The cost of living crisis is having a devastating impact on disadvantaged children in London. That is why this month, in line with National Video Game Day, retro arcade bar NQ64 is partnering with The Childhood Trust, to support children and young people in the capital.
In London alone, 700,000 children are living in poverty. Living costs are rising dramatically, affecting everyone, and has led to London having the highest rate of child poverty in the country with 37% of children in London affected. The main drivers of child poverty in London are the capital’s high housing costs, lack of affordable childcare, low pay and a lack of flexible, part-time jobs. This is where NQ64 comes in.
Working together with London charity, The Childhood Trust, retro arcade bar NQ64 are committed to helping the city’s children in need. In line with National Video Game Day on the 8th of July, NQ64 are launching an initiative, supporting the charity’s ‘Decorate a Child’s Life’ initiative.
‘Decorate A Child’s Life’ is The Childhood Trust’s housing support programme that helps redecorate disadvantaged children’s bedrooms, as well as local youth clubs and community centres that children are relying on for support. The purpose of the programme is to provide children living in substandard accommodation with safe environments where they can learn, play, and grow.
From the 8th until the 15th of July, NQ64 guests will be able to bring in gaming consoles, gameboys, Game Gear and computer games to NQ64 in Soho, to be donated to the initiative, in exchange for cocktails. The games will then be passed on to The Childhood Trust, who will help place these in the hands of London’s children, to light up their every-day. As gaming has become a very social form of entertainment, NQ64 hopes that by supporting the initiative, they can help children across the capital connect with each other and find an escape during tough times.
NQ64 are urging Londoners to support the cause, and have set up a rewards system in their Soho bar, so that guests can receive a number of exciting rewards depending on donations. They can then cash these in and enjoy all the retro games NQ64 has to offer whilst sipping on bespoke, gaming-themed cocktails, in the signature neon-filled Soho bar.
“At NQ64 we have a deep love for gaming. Every day we see the joy it brings our customers, and we want to spread this joy to the next generation by supporting the children that need it the most. We thoroughly believe that even the smallest gesture can have a big impact in someone’s life, and hope that by donating these games to families and community centres, that we can support the children around London suffering from the cost of living crisis and give them something to take their mind off things, even if just for a moment”, says Clint Ghent, Operations Director at NQ64.
