Southport Pleasureland opened its doors on Friday night to welcome over 1,000 fundraisers taking part in the annual Star Trekk walk for Queenscourt Hospice.
It was welcome support for our local hospice, which cares for hundreds of families across Southport, Formby and West Lancashire every year.
The Queenscourt fundraising team and their volunteers were able to utilise Pleasureland as a base to register trekkers; provide them with some great entertainment; and then welcome them back at the end.
That’s the difference with a family-run local business, the investment they often make into their local community.
Southport Pleasureland CEO Norman Wallis was at Star Trekk, as was General manager George Hedges, welcoming walkers and ensuring everyone had all they needed.
They played their part in supporting one of the biggest fundraisers in the Queenscourt fundraising calendar, whose other events include Jail and Bail, the Southport Santa Sprint and Queenscourt Strictly.
Southport Pleasureland owner Norman Wallis with Queenie the bee at Star Trekk
Last month Norman Wallis was at The Grand in Southport, at the Pride Of Sefton Awards, where he sponsored the Child Of Courage Award, presenting trophies to the inspirational Jose Thiakulam Paulose, Dylan Roberts and Ralphy Thompson.
During peak season, Southport Pleasureland is one of the biggest employers in the region, employing around 125 local people.
It’s a miracle that we still have an amusement park in Southport.
When previous owners Blackpool Pleasure Beach shut it suddenly in 2007 the site was left devastated.
The Sefton Child Of Courage Award winners Jose Thiakulam Paulose, Dylan Roberts and Ralphy Thompson receive their Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards from Southport Pleasureland CEO Norman Wallis. Photo by Kevin Brown Photography
A wrecking crew came in with chainsaws to destroy the historic Cyclone roller coaster, while the Traumatizer ride was taken to Blackpool and other cherished rides were sold off.
It has taken 17 years for Norman Wallis to rebuild a park that attracts visitors from across the UK, with constant improvements including The Southport Eye observation wheel, which boasts stunning views across the coast on one side and the Marine Lake on the other.
The Viking adventure golf course is something else new for families to enjoy, as is the new ‘Steam Punk’ zone in the park.
It’s beyond all recognition to what it was. It is on a journey to becoming a full theme park, with fully immersive themed lands, new rides and beautifully landscaped grounds.
Walkers take part in the 2024 Star Trekk night walk to raise money for Queenscourt Hospice.
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
Not only does Pleasureland make a difference to the local community from the point of view that it has seriously enhanced the leisure offering available to all, but it also benefits the community in other ways.
It offers a huge variety of job roles for local people.
Many people think that it’s just about ride operators pressing a button – but it’s so much more than that.
Southport Pleasureland is like a village. Even out of season it’s a thriving hub of activity. Some of the roles that exist at Pleasureland are joiners, electricians, engineers, painters, artists, plumbers, graphic designers, marketing, sales, maintenance, guest relations, catering, accounts, administration, IT, HR, retail, housekeeping, car parks, and ride operators.
This effectively means that Pleasureland is helping to employ and upskill local people in a wide variety of roles, helping to keep skilled trades people local.
Southport Pleasureland. Photo by Tony Wynne
There are also a number of apprenticeships at Pleasureland so home growing talent to try to help young people develop skills that will be of benefit to them longer term as they progress their careers.
For many people Pleasureland may be their first employer and so it acts as a way of helping young people develop a broad range of customer facing skills that gives them an important stepping stone that again will help them as they develop and grow later in their careers.
Due to the nature of the business it makes ideal employment for people of all ages, including people who may want to work part time after they’ve retired from their full time career. All of these options help ensure the business makes a real difference to the community.
The Day Of The Dead Festival at Southport Pleasureland. Photo by Claire Brown Stand Up For Southport
Pleasureland is Southport and Southport is Pleasureland. So many people have a huge feeling of nostalgia around the park, and it bears that responsibility with pride.
Helping those who went in their youth to hold on to their memories, and to help future generations create new memories to treasure. This is an incredibly important role in the local community and the business does all that it can to ensure it supports and celebrates peoples love of their local area.
The Mayor of Sefton Cllr Clare Carragher with members of Southport Pleasureland’s successful maintenance team
Huge ongoing investment has been made, and continues to be made, in the park to ensure that this iconic part of Southport continues to move with the times and provide employment for local people and enjoyment for locals and visitors alike.
In addition to the day to day business of the theme park, Pleasureland is also a huge contributor to many local charities and worthy causes including Alder Hey Children’s Charity, Queenscourt Hospice, Southport Foodbank, Make A Change for Ben Botanic Gardens and many other school fetes and individual fundraisers for a whole host of causes.
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