Children's Heart Federation

What Children's Heart Federation does

Children's Heart Federation (CHF), also operating as Children's Hearts UK, is a UK-registered national charity (Charity No: 1120557, Company No: 6329763) headquartered in Braintree, Essex, with approximately 8 employees. Founded in 1988 and recently rebranded, the organization is dedicated to supporting children born with or who develop congenital heart conditions (CHD) and their families across the UK and Ireland. CHF operates independently of the NHS and is not affiliated with any hospital charity, allowing it to advocate impartially for affected families.

The charity's core services include a comprehensive library of free PDF information sheets covering heart conditions (VSD, Tetralogy of Fallot, SVT, HLHS, Ebstein's Anomaly, TGA) and care topics (warfarin, talking to doctors, school support), home INR self-monitoring equipment for children on anticoagulants, and a telephone/email helpline. It also produces and sells therapeutic merchandise — Molly's Dolly dolls (£25 each, in 10 skin-tone variants with optional scarring), the Sky The Expert Storybook (£5.49), and Plant Seeds of Hope kits (£5) — through a WooCommerce-powered e-commerce storefront, alongside running a digital Exercise Programme for children with heart conditions. Advocacy campaigns include Pulse Oximetry, Think HEART, INR Self-monitoring, and Safe in Schools.

CHF's revenue model is diversified across donations (one-time and monthly tiers of £5/£10/£20), community fundraising events (London Marathon, The Big Half, Inflatable 5K, tandem skydives), merchandise sales, legacy/will gifts (via FreeWills.co.uk), and zero-cost affiliate shopping programmes (Easy Fundraising, Give as you Live, Savoo across 3,000+ retailers). Marketing relies on organic content, the Heart2Heart newsletter, social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), earned media storytelling, and JustGiving-powered peer-to-peer fundraising pages.

Name

Children's Heart Federation

Legal name

Children's Heart Federation

Website

https://chfed.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Children's Heart Federation is a UK national charity supporting children with congenital heart conditions and their families through free information sheets, INR equipment, advocacy campaigns, merchandise sales, and community fundraising across the UK and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charity / Patient Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

Keywords

• Congenital heart disease support
• Charity helpline services
• Patient family advocacy
• Children health charity
• INR home monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Braintree

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: CHF relies heavily on donations from individuals, corporate supporters, and community fundraisers. This includes one-time donations, monthly giving, text-to-donate, BACS transfers, cheque payments, and payroll giving. Fundraising events include the London Marathon, The Big Half, Inflatable 5K, sky dives, and cycling events.
2. Merchandise Sales: CHF operates an e-commerce shop selling branded merchandise including Molly's Dolly dolls (£25 each in 10 skin tone variants), the Sky The Expert Storybook (£5.49), and the Plant Seeds of Hope with Heart kit (£5). All proceeds support the charity's work with heart children and families.
3. Legacies and Wills: CHF encourages supporters to leave a gift in their will, offering a free will writing service through a partnership with FreeWills.co.uk. Legacy gifts are exempt from inheritance tax and form a long-term revenue stream.
4. Affiliate Shopping Programmes: CHF receives donations from over 3000 retailers through Easy Fundraising, Give as you Live, and Savoo when supporters shop online. This is a zero-cost revenue stream for CHF.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Children's Heart Federation is a UK charity that provides free information, advice, equipment, and advocacy to families of children with congenital heart conditions. Core support includes a free PDF information sheet library covering heart conditions and care topics, INR self-monitoring machines for home anticoagulant testing, therapeutic Molly's Dolly dolls to help children prepare for surgery, a telephone and email helpline, the Heart2Heart newsletter, and a digital Exercise Programme. The charity also sells branded merchandise and fundraising kits to support these services.

