Heart Heroes

What Heart Heroes does

Heart Heroes is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number 1183079) founded in 2018 and headquartered in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, that provides subsidised social events and support services for children with heart conditions and their families. The organisation serves multiple beneficiary segments across the family lifecycle, including primary cohort children with congenital heart defects and their immediate families, plus secondary cohorts of young adults aged 12+ (Young Adults/#Beatz programme), children aged 4-11 (I CAN programme), and parents/carers (We See You support initiative). Pain points addressed include isolation, stress surrounding medical appointments and surgeries, lack of peer support, the child-to-adult healthcare transition, and the emotional burden on parents and carers.

The charity's core product portfolio comprises an online community platform powered by ToucanTech (with secure AWS cloud hosting in the EU), 10 regional HUBs across England and Wales providing in-person meetups and activities, hospital presence at Bristol Children's Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital, and Alder Hey Children's Hospital, plus supplementary programmes including Play Therapy, the Big Heart Build retreat facility, Olius Lodge, and the Caboodle intergenerational project delivered in partnership with Lilian Faithfull Care. Underlying technology is straightforward web platform infrastructure with Stripe payment processing, Google Analytics, Google reCAPTCHA, and social login via Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google. No AI/ML capabilities, proprietary models, or data flywheels are present.

Heart Heroes operates a non-profit revenue model entirely dependent on voluntary income, with no statutory funding. Revenue streams include public donations (online and SMS keyword 'HEARTCHILDREN' to 70470), fundraising events, corporate partnerships and sponsorships, grants from charitable trusts and foundations, and merchandise sales through the Heart Heroes Shop. Services are provided free or at subsidised rates to eligible families. The go-to-market motion is community-led: families register on the online community, join local HUBs, and engage through events, while corporate partners and donors are acquired through targeted outreach and the Charity Commission-visible charity status.

Name

Heart Heroes

Legal name

Heart Heroes

Website

https://heartheroes.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Heart Heroes is a UK-registered charity (1183079) founded in 2018 providing subsidised social events, peer support, and community programmes for children with heart conditions and their families, delivered via an online community platform, 10 regional HUBs, and 3 hospital locations across England and Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Health Charity Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Pediatric cardiac support
• Charity fundraising
• Community support services
• Family support programs
• Child health charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Gloucester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Donations and Fundraising Events: Individual donations from the public and participation in fundraising events. Donations can be made online through the website or via text message using 'HEARTCHILDREN' keyword to 70470.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Partnerships with corporate sponsors who support the charity's mission through donations, sponsorships, and in-kind contributions.
3. Grants and Trusts: Funding from charitable trusts and foundations that support children with heart conditions and their families.
4. Charity Shop and Merchandise Sales: Sales from the charity shop and 'I CAN' merchandise including hoodies, t-shirts, and award books.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Heart Heroes provides subsidised social events, peer support, and therapeutic services to children with heart conditions and their families across the UK. The charity delivers this through an online community platform where families register, connect, and access resources, combined with a network of ten regional HUBs that host in-person events and activities. It also runs age-specific programmes including the I CAN inclusive activities project (ages 4-11), the Young Adults #Beatz programme (ages 12+), the We See You parent support service, and Play Therapy.

Product overview

Heart Heroes is a UK-based charity (Charity Number 1183079) providing subsidised social events and support services for children with heart conditions and their families. The organization operates a community platform for online engagement combined with regional HUBs across ten UK locations. Their core service portfolio includes the online community platform, regional HUBs, the I CAN Project (activities for ages 4-11), Young Adults/Beatz programme (ages 12+), We See You parent support, Play Therapy, the Big Heart Build headquarters facility, Olius Lodge, and the Caboodle intergenerational project. The organization is funded through public donations, corporate partnerships, grants, and merchandise sales, with no statutory funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Olius Lodge: A facility referenced in the website navigation as a distinct location/service.
• The Big Heart Build
• I CAN
• Young Adults
• We See You
• Play Therapy
• Caboodle
• #Beatz

