The Children’s Foundation was established in 1990 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne to improve the health and well-being of children and young people in the region.
Their aim is to improve the health and well-being of children and young people from birth to age 18 in the North East by making serious stuff fun! They want all North East children and young people to be happy and healthy as well as feel loved, respected, have a voice and are heard.
The Children’s Foundation ran The Yellow Brick Road Appeal; built the Sir James Spence Institute of Child Health at the RVI and the charity is still based there, supporting a range of projects to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people across the whole of the North East.
The main projects include; Clown Doctors, ensuring vital therapeutic play is received by young people experiencing distress & anxiety in hospital.
Horticulture Project, offers a Level 1 qualification to young people aged 16 in school with social, emotional & learning needs. Fuzzy Subjects, Mental Health workshops in Primary Schools, using puppets as a tool to engage the subject of mental health. Nurture Project, Providing a safe space in school for isolated & marginalised young people to find a voice, grow in confidence & build positive friendships.
For a team with a Full time Staff force of FOUR, the charity has been punching above their weight! Being small brings speed and responsiveness. Their recent track record of working with local, disadvantaged children and young people is vast. When the pandemic hit in March 2020 they decided not to furlough but had to think fast and adapt to meet needs and deliver, ‘on the ground’. To date they have:
Made up and delivered 304 weekend meals and 177 activity packs to 68 vulnerable families.
Put together and delivered a 7 week summer holiday scheme of 14 individual trips/activities supporting 53 young people to participate in Newcastle’s Best Summer Ever (Summer of Change).
Almost uniquely, they decided to get children and young people out of their communities with Covid-safe face to face provision, leading surfing, rock pooling, forest school and puppet making trips and activities - resulting in the founding of The Children’s Foundation Summer Surf School.
Supported 16 secondary pupils, with behavioural issues, often at risk of exclusion, to achieve a level 1 Practical Horticulture qualification through our Therapeutic Horticulture Project.
Set up and delivered a weekly ‘Couch to 2K’ project for 6 young people, referred by the GNCH, running in the park to improve their fitness, reduce isolation and increase their well-being.
Their ‘Life in Lockdown’ YouTube episodes allowed the puppets to do the talking, addressing young people’s mental health, well-being and reinforced key messages about keeping yourself and each other safe.
Take £25 – an employability challenge with Sunderland University students. Teams of 4 get £25.00 and four weeks to transform it into as much as they can. Winning team in 2019 raised over £1,000.
In lockdown, funded and installed 2 mobile ‘phone charging stations in Children’s A & E enabling anxious, stressed families to stay in touch.
The Children's Foundation are always looking for volunteers to help their busy team. Opportunities range from Corporate Volunteering, helping at their allotment or wrapping presents. You can also help out around the office with eBay or social media, to greeting our runners at the Great North Run and they have something to get involve with all year round. Or, why not plan and host your own event to raise funds to support their work.
Sir James Spence Institute, RVI, Queen Victoria Road
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 4LP