Product overview

Children's Heart Federation operates as a charity offering a portfolio of support services and products for children with heart conditions and their families. The core offerings include educational therapeutic dolls (Molly's Dolly in 10 variants), children's books (Sky The Expert Storybook), fundraising kits (Plant Seeds of Hope), and financial donation products at multiple price points. Supporting services include free PDF information sheets covering 6+ heart conditions and care topics, INR machine provision for home testing, a telephone infoline, Heart2Heart email newsletter, and a digital CHF Exercise Programme. The organization also facilitates fundraising through events and third-party platforms including JustGiving, Easy Fundraising, and its own WooCommerce-powered shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Molly's Dolly Therapeutic doll designed for children with heart conditions to help them understand and prepare for surgical scars. Available in 10 skin tone variants with optional central chest scarring customisation. Priced at £25 each. Targeted at children with congenital heart conditions and their families.
• Sky The Expert Storybook Illustrated children's book for primary school children (aged 6+) about a boy with a heart condition awaiting surgery. Covers topics including dental hygiene, keeping warm, exercise, hospital visits, and being brave. Priced at £5.49. For families of children with heart conditions.
• Plant Seeds of Hope with Heart Kit Fundraising kit containing seed packets with instructions and information about the supporter's impact, designed to support children with heart conditions and their families. Priced at £5.00. For community supporters and fundraisers.
• Information Sheets Service Free downloadable PDF information sheets covering heart conditions (Supraventricular Tachycardia, Tetralogy of Fallot, VSD, HLHS, Ebstein's Anomaly, Transposition of the Great Arteries) and caring for heart children (Warfarin, talking to doctors, second opinions, medicines). Provided free of charge to families of children with congenital heart conditions.
• INR Machines Provision Home blood monitoring equipment provided to children requiring regular INR testing for anticoagulant medication management. Enables families to conduct INR tests at home rather than at hospital, reducing hospital visits. Provided free to eligible beneficiaries.
• Heart2Heart Newsletter Regular e-news briefing covering CHF campaigns, policy updates, research developments, and news in the heart conditions field. Distributed to subscribers via email. For supporters, families, and healthcare professionals.
• Telephone Infoline & Email Support Service Free helpline service providing advice, information, and support to families coping with congenital heart disease via telephone (0300 561 0065 / Freephone 0808 808 5000) and email ([email protected]). Provided through the CHF information service.
• CHF Exercise Programme Digital exercise programme designed for children and young people with heart conditions, providing structured physical activity guidance with exercises vetted for safety and suitability. For children with heart conditions and their families.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of families per year receive advice and information via telephone, email, and website
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Easy FundraisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHF is registered with Easy Fundraising, enabling supporters to donate a percentage of their online purchases at over 3000 retailers to the charity at no cost to the supporter.
• Give as you LiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHF is registered with Give as you Live, another affiliate shopping platform allowing supporters to raise free donations when purchasing online from partner retailers.
• SavoominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHF is registered with Savoo, a third affiliate shopping platform enabling supporters to generate donations for the charity when shopping online.
• FreeWills.co.ukminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHF has partnered with FreeWills.co.uk to offer supporters a free will writing service. Each will is checked by legal experts and can be updated quickly and easily for free, forever. There is no obligation to leave a gift to CHF, but legacy donations are encouraged.
• Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB)minorOthersCHF is committed to the Fundraising Standards Board Code of Fundraising Practice, demonstrating adherence to high standards of honesty, accountability, and transparency in fundraising activities.
• Recycling for Good CausesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHF partners with Recycling for Good Causes to collect used postage stamps, broken and unwanted jewellery, and foreign banknotes to raise funds. The partner recycles the items and donates proceeds to CHF.
• Health Conditions in Schools AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHF is a member of the Health Conditions in Schools Alliance, which campaigns to ensure all schools have a medical conditions policy posted on their website. The Alliance successfully campaigned in 2014 for it to be made compulsory for all schools to have an accessible medical conditions policy.
• UK Running Events (Inflatable 5K)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCHF has become an official charity partner of the Inflatable 5K events (the world's largest fun run obstacle course) at various UK locations. CHF receives discounted entry rates to offer supporters and uses the events to fundraise for its new Exercise Programme.
• NICOR / CCADcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHF provides access to the NICOR CCAD database (National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research / Central Cardiac Audit Database), which tracks heart surgery centre performance in the UK, enabling families to make informed decisions about care.
• EuroheartsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHF is involved in Eurohearts, a summer camp programme for young people aged 14–17 with heart conditions, providing a residential trip for peer support and shared experiences.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• British Heart Foundation: The UK's largest heart charity, funding research and supporting all cardiovascular patients. While much broader than CHF (covers adult heart disease, research, and policy), it competes directly for heart-related donations and advocacy attention in the UK market.
• Heart Research UK: A UK charity funding heart disease research, prevention, and rehabilitation programmes. While broader and research-focused, it competes for the same donor pool and shares advocacy themes around cardiac health awareness.
• Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY): A UK charity focused on young sudden cardiac death prevention, screening, and supporting affected families. Comparable cardiac disease advocacy and family support themes, though focused on a different (predominantly adolescent/adult-young) segment.

Direct peers

• The Children's Heart Unit Fund (CHUF): A UK charity supporting the children's heart unit at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital. Although hospital-affiliated (unlike CHF's independent stance), it serves the same congenital heart disease beneficiary population and competes for family engagement and donations.
• Little Hearts Matter: A UK charity supporting children with single ventricle heart conditions and their families, providing information, parent-to-parent support, and advocacy. Directly comparable niche focus on congenital heart disease with overlapping beneficiary population.
• The Somerville Foundation: A UK charity supporting young people and adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). Highly comparable mission and beneficiary population, though focused on the transition to adult care rather than paediatric heart children.
• Evelina Children's Heart Organisation (ECHO): A UK charity linked to the Evelina London Children's Hospital supporting children with heart conditions and their families. Directly comparable support services for the same CHD beneficiary population with overlapping helpline, family event, and equipment provision offerings.
• Tiny Tickers: A UK charity focused on early detection of congenital heart defects through training sonographers and providing pulse oximetry equipment. Highly comparable mission overlap with CHF on detection, advocacy, and family support for CHD.

Regional players

• Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation: A US-based nonprofit focused on pediatric cardiomyopathy, a related but distinct cardiac condition. Comparable mission in supporting affected children and families, but geographically separated from CHF's UK market.

Emerging players

• Down's Heart Group: A UK charity providing specialist support for people with Down's syndrome and associated heart conditions. Overlaps with CHF on the CHD-pediatric family support niche, but addresses a specific sub-population with cardiac involvement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CHFed
• Facebookfacebook.com/chfed
• Instagraminstagram.com/chfedinsta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/childrens-hearts-uk

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Children's Heart Federation