Milton Keynes soft play venue celebrates reopening after burst water pipe forced temporary closure

Milton Keynes-based Safari MK are celebrating reopening after a burst water pipe forced temporary closure.

The business was closed at the end of August following water damage caused by a burst water pipe, but Safari MK has worked hard to get back on its feet - reopening with exciting new features and new team.

Safari MK, a soft play and party venue based in Kiln Farm, attributes its success to the positive impact and valuable support of the government Kickstart employment scheme.

While closed staff worked hard to retain connections with the local community and to complete extra training and recruit new members to the team.

Katie, the group HR manager, said: “We are proud to have recruited three enthusiastic young people through the Kickstart Scheme in Milton Keynes so far, all of which have had a great attitude to work, are very eager to learn and are already proving to be great assets to our team.

"The Kickstart Scheme has given us a fantastic opportunity to recruit for new customer facing roles to help us achieve our vision, to create a wonderful experience for every family that walks through the Safari doors, no matter the reason they choose us.”

Kickstart was launched by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in 2021 as a practical solution to help businesses bounce back from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The total value of the programme is £2-billion, to date. Businesses are able to use Kickstart to create new jobs and take on fully funded staff for up to 25 hours per week, who are paid via Kickstart, not their own business. Safari MK used Kickstart to employ three young people in the roles of Customer Experience Assistant and Trainee Kitchen Assistant.

Mia a new MK Kickstart recruit, said: “It was a really quick process compared to applying for other jobs; Safari MK is like a family and everyone is made to feel welcome. Joining as part of the kickstart scheme has helped to boost my confidence and allowed me to learn new skills such as how to talk to customers and how to use a till.”