Cambridge Acorn Project (Registered Charity No: 1175019)

What Cambridge Acorn Project (Registered Charity No: 1175019) does

Cambridge Acorn Project is a UK-registered charity (No: 1175019, Company No: 9187469) founded in 2014 and headquartered in Histon, Cambridgeshire, that delivers trauma-informed therapeutic services to children, young people, and families across Cambridgeshire who have experienced abuse, neglect, and financial hardship. Core programmes include Panoramic Support — a NICE-guidelines-aligned holistic model combining therapy, enrichment, family casework, safe-homes support, and school liaison — and the Letting The Future In (LTFI) programme for children affected by sexual abuse, delivered under a 2025-2027 partnership with NSPCC. Service modalities span counselling, art therapy, drama therapy, music therapy, animal-assisted therapy, EMDR, VIG, and DDP-informed practice, delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of qualified, registered practitioners and QTS tutors.

The organisation operates through four main delivery channels: seven Community Wellbeing Hubs (Cambridge, Huntingdon, Soham, Histon, Northstowe) providing free drop-in support; the Therapists in Schools programme placing commissioned practitioners in primary and secondary schools (100 schools served in 2023-2024); the Alternative Education Provision with AQA Unit Award Scheme accreditation for young people disengaged from mainstream schooling; and a paid training portfolio (Trauma Informed Classrooms, Tetris Protocol, Attachment Theory, etc.) for schools, agencies, and the community. The charity supports over 1,500 children cumulatively since founding and 711 children in 2023-2024, with outcomes including 94% family-rated satisfaction, 100% recommendation among adult hub users, and 9.4/10 satisfaction among children.

The business model is a hybrid charity funding stack: services are free to beneficiaries and financed through charitable trust and foundation grants (National Lottery, National Audit Institute, Peoples Health Trust, among others), corporate partnerships (e.g., Tees Law pro bono legal clinics), individual giving via JustGiving and Acorn Friends monthly donations, event fundraising (Cambridge Half Marathon, Northstowe Running Festival, Summer Raffle), commissioned school income, and paid training delivery. Per-family package cost is £1,000-£3,000 per year. The organisation does not publicly disclose revenue. It is led by CEO Matt Edge with a board of trustees chaired by Nichole Gibson and operates with approximately 26 employees, with explicit non-coverage of Fenland and Peterborough.

Name

Cambridge Acorn Project (Registered Charity No: 1175019)

Legal name

Cambridge Acorn Project

Website

https://cambridgeacornproject.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cambridge Acorn Project is a Cambridgeshire-based charity (founded 2014) delivering trauma-informed therapeutic services — including Panoramic Support, LTFI (with NSPCC), Alternative Education Provision, Community Wellbeing Hubs, and Therapists in Schools — to children and families affected by abuse, neglect, and financial hardship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Mental Health & Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Individual and Family Services (6241), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Trauma-Informed Care & Crisis Response (School-Based) (EDAKAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dropout Prevention, Re-Engagement & Truancy Intervention Programs (EDAJAEAD), Family Engagement & Caregiver Support Programs (SEL/Mental Health) (EDAKAMAK), Behavioral Support & Intervention Services (PBIS/Behavior Coaching) (EDAJALAH)

Keywords

• Trauma-informed therapy
• Children's mental health
• Family therapeutic services
• Alternative education provision
• Community wellbeing support

Headquarters

HQ city

Histon, Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals through JustGiving platform. The charity promotes specific giving amounts tied to outcomes (£10 for art/drama materials, £25 for counselling hour, £50 for enrichment pack, £100 for enrichment programme). Monthly giving programme called 'Acorn Friends'.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Business partnerships including fundraising events, charity of the year programmes, corporate donations, staff volunteering, and gift in kind contributions. Benefits include CSR impact, employee engagement, brand reputation, and PR opportunities.
3. Newsletter and Community Engagement: Mailchimp-based newsletter subscription to maintain supporter relationships and drive ongoing engagement and donations.
4. School Commissioning: Schools commission fully qualified therapeutic practitioners who work as dedicated mental health professionals. Days and frequency are tailored to each school's needs with direct therapeutic work to students.
5. Training Services: Trauma-informed training for schools, agencies and wider community. Training topics include Trauma Informed Classrooms, Tetris Protocol for Schools, Attachment Theory, Trauma and Attachment, Empathy, Therapeutic Model of Social Casework, Impact of Poverty. Both full-day and half-day options with bespoke training available.
6. Trust and Foundation Funding: Grant funding from charitable trusts and foundations. Funders include National Lottery, National Audit Institute, Peoples Health Trust, and others shown on website.
7. Community Hub Services: Free community wellbeing hubs providing support with wellbeing, family difficulties, life admin, parenting strategies, and referrals. Additional programmes for parents including Circle of Security and Healing Connections.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cambridge Acorn Project is a registered charity providing trauma-informed therapeutic services for children, young people, and families across Cambridgeshire who have experienced abuse, neglect, and financial hardship. Core offerings include Panoramic Support (bespoke long-term therapeutic packages), Letting the Future In (delivered in partnership with NSPCC for children affected by sexual abuse), Alternative Education Provision with the AQA Unit Award Scheme, seven Community Wellbeing Hubs offering drop-in support, the Therapists in Schools commissioning programme, and trauma-informed Training Services for schools and agencies.

