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During the pandemic, Coral Island in Bonny Street joined businesses around the country in investing in PPE to protect staff and customers.

But while face masks were compulsory, not all customers remembered to bring theirs while visiting, prompting the arcade to seize an opportunity to raise money for Blue Skies.

Staff sold disposable face masks to customers for 50p each, which soon soared to a staggering £6,500 in the charity pot.

Coral Island's head of marketing John Chamley presents a cheque to Blue Skies
community fundraiser Joanna Allitt, after raising a total of £6,500 by selling face masks. Pic: Blue Skies Hospitals Fund — Coral Island's head of marketing John Chamley presents a cheque to Blue Skies community fundraiser Joanna Allitt, after raising a total of £6,500 by selling face masks. Pic: Blue Skies Hospitals Fund

Jeff MacNamara, site director at Coral Island, said: "We’ve just raised another £2,500 for Blue Skies and this brings the total money pot to approximately £6,500. We can’t thank our customers enough for helping us generate such an amazing amount for a worthy local cause.

"Blue Skies are great to work with and we look forward to future fundraising ideas together."

Joanna Allitt, Community Fundraiser at Blue Skies, added: “We’re so grateful to have such a supportive business on our doorstep, and it’s a perfect example of how small

donations can really add up to a massive amount."

Coral Island raises £6,500 through face mask sales for Blackpool Victoria Hospital Charity Blue Skies