Message of support from The Captain Tom Foundation
Offers for NHS staff, military and blue light card holders
Family festive extravaganza Silcock’s Winter Wonderland Manchester has donated £500,000 worth of tickets to NHS workers across the North West as a thank you for their incredible and tireless efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kingpin Events and the Silcock’s family – organisers of the indoor Christmas theme park at Manchester’s EventCity – were keen to recognise the invaluable work of NHS workers and raise some festive cheer by inviting them along to experience the event for themselves.
The kind gesture has also received praise from The Captain Tom Foundation. Captain Sir Tom Moore won the hearts of the nation during the pandemic for his tireless fundraising for the NHS. Captain Sir Tom’s daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore sent a video message of thanks. Watch the video here.
Silcock’s Winter Wonderland Manchester has returned to the city for the first time in four years. It opened two weeks ago and excited visitors are kick-starting their festivities at the event, which has been billed as “bigger and better than ever before”.
The festive spectacular was a top attraction and annual highlight in the city’s events calendar between 2013 and 2017. Each year, the event’s charity night proved popular with free tickets being allocated to local good causes.
Following a challenging 22 months of the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers were keen to mark the return of the event by recognising the amazing efforts of NHS workers by allocating half a million pounds worth of tickets for them to enjoy with their families.
Julie Cheney, Nurse Consultant in Critical Care Unit, at Salford Care Organisation, commented: “The team on the Critical Care Unit at Salford cannot say thank you enough for the generous donation of tickets.
“It really has given the staff a much-needed boost before Christmas, given the pressures they have been under continuously for almost two years. They had a fantastic time with their families and praised the amazing wonderland. It was so kind to think of us and an extra special treat.”
Linda Reynolds, Unit Manager in Critical Care at Fairfield General Hospital, Bury and Rochdale Care Organisation, added: “A massive thank you for donating the tickets, we were totally blown away at the amount we received. I have had lots of great comments from staff, saying how brilliant it was and how much they enjoyed it. Due to ongoing pressures, this came at the best possible time.”
As an additional thank you to NHS workers, military and Blue Light Card holders, there are reduced ticket prices through to 2 January 2022. Full details here.
Organisers Tammy and Billy Silcock of Kingpin Events added: “After such a challenging two years, we wanted to mark the return of Silcock’s Winter Wonderland Manchester in a very special way by thanking our incredible NHS workers.
“To see the faces of our NHS heroes absolutely beaming with joy was very emotional for our family, we got so much pleasure and satisfaction from seeing all those happy faces. And receiving a message from Captain Tom’s daughter Hannah was just amazing.
“We are not nurses, doctors, hospital cleaners or porters – our family only know how to entertain and make people happy, so this was our way to thank the frontline workers who continue to burden a lot of the pressures of the pandemic. I do not know how they manage to keep going.
“We’re also extending our gratitude by offering reduced tickets for the remainder of the run to additional NHS staff, frontline workers, military and Blue Light Card holders. We want to spread Christmas joy as far as we can.”
Silcock’s Winter Wonderland Manchester is planned to run until Sunday 2 January 2022 (further government restrictions permitting) at EventCity, located next to the Trafford Centre, with 3,000 free car park spaces.
