Willerby teams up with Hull KR for charity parking initiative

Leading holiday homes manufacturer Willerby has teamed up with World Club Challenge-winning Hull Kingston Rovers, based at Sewell Group Craven Park stadium, for a parking initiative with a difference.

Hull-based Willerby has joined forces with the rugby league team to offer a new parking scheme which will give back to two leading charities supporting people in Hull and East Yorkshire.

Hull KR enjoyed the club’s most successful season ever in 2025, winning the Super League Grand Final, Challenge Cup, and League Leaders’ Shield in the same campaign, resulting in the club now being almost at capacity for season pass memberships, with 10,000 snapped up for the 2026 season, and parking for home games in higher demand than ever.

Willerby’s manufacturing site is just a few minutes’ walk from Hull KR’s home, the Sewell Group Craven Park stadium, so an idea was born to enable fans to use Willerby’s staff car park on busy matchdays, while also raising money for two vital charities in the city.

The initiative will benefit Willerby’s two charities of the year, Dove House Hospice and Hull and East Yorkshire (HEY) Children’s University, with Willerby donating a share of the proceeds to the two worthy causes.

The idea for the project came about after Willerby offered parking provision during rock band Coldplay’s concerts at Craven Park in summer 2025, which saw 25,000 fans descend on the venue for each of two sold-out shows. Willerby raised £5,125 for the same charities during the event, and teamed up with Hull KR to extend the provision to all the team’s home games for the 2026 season.

It will see Willerby offer access to its staff car park off Marfleet Lane, east Hull, to spectators, with the 250-space facility managed by Hull KR’s stewards. Priority will be given to supporters that have purchased a seasonal parking permit with remaining spaces available on a match by match basis.

The charities work with people across Hull and East Yorkshire, with Dove House Hospice providing person-centred care for people living with life limiting illnesses, while HEY Children’s University works to create unique learning opportunities and inspire disadvantaged children.

The causes were selected as this year’s charities of the year by Willerby team members, with the parking scheme just one of the many ways Willerby will be supporting them during 2026.

Willerby’s Head of Health, Safety and Environment Helen Capps, said: “The parking initiative for the Coldplay concerts worked so well that we saw an opportunity to extend this and raise even more money for these two amazing charities, which are close to the hearts of so many of our colleagues.

“It’s a perfect solution to the growing demand for parking for Hull KR games, as the matches take place at weekends and on evenings, outside our operational hours.

“We’re incredibly proud to be one of Hull’s leading and longest-established businesses, so we’re delighted to be working with our neighbours at Hull KR to give back to these two charities, which do so much for people in our region.”

Hull KR’s Ticketing Manager, Harry Spillings said: “We’re delighted to be working with Willerby, which, like us, has a long and proud history in Hull.

“This initiative will make parking on matchdays easier and more convenient for many supporters, as well as ensuring we’re doing everything we can to be a good neighbour to people who live around our stadium, by reducing parking in residential areas.”

The project, and the additional boost it will provide to Willerby’s chosen charities, comes during a special year for the holiday homes maker, with 2026 marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the business.

HEY Children’s University’s Head of Development, Sarah Brodie said: "Fundraising initiatives like this are vital in enabling us to sustain our work at scale; without such support, many children would simply miss out on transformative experiences.

“We extend our sincere thanks to the team at Willerby for choosing to champion HEY Children’s University and for investing so meaningfully in the potential of local young people. We are equally grateful to every individual who uses the car park and contributes to the fundraising effort - your support is helping to create brighter futures for children across our community."

Dove House Hospice’s Partnership Development Fundraiser, Jonny Bottomley said: “All of the services we offer, whether that be primary care for patients, or support for family members, is completely free, and we simply couldn’t offer this without fundraising.

“This is a fantastic initiative from Willerby because not only does it help to raise vital funds for ourselves and HEY Children’s University, but it also offers a super helpful service to local residents and Hull KR supporters, demonstrating how deeply embedded Willerby is in the local community.”