steps to raise £13,131 for UNICEF to help support vulnerable children and their families in crisis in Libya and Morocco.
Staff walked 6 million steps
UNICEF Ukraine Appeal - £12,228 donated
Staff at the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction raised a whopping £12,288 pounds for the UNICEF Ukraine Appeal.
Directors at the Attraction set a challenge, sponsoring each member of staff to walk as far as they could over a 4 week period. Staff stepped up to the challenge and recorded over 6 million steps which would very nearly take them via land to Ukraine and home again.
As a children's Attraction dedicated to Beatrix Potter's stories, it has meant a great deal to all the staff to be able to contribute in such a positive way to help keep vulnerable children and their families safe through the conflict. The Attraction proudly fly the Ukrainian flag to show support and solidarity following the Russian invasion.
Staff walked 6 million steps which would have very nearly taken them via land to Ukraine and home again.
In February 2023, the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction gifted a £15,000 donation to the Disaster Emergency Committee to go directly to the Turkey-Syria appeal on behalf of all the staff. It had been hard to ignore the devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria, killing thousands of people and reducing buildings to rubble. People needed urgent aid to survive; shelter in the freezing winter conditions, medical treatment, heaters, winter kits, warm clothes, food and clean water.
Whilst it would have been great to involve all our staff in a fundraising challenge similar to the Walk for Ukraine we completed in the previous year, we have felt compelled to act now when the money was needed most, and so, the World of Beatrix Potter™ Attraction donated £15,000 on behalf of all the staff to help saves lives.
For the 2022/23 season, we began our partnership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust, supporting their work planting trees. In doing this, we are contributing to looking after the local habitat and the animals living in it. 10p of every ticket sold goes towards planting trees in a north Cumbria nature reserve, Eycott Hill. To date we have raised over £30,000 for tree planting. In addition, you can use our 'tap to pay' terminal in the foyer to plant a tree for just £1.
Volunteers planting trees at Eycott Hill, donated by the Attraction.
Staff at the Attraction put their baking skills to the test every year for the bake-off in aid of the Macmillan Cancer Support. Visitors always donate generously and Peter Rabbit is usually on hand for selfies and hugs!
WaterAid - over £16,000 donated.
From 2008-2018 we raised over £16,000 for WaterAid through our Peter Rabbit Egg Hunt. We are so proud of this achievement and are now looking at new ways to make a difference to communities who need clean water to survive.
Derian House Children's Hospice - £9,047 donated.
We celebrate the amazing work of our local Children’s Hospice by creating events to support the work they do. Previous fundraising activities have included a free entry day with all donations going to Derian House in Lancashire who provide palliative, specialist respite and end of life care for children and young adults in our area.
On Thursday 5 July 2018, the NHS turned 70, and over 1,300 visitors poured through the doors of one of the Lakes’ favourite Attractions free of charge.
Directors and Staff at the World of Beatrix Potter™ Attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere celebrated the day with free entry for all, and what’s more, the admission fee that each visitor would have paid was gifted by the Attraction to the Children’s Hospice, Derian House who provide palliative care for youngsters in South Lakes & Lancashire. The day was all about celebrating the achievements of the NHS, one of the nation’s most loved institutions and to appreciate the role it plays in our lives.
