Swindon & Wiltshire News
Firm hails success of Wallace & Gromit fundraiser
A fundraiser for that brought businesses, broadcasters and brain surgeons together to raise vital funds for seriously ill children and their families has been hailed a success by its headline sponsor.
Family Adventures Group, based in Somerset, was headline sponsor of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal’s Beat the Brain Surgeon event, held at the Bristol Grand Hotel on October 16.
The black-tie quiz night saw teams from firms across the South West take on the neurosurgery team from Bristol Children’s Hospital in a fiercely contested battle of general knowledge, creativity and teamwork.
Hosted by TV news presenters Alex Lovell and Seb Choudhury, the evening combined competition with fundraising, with money raised through tickets, corporate sponsorship and raffles going directly to The Grand Appeal.
The charity funds life-saving medical equipment, pioneering research and practical support for young patients and their families at Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Family Adventures Group entered its own team, but it was Your Life Protected that ultimately claimed the honours after defeating the brain surgeons.
The result added to the event’s light-hearted rivalry, though organisers say the real prize was the money raised for children facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Laura Filer, chief executive of Family Adventures Group, said the evening had been a “fantastic” success, with plenty of friendly competition among determined teams.
“There was plenty of friendly rivalry and some very determined teams, but what really matters is the money raised and the difference it will make to children and families going through incredibly difficult times,” she said.
Filer said the cause had particular resonance for the business, which operates nurseries and family attractions across the South West, South Wales and the Midlands — communities whose children rely on specialist treatment at Bristol Children’s Hospital.
“Bristol Children’s Hospital provides specialist care for children from a huge area, including many of the communities where we operate our nurseries and family attractions,” she said. “That makes supporting Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal particularly important to us.”
Founded in 2019 by Tom and Laura Filer, the group runs Little Adventures Nurseries across the South West and Midlands, Green Giraffe Nurseries in South Wales, and indoor play attractions Ocean Adventurers in Cheddar and Space Adventurers in Taunton.
It combines early years education with family-focused leisure and has been recognised among The Sunday Times Best Places to Work, as well as receiving Federation of Small Businesses and regional tourism awards.
Among The Grand Appeal’s major current projects is a new Patient Hotel near Bristol Children’s Hospital.
It will provide 12 en-suite bedrooms for children recovering from serious illness or injury while continuing treatment and rehabilitation, allowing them to stay close to their families rather than remain on hospital wards once round-the-clock medical care is no longer needed.
Filer said that mission aligned closely with the company’s own purpose.
“As a business built around children and families, we know how important it is to create safe, supportive environments where youngsters can thrive,” she said.
“The Grand Appeal does extraordinary work to support families when they need it most, and we’re pleased to have helped make this year’s event a success.”
The Grand Appeal has supported Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for more than three decades, and Beat the Brain Surgeon has quickly become one of its standout corporate fundraising occasions since launching in 2023.