Products and services

• Heart Heroes Community Platform An online community platform where heart families create personalised profiles, join community groups (families, local HUBs, corporate partners), search and connect with friends, share stories, access and share resources, sign up for events, and read the latest news. It serves as the digital backbone of the charity.
• Heart Heroes HUBs Regional support hubs operating across ten UK locations — Gloucester (flagship), Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Hertfordshire, Leicester, Oxfordshire, Somerset, North Wales, and South Wales — providing subsidised social events, family meetups, and activities for children with heart conditions and their families.
• I CAN Project An inclusive activities project for children aged 4-11 with heart conditions, split into two age groups (4-7 and 8-11). Activities include Cook, Garden, Exercise, Drum, Act, and Create. Participants receive an awards book and an I CAN hoodie and t-shirt on joining.
• Young Adults (#Beatz) Programme A supportive community programme for individuals aged 12+ living with heart conditions, offering social nights, activities, wellbeing events, mentoring, and a podcast distributed on Spotify. The #Beatz element represents the unique rhythm and journey of each individual as they transition from child to adult services.
• We See You Parent Support A parent support programme offering monthly meetups with a dedicated space for parents to relax, connect, and get support. Includes access to a Family Support Worker and Play Therapist, with childcare covered through Forest School or Movie Nights.
• Play Therapy Child-centred play therapy provided as a complimentary therapy alongside HUBs, events, and the I CAN programme. Offers a safe, non-judgemental space where children can explore emotions and grow in confidence and resilience through play.
• Big Heart Build (Heart Heroes Headquarters) A completed community retreat facility at Redwell House, Matson Lane, Gloucester, built in partnership with SAND Academies Trust, providing a space for meetings, events, support groups, and activity workshops for Heart Heroes and their families.
• Caboodle Intergenerational Project An intergenerational project in partnership with Lilian Faithfull Care, bringing together different generations through shared activities and combining the resources and expertise of both Gloucestershire charities.
• Heart Heroes Shop An online charity shop at shopheartheroes.uk selling Heart Heroes merchandise, including I CAN branded items, hoodies, t-shirts, and award books, with proceeds supporting the charity's programmes.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SAND Academies TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeart Heroes partnered with SAND Academies Trust to build the Big Heart Build - a dedicated retreat space for heart families. The Trust provided the land and works collaboratively with Heart Heroes to deliver physical, educational and emotional support for children living with heart conditions in Gloucestershire.
• Lilian Faithfull CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeart Heroes joined forces with Lilian Faithfull Care, another Gloucestershire charity, to deliver Caboodle - an Intergenerational Project combining resources and expertise from both organisations.
• ToucanTechcoreTechnology or IntegrationToucanTech provides the community platform technology powering Heart Heroes' website and online community database. They manage the secure cloud hosting infrastructure via Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the EU.
• SGATFminorOthersCorporate supporter contributing to the Big Heart Build project for heart families.
• Allstone Speedy SkipsminorOthersCorporate supporter providing skip services for the Big Heart Build project.
• A Winterbotham LtdminorOthersCorporate supporter for the Big Heart Build project.
• ES Electromech StroudminorOthersCorporate supporter for the Big Heart Build project.
• MKM Building SuppliesminorOthersCorporate supporter for the Big Heart Build project.
• Gloucester Charities TrustminorOthersCorporate supporter for the Big Heart Build project.
• Border ConsultancyminorOthersCorporate supporter for the Big Heart Build project.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Together for Short Lives: UK charity for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, providing family support and palliative care services. Comparable in mission around seriously ill children and family support, though broader in clinical scope.
• Heart Research UK: Larger, longer-established UK charity funding heart-disease research and community prevention. Overlaps with Heart Heroes on the heart-condition domain but operates in research and adult prevention rather than paediatric family support.
• Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent): Major UK charity supporting children and young people with cancer and their families through clinical, financial, and emotional support. Comparable operating model of regionalised family support in hospital and community settings, though serving a different condition group.

Emerging players

• Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity: UK charity funding specialist nursing and services for seriously ill children. Overlaps in funding paediatric family support programmes across UK regions, comparable in target demographic even if condition-agnostic.
• The Sick Children's Trust: UK charity providing 'Home from Home' accommodation for families with sick children in hospital. Comparable in hospital-adjacent family support and regional hub model, though focused on accommodation rather than community events.

Regional players

• Children's Air Ambulance: UK charity transferring critically ill children between hospitals. Touches the paediatric cardiac transfer pathway relevant to Heart Heroes' hospital-embedded model but operates in transport rather than community support.

Direct peers

• Children's Heart Federation: UK national charity for children with congenital heart disease and their families, providing information, advice, and peer support. Closest direct comparator as it operates in the same heart-condition paediatric family niche across the UK.
• Little Hearts Matter: UK charity offering support and information to children with single ventricle heart conditions and their families. Directly comparable given its specific focus on paediatric heart families and family support services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/heartheroes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heart-heroes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Heart Heroes