YOTO LAUNCHES ‘WILDLIFE DEFENDERS’ AUDIO CARD WITH CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURES

London, MAY 20th 2024 – Yoto, the audio platform for kids behind the critically acclaimed and award-winning screen-free Yoto Player and Yoto Mini, are delighted to announce the launch of a brand new card in partnership with Merlin Entertainments Group. ‘BrainBots: Wildlife Defenders’ is available to buy now on www.yotoplay.com, and at resort theme park Chessington World of Adventures, priced at £7.99. 20% of profits will go to Chessington Conservation (CC), the charity set up to protect the future of nature and wildlife through conservation work and education in the local community and worldwide.

BrainBots: Wildlife Defenders is a 30-minute audio adventure for kids that teaches them all about how to protect our endangered wildlife. The story features Yoto’s BrainBots – Nellie, Buzz and Gibbs – who are on a mission to track down some missing information about endangered and vulnerable animals to add to the Central Information Hub. But as they learn about the animals and the unique challenges they face, the BrainBots realise they don’t just want to learn about the animals - they want to help them too! Kids can join the intrepid trio as they explore some of the world’s most endangered creatures - inspired by the animals which can be seen at Chessington - including Humboldt penguins, Rothschild giraffes, Southern White rhinos and Colombian Spider monkeys. After their global adventure they can test their knowledge with a fun interactive quiz at the end to see how many BrainBank facts they can remember.

Ben Drury, CEO of Yoto comments, “We believe in the boundless potential of young explorers to shape a brighter, more sustainable future for our planet. This new Wildlife Defender card aligns perfectly with this vision, and we are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Merlin Entertainments and adding to our already hugely popular Yoto Original’s BrainBots IP, to bring even more fun and educational audio to our listeners. By raising awareness and inspiring action, we aim to empower children to protect the natural world around them. Beyond sparking curiosity and knowledge, we're proud to donate 20% of the profits from this card to support the crucial work Chessington Conservation does to support the safeguarding of endangered species and their habitats around the world.”

Ramesh Ganeson, Divisional Director for Chessington World of Adventures Resort - part of Merlin Entertainments, commented:

"Chessington World of Adventures Resort is thrilled to announce this partnership between Yoto and our dedicated charity, Chessington Conservation. This collaboration highlights a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to protect nature and educate families around conserving wildlife. Through this partnership, alongside our innovative integration of Yoto cards at the resort, we hope to enrich our guest experience and also empower our community and guests with the tools and knowledge to safeguard our planet's precious ecosystems. This ongoing relationship with Yoto is also testament to Merlin Entertainments' wider ESG strategy and its focus on doing more to protect nature, and demonstrates our dedication to environmental stewardship on a global scale."

For more information, samples, high-res imagery please contact:

Lauren Mitcham, Yoto UK PR Manager

press.uk@yotoplay.com

+44 7800 872 230

For Chessington World of Adventures media enquiries please contact:

Minty Woolgar, Head of PR – Chessington World of Adventures Resort

minty.woolgar@chessington.co.uk

+44 7702 505 733

Notes to Editors

About Merlin Entertainments

Merlin Entertainments is a world leader in branded entertainment destinations, offering a diverse portfolio of resort theme parks, city-centre gateway attractions and LEGOLAND® Resorts which span across the UK, US, Western Europe, China and Asia Pacific. Dedicated to creating experiences that inspire joy and connection, Merlin welcomes more than 62 million guests annually to its growing estate, with over 140 sites across 23 countries. An expert in bringing world-famous entertainment brands to life, Merlin works with partners including the LEGO® Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Peppa Pig, DreamWorks and Ferrari to create destinations where guests can immerse themselves in a wide array of brand-driven worlds, rides and uplifting learning experiences. See www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.

About Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Leave the everyday behind at Chessington World of Adventures Resort. Gasp, giggle, shriek and scream as you see and do things you’ve never seen or done before. Feel your heart pound as you journey on your first wild ride and star wide-eyed encountering endangered animals.

· A theme park with over 40 rides and attractions

· A zoo with more than 1,000 animals, plus a SEA LIFE Aquarium

· Two themed hotels and Explorer Glamping

· Visit Chessington.com

About Chessington Conservation

Chessington Conservation (CC) was launched in 2011 to raise money to help protect the future of nature and wildlife through conservation work and education in our zoo, in the local community and worldwide. Since Chessington Conservation was formed it has supported many charitable organisations. Current partner charities include Dambari Wildlife Trust, World Land Trust, Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Limbe Wildlife Centre, Wildcats Conservation Alliance, Surrey Wildlife Trust.