The Ice Cream Farm x The Joshua Tree #News

Victoria Hayes
11th April 2024

Families affected by childhood cancer were invited to celebrate the launch of The Ice Cream Farm’s charity of the year partnership with The Joshua Tree.

The Tattenhall attraction has chosen the Sandiway charity as its partner for 2024 in a bid to champion the service offered by The Joshua Tree, which provides wellbeing and mental health support for children and their families impacted by childhood cancers.

In a joint statement, The Ice Cream Farm and The Joshua Tree said:

“Our values closely align, as both organisations prioritise supporting families and providing positive experiences for children. We share a commitment to nurturing happiness and togetherness within our communities, ensuring children can freely enjoy their childhood in a safe and playful environment.

“The partnership between The Ice Cream Farm and The Joshua Tree allows us to align our shared values of creating lasting memories for families. By collaborating, we can directly contribute to supporting families facing challenging times, not just through fundraising but also by providing a welcoming space for them to come together.”

On Friday 22^nd March families supported by the charity were invited, along with the teams from The Ice Cream Farm and The Joshua Tree, to celebrate the launch of the partnership with an evening of free play and ice cream.

General Manager of The Ice Cream Farm, Katie Lewis, said: “At the heart of our attraction is a vision to provide families with a safe, inclusive and fun place to play and make memories. We believe in the ‘power of play’; how important it is for the emotional and physical wellbeing of all children.

“Our charity partnership with The Joshua Tree will go beyond using our position as one of the area’s largest family attractions to fundraise and raise awareness. We’ll also be creating events, like the launch, so Joshua Tree-supported families can access The Ice Cream Farm, as well as sending our Play team to the charity’s support centre in Sandiway to assist with events there.”

Joshua, the charity’s giraffe mascot, greeted families as they made their way into The Ice Cream Farm for the event, where they were given free access to all of the indoor and outdoor attractions, and an ice cream in the world’s largest ice cream shop.

“Our family events offer a valuable opportunity for every family member to connect with others and momentarily escape the challenges of living with childhood cancer, simply by enjoying the safe and supportive space provided at our centre,” said Richard Driffield, CEO of The Joshua Tree.

“Having The Ice Cream Farm host events and activities at our centre will offer children a day filled with joy. Moreover, having access to The Ice Cream Farm’s facilities will introduce new and cherished memories for families.

“By joining forces with such a reputable organisation, we aim to raise awareness and funds to expand our support services, extending our reach to even more families affected by childhood cancers across Cheshire, Northwest England and North Wales.

“Together, we can make a positive difference in the lives of those facing challenging times.”