EAG Expo is living up to its reputation for being the place to launch exciting new products with confirmation that Whitehouse Leisure will be using January’s showcase event to unveil its’ all-new assortment of Eco Earth plush toys, sales of which will help fund the work of Rays of Sunshine, the Bacta supported charity which grants magical wishes for seriously ill children in the UK.

The progressive initiative is a repeat of the 2023 partnership when an incredible 21,360 pieces of the Eco Earth Cute Animals Plush Assortment were sold, in the process raising more than £10,600 for Rays of Sunshine.

The ‘plushies’ will be unveiled by Whitehouse Leisure at EAG (Stands G40, G50, H40), and will be available for consumers to buy and win from amusement arcade machines from February.  

The Eco Earth plush toys will be made using 100 percent verified recycled materials, including plastic bottles to help keep them out of the ocean as well as landfill sites. 

Hang-tags which explain the fundraising initiative with Rays of Sunshine will be made using recycled paper and printed in biodegradable inks. Free point of sale material will be available for customers to brand their machines and stores. 

Phil Setter, Managing Director at Whitehouse Leisure, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Rays of Sunshine and Bacta again on this fantastic fundraising scheme, to help raise invaluable donations for such an incredible charity.” 

“The support we received from our customers for our previous fundraising partnership was incredible and they all said how popular our Eco Earth plush toys were with their customers. We are positive that this new one will be even bigger with the exciting on-trend plush toys we are producing especially for it.”

Amy Chambers, Director of Fundraising and  Communications at Rays of Sunshine, said: “We’re delighted to be partnered with Whitehouse Leisure and the Bacta Charitable Trust, creatively raising funds to help us grant even more magical wishes. The Eco Earth range is such a fun initiative that will have a big impact for seriously ill children across the UK. We want to thank all the partners involved and hope that everyone enjoys the range, donating and having fun in the process.”

EAG Chairman Martin Burlin added: “We are delighted that Whitehouse Leisure and Rays of Sunshine will be launching such an important initiative at the most important show for our industry. EAG, which is owned by UK trade association Bacta is very much ‘by the industry and for the industry’ and I am certain that the thousands of industry operators attending EAG Expo and the co-located Social Immersive Entertainment Expo and London Casino and Gaming Show will get behind such a progressive initiative helping to generate funds for Bacta charity Rays of Sunshine.”

By attending EAG operators will have access to the very latest product launches and innovations in out of home entertainment, be able to share insights and experiences with industry colleagues, update on the latest industry developments courtesy of the Bacta Seminar program and learn more about the latest developments in social responsibility on the Bacta Safer Gambling Hub. Featuring over 1,000 product launches EAG  will provide a window on all aspects of the dynamic out of home entertainment industry.

To find out more about the work of Rays of Sunshine’s go to: www.raysofsunshine.org.uk.