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Garden Centres Raises More Than £100K For Martin House Children’s Hospice



Yorkshire Garden Centres has reached a major fundraising milestone after raising more than £106,000 for Martin House Children’s Hospice since the partnership began in April 2025.


Across its seven branches, colleagues and customers have thrown themselves behind the partnership, from bake sales and raffles to running, cycling and dragon boat racing. Each branch has its own charity champion and fundraising target, while the Pennies initiative gives customers the option to add 25p to their purchase at the checkout.


Staff have taken on individual challenges, including Dry January and the Great North Run, while CEO Mark Farnsworth has organised and joined cycling challenges. Colleagues also entered two sunflower-themed teams into Martin House’s Dragon Boat Race and took part in an in-store spinathon, cycling the equivalent distance from their stores to the hospice.


Last year, the company played a major part in Martin House’s 36-hour giving challenge for THE BUILD, raising more than £7,000.


Support has gone beyond fundraising too. Staff have donated items to Martin House’s retail team, contributed prizes to the Glitter Ball auction and donated Lego to the hospice. The company has also provided table centres for Martin House Ladies’ Lunches and welcomed children and families to Christmas events and the opening of its Otley Grass Hopper play centre. The partnership will run until June 2027.


Mark Farnsworth, CEO of Yorkshire Garden Centres, said:

“Reaching more than £100,000 is a fantastic milestone and is down to the enthusiasm of our colleagues, customers and charity champions across all seven of our centres.”

“Martin House does incredible work for children and families across Yorkshire, and our teams have really embraced the partnership. Whether it’s taking on a personal challenge, jumping into a dragon boat or simply asking customers to add 25p at the till, everyone has found their own way to get involved.”


“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together so far and look forward to continuing our support.”


Hannah Finan, Partnership Manager at Martin House, said:

“We’re hugely grateful to everyone at Yorkshire Garden Centres for reaching this incredible milestone. What makes the partnership so special is the sheer variety of ways their teams have chosen to support us. From major fundraising challenges to donations, events and welcoming the families we support, their commitment has reached right across Martin House."

“More than £106,000 is an amazing achievement and will make a real difference to the children, young people and families who rely on our care.”


Each year, Martin House supports more than 550 children and young people with life-shortening conditions, and their families, across West, North and East Yorkshire.


Its specialist teams provide care at the hospice in Boston Spa, in hospitals and in families’ own homes, including planned short breaks, symptom management, emergency care and end-of-life care.


Providing this specialist care costs Martin House around £13 million every year, with the majority coming from voluntary donations and fundraising.


For further information about Martin House Children's Hospice and how to support it, visit here.

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Jul 11, 2023
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Further to a successful series of Teachers’ Days and Drop-Ins, an adventure play attraction in Leeds is launching three packages for school pupils aged 6 - 14.


Developed by a qualified primary and outdoor educational instructor, Gemma Simpson, Duty Manager at Mission Out at Tingley Garden Centre, the packages are the Elevate, Aerial and the Terrain experience that are suitable for all primary and secondary school Key Stages, with a minimum height requirement on the High Ropes.


The Elevate package includes access to the high ropes and bespoke team-building activities that have been designed with an educational focus; the Aerial experience includes the challenging two-tier high ropes course and the Terrain experience gives full access to the park’s ground level activities.


“Our schools’ packages are a great way to celebrate finishing SATs, to treat your class of 2023, to enjoy a fun-filled day of adventure to mark the end of the term, or to encourage team building at the beginning of the new school year,” said Miss Simpson.
“At Mission Out, children in all year groups can experience epic challenges and exhilarating fun in four acres of the great outdoors. We provide a highly engaging and rewarding environment that allows children to step out of their comfort zone and build confidence. Adventure play promotes resilience and team-working, and helps the children to develop problem-solving skills, whilst making epic memories.”

Tom Clements, Assistant Headteacher at Roundhay School recently took a group of 250 pupils to experience Mission Out:

“Thank you so much for your help prior to and during our visit. We truly appreciate how easy and simple you and your team made it for us to plan and deliver an excellent day out for our pupils.
“It was utterly brilliant to see how much fun our young people had and the freedom that they had to play and be children in a completely safe environment.”

The cost of the packages, which start at £6.95 per pupil for the Terrain package, includes coach parking, cabins for breaks and group work and certificates. Follow the link for more information.


Designed to appeal to families, groups and parties, Mission Out features high ropes, water activities, a jump challenge pillow, giant swings, deb-building and adventure golf among its many activities.


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