About KidsOut UK

KidsOut is the UK’s ‘Fun and Happiness’ charity.  A simple enough message, yet what makes KidsOut unique is how it uses fun and happiness to provide opportunities for the long term development of children and young people living in difficult and challenging circumstances.

Many of the children and young people KidsOut supports have physical, health or learning difficulties, while others face less obvious challenges – such as those from turbulent or financially deprived backgrounds; young carers who are responsible for a parent or sibling; or those who are socially vulnerable as a result of rural isolation, prejudice or social bias.

KidsOut’s mission is to transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people by providing fun opportunities and positive experiences that work to significantly enhance their wellbeing and outlook for a happier future.

Established in 1990, the charity currently helps over 60,000 children, and their families, throughout the UK every year.  As well as funding fun days out, KidsOut develops and funds a range of special activities and projects that are designed to enrich and develop the lives of disadvantaged children and young people up to the age of 18 years.   This includes its Box of Delights Toy Boxes for re-housed children; and its national multi media mobile network for young people suffering from social and/or rural isolation.  The charity also operates a highly successful Funds-4-Fun scheme which provides financial assistance to individuals and families for the purchase of toys, special play equipment, fun days out, UK holidays and activity breaks. 

For more information about KidsOut, the children it helps and its work, please visit www.kidsout.org.uk; e-mail Kidsout@kidsout.org.uk; or contact its head office on 01525 385252.

Our history

The foundations of KidsOut were firmly laid in the 1960’s when Littlewood’s founder Sir John Moores began The Liverpool Motorists’ Day Out. This was a local event where a group of disadvantaged children were taken out for a special trip to the seaside, to a local park, or zoo.
It was then in 1990 when Sir John’s eldest daughter, Lady Grantchester, saw an opportunity to build on her father's legacy. With the help of her local Rotary Club, two dedicated Rotarians, and a financial donation from Littlewoods, a day for 200 disadvantaged children took place at Thorpe Park.  Such was its success that soon the day - aptly titled KidsOut - became the largest single day out for special needs children in the UK.  Last year alone, over 27,000 children took part!
In 1999, in order to identify other opportunities to provide fun and happiness for disadvantaged and special needs children, a national registered charity was formed in its name.
Since then, the work of the charity has evolved significantly.  Today, in addition to funding fun days out, our charity operates a highly successful Funds-4-Fun grant scheme, and actively works with special groups and other organisations to deliver long term, life enhancing experiences to more than 60,000 children and young people, every year,  throughout the UK.

A POTTED HISTORY
1990 – The first KidsOut Day Out takes place at Thorpe Park for 200 children
1999 – KidsOut is registered as a national charity.
2001 – The charity opens a helpline and launches its small grants scheme, to be known later as Funds-4-Fun
2002 – KidsOut identifies the need for many more activities to help disadvantaged children and begins funding special projects around the UK
2003 – The KidsOut Interact performing arts centre opens in Birmingham
2004 – KidsOut reaches a landmark of helping 50,000 children – and their families – every year
2005 – KidsOut develops its ‘blue print’ for the launch of KidsOut Multi Media Mobile centres.  The charity now has five mobiles and one static centre.
2006 – KidsOut launches its Box of Delights toy box scheme in support of children being rehoused as a result of domestic violence.   7,000 boxes are required every year.
2007 – A new identity for KidsOut is launched, marking the evolution of charity from whom fun and happiness is at the heart of its mission to transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the UK.