What Children Today Charitable Trust does

Children Today Charitable Trust is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1137436) founded in 1994 and headquartered in Chester, Cheshire, that provides specialised adapted equipment grants to children and young people with disabilities across the United Kingdom. Its core offering consists of grants for walking frames, adapted trikes, powered wheelchairs, specialist seating systems, and other mobility equipment, delivered free of charge to qualifying families through a direct application process. The stated mission is to improve independence, physical and mental health, and social inclusion for disabled children whose equipment needs are not met by statutory services. The organisation is supported by Charity Director Emma Prescott and a lean team of approximately 6 employees, with named Partnerships Managers handling corporate and challenge-event pipelines.

The charity's revenue model is entirely donation- and fundraising-based; no fees are charged to beneficiaries. Income streams include direct donations, individual fundraising activities (birthday donations, community events), corporate partnerships (e.g., Associated Telecom's 2024 Charity of the Year, Panda Mami's per-transaction giving), a weekly Affinity Lottery, gift-in-will legacies, and revenue-share from third-party platforms including JustGiving, Easy Fundraising, and eBay for Charity. Distribution is UK-wide via direct grant applications, while donor acquisition runs through a multi-channel mix comprising the charity's website, email newsletter, social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn), and a portfolio of challenge-based fundraising events.

Children Today has built a repeatable challenge-event portfolio as a quasi-product line, including a Shark Dive at Blue Planet Aquarium, tandem skydives at 18 UK airfields via Skyline Events, and the 'Walk The Big One' rollercoaster climb at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, each with structured registration fees and minimum sponsorship targets. There is no proprietary technology platform underpinning operations — the charity operates a conventional human-mediated grant and fundraising model rather than a technology-enabled one.

Name

Children Today Charitable Trust

Legal name

Children Today Charitable Trust

Website

https://childrentoday.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Children Today Charitable Trust is a UK-registered charity that provides specialised adapted equipment grants — including wheelchairs, trikes, and seating — to children and young people with disabilities, funded entirely by donations, corporate partnerships, lottery, and challenge-event fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charity Disability Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH)

Keywords

• Disability charity services
• Specialised equipment grants
• Charity fundraising events
• Mobility equipment provision
• Charity lottery programme

Headquarters

HQ city

Chester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The charity raises funds through direct donations, fundraising events, and individual fundraising activities including birthday donations, lottery participation, and community fundraising.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Children Today Charitable Trust is a UK-registered charity that provides specialised adapted equipment grants to children and young people with disabilities. Equipment includes walking frames, adapted trikes, powered wheelchairs, and specialist seating systems, provided free of charge to qualifying families following an application process. The charity also operates a weekly lottery programme and organises fundraising challenge events such as shark dives, tandem skydives, and rollercoaster climbs to fund equipment provision.

Product overview

Children Today Charitable Trust is a UK-based charity providing a single unified service focused on granting specialized adapted equipment to children and young people with disabilities. The organization offers equipment grants including walking frames, adapted trikes, powered wheelchairs, specialist seating systems, and mobility equipment. Additionally, the charity operates a lottery program and organizes fundraising challenge events including shark dives, tandem skydives, and rollercoaster climbs, all of which serve to generate funds for equipment provision.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Specialised Equipment Grants Grants programme that provides specialised adapted equipment including walking frames, adapted trikes, powered wheelchairs, specialist seating systems, and other mobility equipment to children and young people with disabilities across the UK. Equipment is provided free of charge following an application process.
• Weekly Lottery Weekly lottery programme operated in partnership with Affinity Lottery that enables supporters to enter for the chance to win prizes while raising funds for the charity's equipment grants programme.
• Children Today Shark Dive Cage-free shark diving fundraising challenge at Blue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port. Participants dive with Sand Tiger Sharks, Nurse Sharks, and rays. Registration fee of £45 with a minimum sponsorship target of £450.
• Charity Tandem Skydive Tandem free-fall parachute jump fundraising challenge from up to 15,000 feet, available at 18 airfields across the UK through Skyline Events. Registration fee of £70 and minimum sponsorship of £450.
• Walk The Big One Fundraising challenge event where participants climb The Big One rollercoaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, standing 235 feet high. Registration fee of £25 with suggested sponsorship of £195.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helping children achieve greater independence and improved quality of life
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Panda MamiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAward-winning buffet restaurant in Chester that partnered with Children Today, donating 50 pence per transaction and raising over £1,000 for the charity.
• Associated TelecomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIT and telecommunications provider based in Telford that selected Children Today as their charity of the year partner for 2024. Staff members completed skydive challenges to raise funds.
• R&G Fluid Power GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreston-based company whose team of 21 completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, raising over £4,800 for Children Today.
• Blue Planet AquariumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port hosts the Children Today Shark Dive event, providing the venue for this annual fundraising challenge. Registration fee is £45 with a minimum sponsorship target of £450.
• Skyline EventscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperator of tandem skydive events across 18 airfields in the UK. Partners with Children Today for charity skydive bookings, with a £70 registration fee and £450 minimum sponsorship.
• Easy FundraisingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShopping comparison platform with over 6,000 retailers that enables supporters to raise free donations for Children Today when shopping online.
• eBay for CharityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatform that allows buyers and sellers to donate to Children Today through eBay transactions, with over £110 million raised through eBay for charity in the UK overall.
• Blackpool Pleasure BeachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the 'Walk The Big One' challenge event where participants climb The Big One rollercoaster (235 feet high) to raise funds. Registration fee £25, suggested sponsorship £195.
• Affinity LotterycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Affinity Lottery for Children Today's weekly lottery programme where supporters can win prizes while raising funds.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sense: UK disability charity supporting people with complex disabilities including children, offering services and equipment. Broader disability remit but overlapping beneficiary segment and equipment focus.
• BBC Children in Need: Major UK children's charity funding projects supporting disadvantaged children and young people. Larger scale and broader remit but a key funder within the same UK children's charity ecosystem.
• Make-A-Wish UK: Large UK children's charity granting wishes to critically ill children. Different specific mission but highly comparable UK children's charity donor base, fundraising event model, and corporate partnership approach.
• Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity: Major UK children's health charity raising funds for equipment, research, and family support at a leading pediatric hospital. Larger scale but overlapping donor pool and equipment-funding category.

Regional players

• Together for Short Lives: UK charity supporting children with life-limiting conditions and their families, including equipment and respite support. Comparable UK children's disability focus though narrower palliative scope.

Direct peers

• Whizz-Kidz: UK charity providing mobility equipment (wheelchairs, powered chairs) to disabled children and young people. Directly comparable mission, beneficiary segment, and equipment-grant model to Children Today.
• Caudwell Children: UK charity providing equipment, treatment, and family support services for disabled and autistic children. Overlapping equipment-grant programme and UK-wide beneficiary base.
• Variety, the Children's Charity: UK charity helping disabled and disadvantaged children, including provision of mobility equipment (wheelchairs, Sunshine Coaches). Comparable beneficiary profile and grant-based delivery model.
• Newlife Foundation: UK charity funding specialized equipment (wheelchairs, buggies, seating, sensory equipment) for disabled and terminally ill children. Closely matched equipment-grant model and beneficiary focus.

Emerging players

• Kids (KIDS Active Choices): UK charity supporting disabled children, young people, and their families through services, equipment, and inclusion programmes. Comparable specialized disability-children focus at smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/childrentoday
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChildrenTodayUKCharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children-today-charitable-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/childrentodaycharity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Today Charitable Trust