Giggle Doctor and retired Nurse launch business during pandemic for families of all shapes and sizes to laugh together (married with four young children)

Put down your phone, and pick up The Box.

“The first box I ever made was for a ward at The Christie Oncology Hospital in Manchester. I saw families struggling to connect, dealing with a lot of anxiety and surrounded by illness, diagnosis and a lot of unknowns. They were in desperate need of something positive to focus on.” David (Co-director and Head of Curiosity - Around The Box).

The Box gave them a reason to put down their phones, it helped them forget why they were in hospital and, most importantly, it helped them remember how to laugh and have fun together.
Childhood sweethearts, David is a professional Magician and Giggle Doctor and Alice is a retired Nurse and was a hospital youth worker. They have been dreaming about The Box for years although they had no idea their timing would involve a global pandemic. But for the last few months, juggling home schooling/parenting, Manchester based David (34 from Glasgow), Alice (33 from Northampton) and their four children (8,7, 4 and 1) have been packing boxes, spreading the word and helping families connect together.

Packing up games and puzzles and sharing them with families when he goes into hospital as a specialist performer, David is an expert in this field and in engaging all ages. Time and time again he’s seen the same thing happen...
”When The Box opens up, people do too. They open up to each other, and rooms that were quiet, suddenly get a lot more life and laughter in them. The Box changes the atmosphere, it’s beautiful.”

David says ”I think we all want the same things as parents, whether our children are in hospital or not. We are all looking for ways to connect and spend meaningful, enjoyable time with each other.”
Alice (co-director and Head of Togetherness) fell in love with the dream when out for a family meal and seeing David create games that they would all enjoy rather than giving their children a phone to play on: “We are told that we are more connected than ever before, but then why do we often engage more with our phones than the person sat next to us? We are together, but not actually together”
Over the years, David realised that The Box isn’t just for families in hospital. It’s for all of us. So along with his wife, they made a first edition of The Box for families everywhere.

In addition, since launching, 13 UK hospitals have also been receiving boxes from generous people who have donated them under the B-FAB mission. The boxes are given to families with children undergoing medical treatment to help them have fun together.
David and Alice are incredibly excited to share this brand new concept with the world and they hope that families of all shapes and sizes and wherever they are laugh and connect together around The Box
Promotional Video: https://youtu.be/tR9jflWvdws
David and Alice Deanie, 07853 388 484 or 07891 767 217
together@aroundthebox.co.uk, www.aroundthebox.co.uk
FB: @togetheraroundthebox
IG/Twitter: @Around_The_Box
More about The Box:
The Box: challenges, puzzles and games to enjoy together!
The Box is the updated, modern compendium with 5 unique engaging challenges, puzzles and games such as ‘The Curious Cube’, ‘Rocket Launch’ and ‘Penguin Party’. Curated and created by David who is an expert in finding things for all ages to enjoy. The quick start guidelines and more in depth instructions enables all 5 key parts to interact and inspires further ideas for fun, play and imagination. Easy to start, with game difficulty ranging from ‘You’ll get there (it will be worth it)’ , to ‘try not to throw it across the room’.
For families of all shapes and sizes. It is perfect for inter-generational play where the adults have as much fun as the kids!
The heart of The Box is that we want everyone to B-FAB. This stands for Box For A Box. When a box is sold under the B-FAB mission, we will send it to a hospital of your choice with your name, company name or name of a loved one! The Box is £30, the B-Fab add on (hospital box) £25 and the Age suggestion is 6-106. (not suitable for under 3 years).
You can buy one for your family, send one as a gift or donate a box to any hospital in the UK. “In all my years as a Magician or as a dad at home, I’ve never regretted the time I spent around The Box.” David

Photo credit Smith Imaging. Link to high resolution: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhHBQz5sMk78gq1feHfME6p6GuFIDA

Photo credit Simon Bray. Link to high resolution: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhHBQz5sMk78gpkWLlH4l6l1pdMNbg?e=ilQyo9

Photo credit Simon Bray. Link to high resolution: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhHBQz5sMk78gpkr_e6RISDoHCQxeQ?e=KyviuO

Photo credit Smith Imaging. Link to high resolution: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhHBQz5sMk78gq08FqF5OcCMPwMg5Q?e=TxKo7R

Around The Box LTD
91 Milford Drive
Levenshulme
Manchester
M19 2RY

Promotional Video: https://youtu.be/tR9jflWvdws
David and Alice Deanie, 07853 388 484 or 07891 767 217
together@aroundthebox.co.uk, www.aroundthebox.co.uk
FB: @togetheraroundthebox
IG/Twitter: @Around_The_Box

What is The Box?
The Box starts conversations, fills empty spaces, creates bridges between people and creates a space where people can connect and brings them together
The Box is a toolkit for connecting people. We want to impact culture by bringing joy and fun.
The Box gives an alternative to technology especially within family settings. David has spent the last 11 years in hospitals helping children, young people and families to smile and connect together again. The research surrounding excessive tablet and phone use is scary – research shows people are lonelier now then ever before.
Who is Around The Box?
We are David and Alice, married for 11 years, based in South Manchester, parents’ to 4 unique and amazing children. Alice was an NHS nurse and hospital youth worker and then full time mum. David is a close-up magician, a Giggle Doctor, and a Magic Maker. Everything David has been fascinated by, learned, amazed by, captivated by, interested in helped form The Box.
If you ask Alice, she would say it is David in a Box…not literally.

This release was published on openPR.