Give back this Christmas with Coats4Kids in the Diff

This World Kindness Day, The Red Dragon Centre is announcing its comfort and joy Christmas campaign.

From 15 November, the popular entertainment complex will transform into a winter playground of snow themed decorations and will play host to a series of snowy activities to celebrate its participation in the upcoming Cardiff Bay Snow Trail.

Whilst celebrating the magic of winter, The Red Dragon Centre is also acknowledging the harsh reality that the cold weather can have and have partnered with Cardiff charity A Better Fit to encourage visitors to donate warm coats and jackets to local children.

Every year as the temperatures drop, families across the UK struggle with providing warm outerwear for their children. The demand for outerwear from local charities across Cardiff has increased by 30% in the last year. To combat this, The Red Dragon Centre is partnering with A Better Fit to provide new, unwanted or preloved coats in a good, clean condition for children that need it the most in Cardiff.

The Coats4Kids in the Diff appeal will run from 15 November to 8 January (excluding Christmas Day) and will form part of the Centre’s seasonal decorations, seeing them host a festive ‘Giving Tree’ to welcome donations of children’s coats in good condition in sizes 0 – 16 years. The coats will then be donated to A Better Fit who will pass them on to those who need it most.

Kathryn Wakeham, founder of A Better Fit, said: “When my son first started school, I struggled to keep up with the demand for new school uniforms and how quickly our kids outgrow their clothes. I thought if I’m struggling, then there’s a good chance that lots of others are too. Seeing the families we have been able to help over the years is a real joy, as every child deserves to be taken care of and protected, especially as we enter the colder months.

“This year, the requests for warm outerwear have been coming in earlier than ever. With the growing cost-of-living crisis the demand is only going up, which is why it’s so important for us to have these donation stations set up – so that those fortunate enough can come together and provide as much as we can for children who need it.”

Emma Constantinou, marketing manager at The Red Dragon Centre, said “Every child deserves to be safe and warm all year round. Offering our space at The Red Dragon Centre was a no-brainer for such an important cause and we aim to welcome as many donations as possible from our visitors. The work of A Better Fit is truly admirable and we feel very privileged to be able to lend our support for the children of Cardiff.

“Offering families free activities throughout the year is very important to us, as we want to give children the chance to experience a fun-filled day out no matter what. This winter, we are hosting the Science of Snow event and a visit from the Snow Giants, all free of charge, alongside the Cardiff Bay Snow Trail that allows families to follow sculptures around the Bay with the chance to win some great prizes from our attractions.

In addition to the appeal, The Red Dragon Centre will be gifting two families in need with a fun-filled, all expenses paid day out at the Centre to get in the Christmas spirit. Nominations are open and can be submitted to info@thereddragoncentre.co.uk.

Don’t have a spare coat but still want to help? The initiative will also be welcoming financial donations to go towards the purchase of additional warm wear such as hats, gloves and scarves. Visit their Givetap page to donate here: https://donate.givetap.co.uk/d/lnd9h11y?qr-id=1-url

If you find yourself struggling to provide your children with school uniforms or a winter coat, then please get in touch with A Better Fit here who will offer their support: https://www.facebook.com/abetterfitschooluniformdonation

For further information about The Red Dragon Centre, visit https://thereddragoncentre.co.uk/ or follow the Centre on Facebook.