KidsOut
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| Founded | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Type | Charitable organization |
| Registration no. | 1075789 (England and Wales) SC039477 (Scotland) |
| Focus | Children |
| Location |
|
Region served | United Kingdom |
| Website | www |
Kids Out UK[1] is a UK-based charity located in Leighton Buzzard, offering a variety of services aimed at supporting children who along with their mothers have fled domestic abuse and live in women's refuges. It also supports thousands of other underprivileged children. [2] Reports show they provide fun and wellbeing experiences to approximately 80,000 children annually.[3] This includes over 28,000 who live in a women's refuge. Other children receiving help include those with life-limiting disabilities, children who are carers for parents and or siblings, those from homes who are facing extreme financial hardship, or children facing social and rural isolation.
Families fleeing abuse usually turn up in refuge with no possessions. The charity provides a box of brand-new toys for children on arrival in refuge and again at Christmas so the children have something to open. It also take these and other disadvantaged children on fun days out during the year. These include trips to the seaside, theme parks, zoos, and the cinema. To date, KidsOut has taken nearly 1.1 million children on fun days out.
The charity is working to expand its services by developing arts, music, mental wellbeing, and sports programmes.[4][5][6][7][8][9]
KidsOut was established following an initiative by Lady Grantchester, a member of the Moore family, owners of Littlewoods, and a resident in Kingston. In 1990, she suggested to the Kingston Rotary Club that they organise a day out for disadvantaged children. Working with Peter Jarvis, and fellow Rotarians Graham Child and John Saxton, the concept of KidsOut was developed. The first event, organised in partnership with the Kingston Littlewoods store, involved an outing for 200 children to Thorpe Park. The success of this event prompted Lady Grantchester to offer a one-off grant to any Rotary Club willing to participate in similar outings on the second Wednesday of June.
This initiative quickly gained traction, with 800 Rotary Clubs across the UK joining the effort. The National Rotary KidsOut Day was subsequently established, becoming the largest organised outing for disadvantaged children in the UK.
The charity was incorporated in 1998, with amendments made in 1999, 2008, and 2023.[10]