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The Festival Series donates €4,800 to a local orphanage in Tallinn

The Festival Team

The Festival Author

January 28, 2022 · 3 minutes to read

The Festival Series started the year on a charitable note and donated €4,800 to Tallinn Children's Home, Tallinna Lastekodu. The contribution has been made on behalf of their partner Coolbet and Norwegian scene stalwart Ylva Thorsrud, who won the Acroud Charity Tournament during The Festival Bratislava last September.  

The fundraiser tournament was one of The Festival Series premiere's side events and has seen players representing Acroud, Matching Visions, The Gambling Cabin, Coolbet and Casino Room competing for an €8,000 prize pool in support of their chosen NGO/Charity.


"I believe the charity tournament was a great initiative and a very positive way to kick off The Festival Series! Both Coolbet's players, Ylva Thorsrud and Anne Bezdek, took part intending to support an NGO helping children, which was the primary motive when choosing the charity," said Thomas Pasgaard Hviid, Head of Poker at Coolbet.  

"Colleague of ours mentioned that Tallinna Lastekodu had an urgent need for donations as they were struggling even with the basic stuff for kids like pyjamas and blankets. We know that children in these homes do not have an easy start to their lives, so we decided for this shelter and care home to be our charity of choice," said Ylva Thorsrud, Streamer / Pokerplayer and the winner of the Acroud Charity Tournament. 

"It was already a great pleasure to play poker for a worthy cause, and now seeing a real impact by giving the kids a chance to start 2022 with dignity they deserve is priceless," she added.

Tallinna Lastekodu is an institution that provides substitute care, aftercare, mother and child shelter, infant shelter and care home for severely disabled children. Its mission is to create a homely, safe and developing environment where everyone feels valued and where every child has a supportive relationship. 


"Donations help us immensely, and we use them for children's hobbies as well as improving the living conditions of our units," said Kairi Schuster, Office Manager of Tallinn Children's Home.  

"While new and larger baby rooms will be completed in our Mustamäe unit for the summer, the infant shelter is currently on a temporary surface. We will direct The Festival Series' donation to renew this complex, including furniture, toys and clothing," Schuster confirmed. 


The original sum of €8,000 raised during the Acroud Charity Tournament was split 60/40 between Thorsrud and the runner-up Kresten Hougaard, whose share (€3,200) was donated on behalf of PokerListings to Shelters for Abandoned Animals in Malta.


"During most poker tournaments, poker players are primarily focused on their game in an attempt to win the top prize. However, during events like the Acroud Charity Tournament at The Festival Bratislava, the participants are much more relaxed and social as the number one objective is to raise money for worthy causes," says Martin von Zweigbergk, Director of Live Events at Acroud. 

The Festival Series is returning in 2022 with the first event set in Tallinn, from June 27th to July 3rd. While the next stops will be confirmed in due course, the organisers have asserted that even more side tournaments, including a charitable fundraiser, are to be anticipated.

The Festival Series once again thanks its partners who took part in the Acroud Charity Tournament and helped raise the money for Tallinn Children’s Home: Coolbet, Casino Room, Matching Visions, PokerListings and The Gambling Cabin.