Families who might not otherwise be able to visit the museum will have the chance for free access, made possible thanks to a grant from the Noel John Greenwood Fund; one of many private, individual or corporate Funds expertly managed by the Community Foundation.
The SureStart Passes programme will be available from February 2011 to July 2011 and follows a highly successful 12-month pilot which ran in 2009. The 17 SureStart Centres in Calderdale have received two passes each, which will admit up to five people on a single visit.
The £3,000 grant will cover some of the core costs involved in running the museum for the anticipated 3,000 additional visitors who will benefit from the scheme.
Steve Duncan DL, Chief Executive Officer for the Community Foundation for Calderdale said: ‘Eureka! is a great educational resource for the region and I know that our grant will have a big impact on the lives of families living in Calderdale’.
Feedback from case workers and families involved in 2009’s trial was overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating that the project benefits children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience Eureka!
Caz Hugh-Dennis, Community Link Worker said: ‘During the Christmas holidays in 2009 I gave a family I support the Eureka! Pass to use for a day trip. The family have five-year-old twins who both suffer from developmental delay. The mother took the girls with their support worker. She told me that the girls had a fantastic day and that she was really impressed, especially with the New Year celebration activities taking place on the day when she went, as the girls don’t often get to go to parties’.
Kate Goldring, Fundraising Manager at Eureka! said: ‘As a charity, Eureka! is committed to providing the children’s museum experience to as many families as possible both on-site and through outreach. Funded programmes like the SureStart Passes are essential in helping us to achieve this. Our thanks go to the Community Foundation for Calderdale for supporting this important project’.
More information about the SureStart passes can be found at local centres.
Ends
For press information and/or photos please contact Allison Tara Sundaram on 01422 330069 or e-mail allison.sundaram@eureka.org.uk.
Notes to the Editor
- Eureka! is designed especially for children age 0-11, with over 400 hands on exhibits inspiring them to learn about themselves and the world around them through imagination, play and discovery. For visitor information call 01422 330069, visit www.eureka.org.uk, read the Eureka! blog, All in a day’s play, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
- The standard Eureka! ticket is now an Annual Pass. The Annual Pass entitles all of the party paid for on the day of the first visit to come back to Eureka! free of charge as many times as they like over the next 12 months. Adults*: £9.95, Children age 3+ : £9.95, Toddlers age 1-2: £3.45, Babies age 0-11 months: free. Read more about the Annual Pass.
- Eureka! is open daily 10am–5pm at weekends, during half-terms and holidays. Term-time Eureka! is open 10am –4pm Tuesday - Friday, and 10am-5pm Saturday and Sunday. The museum is closed on term-time Mondays and between 24-26 December.
- Eureka! is situated next door to Halifax railway station, just 10 minutes by car from junction 24 of the M62 and 17 miles from Leeds
- Eureka! is an educational charity no. 292758
- Community Foundation for Calderdale is an independent grant making charity no. 1002722 (www.cffc.co.uk)
