Alton Towers owner is giving away 30,000 free tickets to key workers as a thank you

Merlin, the owner of Alton Towers, has said it will be donating 30,000 free tickets to key workers in seven different jobs. 

The huge theme park based on Staffordshire is massively popular with families and thrillseekers enjoying the rollercoasters, family-friendly attractions and parks. 

Alton Towers has announced how they plan to thank all the key workers who have kept the nation going throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

They are donating 30,000 tickets across the globe and reserving 10,000 of these to the UK.

The tickets will offer days out to Alton Towers and other UK attractions including Chessington World of Adventures, LEGOLAND Windsor, Thorpe Park, The Bear Grylls Adventure and some Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE Centres.

Partnerships and Operations Manager at Blue Light Tickets, Will Campbell-Lamerton, said: “In these difficult times, we have been blown away by Merlin’s generosity.

“We know that free tickets to leisure days out will spread the message of ‘thank you’ to NHS, healthcare and emergency service workers, who’ve shown superhero strength and dedication in recent months.

“For those who haven’t been able to spend much time with their families during the COVID-19 lockdown, either as a result of long working hours or social distancing, we hope that a free day out at a Merlin resort/attraction will give some respite to those who need it most.”

Sandra Hazel, Charity Head Merlin’s Magic Wand: “We would like to say a Big Merlin Thank You to the emergency and essential frontline workers who have played a vital role in the UK’s response to the pandemic.

“Their dedication and tireless effort is hugely appreciated by the whole nation, and we are delighted to be able to offer them a fun day out through the Blue Light Card scheme.”

3,000 of the tickets will be donated equally across 30 companies in the UK, these include: 

• Teachers via the ASCL,
• Royal Mail postal staff,
• Compass Group UK & Ireland – the UK’s largest food and support services company (who have been working in healthcare, education and defence as well as supporting key workers within business and industry sectors),
• WHSmith (for their post office colleagues who provided vital postal and banking services on the high street and for their store colleagues across over 100 hospitals who served frontline NHS staff),
• Council workers across the UK including refuse collectors.
• A range of the major high street supermarkets including Tesco
• Food takeaway delivery companies