The Childhood Trust raises £1.4M for London’s poorest children in Christmas Challenge

The Childhood Trust have successfully raised £1.4Million for 29 children’s charity projects that help to alleviate child poverty in London. The money was raised through the Big Give Christmas Challenge, an award-winning online giving platform. The charity has now supported 49 different projects – choosing to mainly support grass roots organisations, who have proven strategies to support the most vulnerable children. Childhood poverty affects around 600,000 under 16’s across the Capital and no borough however wealthy is immune.

Successful examples of supported projects include HTE Ltd based in Hackney. The organisation took part in the Christmas Challenge for the first time raising £80,000 for their out-of-school programme for disadvantaged local young people. HTE said, “We achieved and reached our target and will thus be able to make a difference to so many young people’s lives and their family’s wellbeing…” The money will fund their work with teenagers, giving them after-school activities aimed at improving their health as well as being inspired by visiting places around the country that they would never otherwise see.

“Most of the charities we curated are small and know best how to help their communities. They simply need more funds to reach and help more children in need,” says chief executive Lisa Gagliani. “The beauty of the Christmas Challenge is that the public can engage directly with projects that most enthuse them while having their donations doubled. Everyone feels good about giving and so gives a little bit more.”

For further details about the Christmas Challenge and to see all the projects supported to date and to register for a regular e-newsletter go to www.childhoodtrust.org.uk

Notes

Projects curated by the Childhood Trust help to alleviate the symptoms of poverty among young people in practical, emotional or inspirational ways. Funds raised will remedy the effects of poverty found in children: poor nutrition, ill health, developmental delay, slower academic attainment, emotional and behavioural difficulties including depression, and lack of motivation and solid role models to look up to.

For further information contact: Lisa@childhoodtrust.org.uk tel 0203 759 0748

Laurence Guinness