It’s no doubt that 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, and in the most unfortunate circumstance has shown a huge rise in Domestic Violence cases. Before the pandemic, an incidence of domestic abuse was reported every minute in England and Wales. In the first three months of the lockdown last year, this rose to 66% as reported by Refuge, who monitored the rise in the number of calls to its helpline.

When families flee to refuge, they often arrive with nothing except the clothes on their back. KidsOut, who have temporarily changed their name to KidsIn, believe that all children deserve fun and happiness in their lives which we deliver through our services.

Due to government restrictions, our Fun Days have been cancelled, allowing KidsOut to focus on providing a Toy Boxes to children seeking sanctuary in a Women’s Aid Federation refuge, which has been accomplished with the help of our founders – Rotary International.

Rotary International have created the ‘Rotary Christmas Toy Box’ initiative raising

£130,000. This has enabled KidsOut to keep their services to a consistent level, despite Covid sending the UK into lockdown. Each Rotary Club that took part funded Toy Boxes to

their local refuge.

We would like to say a huge thank you to the 470 Rotary Clubs that took part making it possible to deliver 5,448 Toy Boxes. You helped us in a time of need and helped bring Christmas to many, many children.

‘This service has brought joy to the children in refuge and relief for the mums knowing they have had help to make Christmas in refuge a little more special and taken some worry away from the mums’ – Refuge Worker

‘It is so nice to get toys, because my mum can’t afford lots of things because we are a big family.’ – Child

Not only did Rotary help fund our Christmas Toy Boxes, but some gave their time to help KidsOut in our warehouse. You can read about that here.