Product overview

Cambridge Acorn Project is a charitable organisation offering a portfolio of trauma-informed therapeutic services for children and families across Cambridgeshire. The core offering consists of Panoramic Support (for abuse/neglect) and Letting the Future In (for sexual abuse, delivered in partnership with NSPCC), supplemented by Alternative Education Provision with multiple therapeutic modalities (art/drama/music therapy, EMDR, DDP). Community Wellbeing Hubs provide drop-in support across seven locations, while the Therapists in Schools programme places practitioners in educational settings. Training services extend the organisation's trauma-informed approach to schools and agencies. The organisation also offers volunteering, student placement, and business partnership programmes. All services follow a Panoramic Model guided by NICE guidelines, addressing the intersection of poverty and childhood trauma through holistic, bespoke therapeutic packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Panoramic Support

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of responding families rated services as good; 90% of responding schools rated services as good; 100% of adults felt listened to and would recommend service
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership between 2025-2027 to deliver the Letting The Future In (LTFI) programme - a therapeutic programme for children who have experienced sexual abuse. LTFI was developed by NSPCC and Cambridge Acorn Project delivers the programme including assessments, therapeutic intervention, parent/carer support, and sibling support.
• Tees LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership providing 18 legal clinic sessions for families in need. Tees Law provides pro bono legal support as part of Cambridge Acorn Project's holistic family support approach. Partnership aims to improve family relationships, increase educational attainment, and support good mental health.
• FullscopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on 'What Matters to Us: Mapping Soham Stories Project' - a creative project commissioned by East Cambridgeshire Integrated Neighbourhood that listened to primary aged children about health and wellbeing.
• JustGivingcoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital fundraising platform used for online donations, summer raffle ticket sales, and event registrations. Primary donation channel for individual supporters.
• easyfundraisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership allowing supporters to raise donations while shopping online at participating retailers.
• Histon ManorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Summer Raffle 2026 offering prizes and supporting fundraising efforts.
• Northstowe Running FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCambridge Acorn Project is charity partner for the Northstowe Running Festival 2026 (5K, 10K, half marathon). Free charity places available with fundraising commitments.
• Histon & Impington Open GardensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCambridge Acorn Project selected as benefiting charity for 2026 Open Gardens event. Headquarters garden opens to public as part of the event with free activities for all ages.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Winston's Wish: UK charity providing therapeutic support to bereaved children and young people. Comparable in specialist trauma therapeutic model and direct delivery to vulnerable children, though narrower in presenting issue.
• Place2Be: UK children's mental health charity providing counselling and emotional support in schools — directly comparable to Cambridge Acorn Project's Therapists in Schools programme. Both place qualified therapists in educational settings serving vulnerable children.
• Family Action: UK charity providing emotional wellbeing, mental health, and family support services including school-based programmes and therapeutic support. Comparable in family-focused therapeutic model and community-based delivery.
• Anna Freud Centre: Specialist mental health charity for children and young people, offering evidence-based therapeutic interventions, training, and research. Highly comparable in clinical methodology and trauma-informed approach to Cambridge Acorn Project.
• NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children): The UK's leading child welfare charity and Cambridge Acorn Project's strategic partner on the LTFI programme. NSPCC operates across the UK providing child protection services, helplines, and therapeutic programmes — directly comparable in mission and overlapping in clinical methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Barnardo's: One of the UK's largest children's charities, operating nationwide services including therapeutic support for children affected by abuse and trauma. A broader incumbent with overlapping beneficiary populations and therapeutic service offerings across the UK.
• Action for Children: UK national charity supporting vulnerable children, young people, and families through direct services, residential care, and family support. Comparable in mission and beneficiary focus with broader geographic reach.
• NHS CAMHS (Children and Young People's Mental Health Services): NHS-funded statutory mental health services for children and young people. Cambridge Acorn Project regularly interfaces with CAMHS for referrals and complements gaps in NHS provision; operates at smaller scale than CAMHS but with more bespoke trauma specialism.

Emerging players

• YoungMinds: UK charity focused on children and young people's mental health, providing advocacy, training, and parent support. Comparable beneficiary focus with stronger policy and awareness remit rather than direct therapeutic delivery.

Regional players

• Kids Inspire: East of England-based charity providing therapeutic support for children and young people affected by trauma, abuse, and family difficulties. Comparable regional peer operating in neighbouring Essex geography with similar trauma-informed model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cambridgeacornproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cambridge Acorn Project (Registered Charity No: 1175019)