Over five hundred children with special needs from local schools, enjoyed a well organised day at Chessington World of Adventures on Wednesday June 14. The event was put together by the Kingston Group of Rotary clubs.

Twenty Rotarians from across all four groups, together with almost 400 carers, helped to make the event run smoothly and one of the children was overheard to say that they were grateful that good weather had also been organised.

The Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Julie Pickering spent the afternoon chatting amongst the children and their carers. She told them she was very keen to get onto the rides, especially the new Gruffalo ride.

She added: "As the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Mayor, it was great to see five of our local Kingston schools at Chessington World of Adventures. I know personally what a great day out for the Kids it is as my son in the past has been on them.it makes a BIG difference to all. To be there this year to meet some of the Kids and join them on some of the rides was fantastic and a real privilege.”

The Mayor of Elmbridge, Councillor Rachael Lake, also attended the event as well as Kingston Rotary’s current president Ramesh Kapadia.

Kapadia said: “It was particularly poignant for the Mayor of Kingston, who noted that her own son, who went to Dysart, had come on such a day ten years ago and so is a fervent supporter of Rotary and its tradition of service. Some of the Dysart teachers she met remembered her son.”

The day was a huge success and despite soaring temperatures, the Rotarians running the event managed to keep ‘their cool’.

Doreen Johnston from Kingston Rotary Club, who overall organised the day, said: “Kids Out is a wonderful, carefree day for so many disadvantaged children and today we were blessed with perfect weather.

“Some of these children may never experience such a day again and when we see how much happiness it brings to them and their carers it makes all our efforts so worthwhile.

“The children may be tired, a bit dishevelled and dirtier when they leave but they look just as happy and that’s all the reward we need.

"I’m very gratified to be part of this, now a UK wide event, and proud to be a member of Kingston Rotary Club which started it all 27 years ago.”