Free to Be Kids
Growing children's emotional health
Could you give an extra special gift this festive season?
Free to Be Kids supports particularly disadvantaged London children to build their confidence and better see their potential, working intensively with them for as long as they need support. Children are referred by Social Workers, School Welfare Teams or Mental Health Practitioners because of worries that they are struggling at home, at school or in their relationships with others. Most live in poverty, with many also suffering a as a result of housing instability or homelessness and others acting as carers for parents or siblings with physical or mental health needs. Alongside these pratical issues, many are dealing with the emotional impact of trauma and bereavement.
Our residential projects aim to create a sense of possibility for these children. Working alongside our volunteers, they spend 5 days in the Kent countryside, trying all sorts of new activities and challenges. From night walking through the forest, to canoeing across a lake. Children are able to feel adventurous and brave, often for the first time in a long time.
Our projects are always massively oversubscribed. More vulnerable children than ever before will need our support over 2024. Your help this Christmas will be crucial in helping us to reach them.
While you're here, why not buy some of our Christmas cards, exclusively designed by Sarah, one of our talented young people?
Spread Christmas joy to your loved ones whilst also helping to support more of London's most disadvantaged children, with all profits going towards the running of our therapeutic outdoor adventures in 2024.
Cards come in packs of 10 and are priced at £8 a pack, including postage.
The last date to order cards by is midday on Monday 18th December, but stocks are limited and sold out last year, so order early to avoid disappointment!
1. Donate a holiday for a vulnerable child
"Free to Be is like a second home. It just feels really nice and good. Cosy. They always give us a good bed and we wake up in the countryside. I just hope I get to go again!" Taylor, 11
"They give us a really good chance to try new things. Like, I’ve never done canoeing in my life or stayed in tents before. I’ve never been to do the big things that I’ve done on these trips." Prince, 9
Make a child's Christmas dreams come true! Any amount is a huge help, but £300 (plus Gift Aid) would cover the full cost of their break with Free to Be.
Your donation covers all costs, including: pre-project support, transport to and from home, accommodation, food and taking part in up to 20 different activities, from night walks and farm visits to beach trips and cooking sessions.
Or spread this donation over a year with a recurring donation of £25 per month (plus Gift Aid) and you could ensure that a child receives a break annually throughout their childhood for the length of your donation.
2. Buy a present from our Wishlist
Could you squeeze in an extra gift this year to help the children on our projects have an amazing break? We're collecting quality equipment for 2023's projects. From bedtime storybooks to buckets and spades and boardgames, every item gifted will enrich our children's breaks and be enjoyed again and again.
Browse our Amazon wishlist and pick a gift here:
Our good friends at Attic Self Storage are once again taking delivery of all items on our behalf and keeping them under their Christmas tree. To ensure the correct postage address is selected, please add the item to your basket from the main wishlist screen (not the individual product listing).
Please let us know (using the form at the bottom of this page) if you buy us a present - Amazon is unable to share your details with us and we'd love to thank you for your generosity!
3. Help cover the cost of fresh, tasty food on our projects
If you think your Christmas food shop is big, you should see our trolley at the beginning of a residential project!
Tasty, nutritious, homemade meals are a key part of our projects. Cooked with love by our volunteers, they help to create a sense of nurture and care for children who sometimes struggle to eat a full and healthy diet as a result of food poverty and challenging housing situations.
From chatting about the day around a dinner table, to cooking an al-fresco meal in the embers of a campfire, to completing a Masterchef Invention challenge with a range of mystery ingredients, we aim to ensure that food is a key part of children's experiences at Free to Be. If you'd like to help us to continue making mealtimes special, you can contribute supermarket food vouchers for us to put towards our shopping bill.
Click this button to go to the Asda website. When prompted, please enter the following details:
Recipient Name - Free to Be Kids, Recipient's Email - finance@freetobekids.org.uk
