The new Head of Fundraising who will strive to secure additional support for Wicksteed Park has pledged to work with the local community to ensure the park remains for future generations to enjoy.
Allison Waterhouse has more than 20 years’ experience in fundraising, event management, and corporate partnerships and has previously worked with children’s charity KidsOut, Willen Hospice in Milton Keynes and The Salvation Army Trading Company, as well as heading a team of regional fundraisers at Marie Curie.
The full-time fundraising team and strategy she will oversee has been aided by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with a grant of £250,000.
Wicksteed Park maintains free access to its green spaces at a cost of over £1million per year and it has played a massive contribution to the lives of generations of people from across the country.
The Wicksteed Charitable Trust, which maintains the park, has launched the Love Wicksteed campaign to highlight the need to generate additional income in order for the park to be sustainable.
Originally from Milton Keynes but now living in Kettering, Allison has many happy memories of Wicksteed Park, visiting with her parents when she was a child, enjoying the attractions and picnics with her family and going on the Water Chute with her sisters.
She lives just a few minutes’ walk away and enjoys regular walks around the park with her husband and their two German Shepherd dogs.
She said: “Throughout my career I am proud that I have worked to help make a huge difference to people’s lives.
“I am thrilled to be joining the team at Wicksteed Park and I’m looking forward to working with the local community to ensure the park is there for future generations to enjoy.”
Made possible thanks to National Lottery players, part of the project involves asking visitors for their views about the park and an online questionnaire has been launched at wicksteedpark.org as part of the information gathering.
People and organisations wishing to make a donation can do so at www.justgiving.com/wicksteedcharitabletrust
Allison added: “Hopefully people can see that we are listening to what they have got to say, people’s love for the park is incredibly important and where possible we will consider their feedback and suggestions in our future planning and activities.
“The new Fundraising Team is here to support the ongoing needs of the park and aims to generate income over the coming months and years to ensure the park is there for future generations.”
Wicksteed Park is the oldest theme park on the UK mainland and one of the oldest in the world. It is owned by The Wicksteed Charitable Trust and is run by a wholly-owned subsidiary company, Wicksteed Trading Limited.
The company exists solely to operate the park on a day-to-day basis and any profit it generates is Gift Aided in full to the charity to help it to achieve its charitable objectives.
Wicksteed Park combines a 281-acre estate including 147 acres of beautiful parkland. As well as its rides and attractions, the park has amazing gardens, walking trails, a nature reserve and its water meadows are a beautiful habitat full of sedges, reeds, wildflowers and numerous species of birds.
The park is also a hub for community events and functions and the Pavilion provides a unique venue for weddings, functions, parties and business events.
Please contact fundraising@wicksteedpark.org if you would like to work with the team and support them in ensuring the park will be there for future generations to enjoy.
