Leeds Children's Charity

What Leeds Children's Charity does

Leeds Children's Charity is a registered UK charity (Charity number 1177062) founded in 1904 and headquartered at Lineham Farm, a 17th-century farmhouse on 120 acres of Yorkshire countryside approximately six miles outside Leeds city centre. The charity provides residential breaks, outdoor learning, and respite experiences for disadvantaged children across Leeds, with a stated reach of over 3,000 children per year and more than 100,000 children helped over its 120-year history. Its primary user population is Key Stage 2 children (ages 7-11) facing poverty, neglect, abuse, or challenging home circumstances, referred via schools, social services, and partner organisations such as Family Action Leeds Young Carers, MST CAN, and Reestablish.

The core operating asset is Lineham Farm, which accommodates up to 43 children plus 8 staff and delivers a curriculum-linked programme of climbing, cycling, archery, bushcraft, orienteering, Lineham Explorers, and animal care. The facility holds the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge and Adventuremark accreditation. The charity monetises this asset through three principal revenue streams: (1) school residential packages (2-night from £4,502 + VAT and 4-night from £9,191 + VAT for up to 32 children and 4 staff); (2) individual donations and a Friends of the Future monthly giving programme; and (3) corporate engagement including headline event sponsorship, facility and amenity sponsorships (Outdoor Education Cabin, climbing wall, 13 bedrooms, animals), and venue hire for team and CSR days. A School Partnership Scheme uses Indices of Multiple Deprivation, Free School Meals eligibility, and Pupil Premium funding to prioritise partner schools with reduced costs.

The organisation is led by Chief Executive Sharon Milner, with Duncan Pearse appointed Chair of Trustees in May 2026. The charity employs 12 staff, underwent a full rebrand in May 2026, and distributes services through school partnerships, direct bookings, corporate partnerships, and referrals from social services across a single Leeds/West Yorkshire geography.

Name

Leeds Children's Charity

Legal name

Leeds Children's Charity at Lineham Farm

Website

https://leedschildrenscharity.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Leeds Children's Charity is a UK-registered charity operating Lineham Farm, a 120-acre outdoor centre providing residential breaks and curriculum-linked outdoor learning to over 3,000 disadvantaged children per year across Leeds, funded through school bookings, donations, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Residential Outdoor Education and Respite Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (6117), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK), Student Welfare, Pastoral Care & Safeguarding Services (EDAIAHAI)

Keywords

• Children's charity services
• Residential outdoor education
• School residential packages
• Corporate sponsorship programmes
• Outdoor learning activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The charity relies on individual donations, regular giving programmes (Friends of the Future monthly giving), and fundraising activities including challenge events, community fundraising, and workplace fundraising.
2. School Residential Packages: Revenue from school bookings for residential trips at Lineham Farm. Two-night packages start from £4,502 + VAT and four-night packages from £9,191 + VAT, both for up to 32 children and 4 staff.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Business partnerships including headline event sponsorship, Outdoor Education Cabin sponsorship, Lineham Explorers residential programme sponsorship, climbing wall sponsorship, bedroom sponsorships, and animal sponsorships.
4. Venue Hire: Corporate venue hire services allowing businesses to use Lineham Farm facilities for team events and CSR days.
5. Christmas Campaigns: Seasonal fundraising including Christmas Gift Appeal bringing joy to children who might otherwise go without presents, and Christmas Giving Events at Lineham Farm.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Leeds Children's Charity provides safe residential breaks, outdoor learning experiences, and respite programmes for disadvantaged children in Leeds at Lineham Farm, a 17th-century farmhouse set in 120 acres of Yorkshire countryside. The charity sells residential packages to schools (2-night from £4,502+VAT and 4-night from £9,191+VAT, each for up to 32 children and 4 staff), delivers curriculum-linked outdoor activities (climbing, cycling, archery, bushcraft, orienteering, animal care), and operates a School Partnership Scheme that prioritises access for schools in the most deprived areas.

Product overview

Leeds Children's Charity operates as a residential outdoor education centre at Lineham Farm, offering disadvantaged children across Leeds safe breaks, adventure experiences, and outdoor learning. The core offering consists of residential packages (2-night and 4-night stays) accommodating up to 43 children with customized activity programmes including climbing, cycling, orienteering, archery, bushcraft, and camping. The charity runs a School Partnership Scheme providing priority access to schools most in need. Additionally, corporate sponsorship opportunities include event sponsorship, Outdoor Education Cabin sponsorship, Lineham Explorers Residential sponsorship, climbing wall sponsorship, bedroom sponsorship (13 rooms), and animal sponsorship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 2 Night Residential Package A 2-night residential package at Lineham Farm available Monday-Wednesday or Wednesday-Friday, starting from £4,502 + VAT for up to 32 children and 4 staff. Includes accommodation, freshly prepared meals, and a customised outdoor activity programme. Primarily purchased by primary schools in Leeds and West Yorkshire.
• 4 Night Residential Package A 4-night Monday-Friday residential package at Lineham Farm starting at £9,191 + VAT for up to 32 children and 4 staff. Includes accommodation, all meals, and a full customised activity programme spanning five days of adventure and learning. Targeted at primary schools booking curriculum-linked residential experiences.
• School Partnership Scheme Priority access and reduced residential costs programme for schools identified as most in need, based on Indices of Multiple Deprivation, Free School Meals eligibility, Pupil Premium funding, and local community need. Schools contact the charity directly to book and access preferential pricing.
• Outdoor Learning Activities Programme Curriculum-linked outdoor education activities including climbing, cycling, orienteering, archery, bushcraft, Lineham Explorers, and country trails, designed to build confidence, teamwork and personal development in Key Stage 2 pupils during residential stays.
• Venue Hire at Lineham Farm Corporate venue hire allowing businesses to use Lineham Farm's 120-acre countryside facilities for team events, CSR days, and business events, providing a unique countryside setting outside Leeds.
• Corporate Animal Sponsorship (Animal Guardians) Corporate sponsorship programme allowing businesses to support animal care at Lineham Farm while providing children with animal interaction opportunities. Sold as part of the charity's corporate CSR/ESG offering.
• Event Sponsorship Packages Headline sponsorship opportunities for flagship charity events including Summer Family Festival and Halloween celebrations, providing brand visibility and community impact for corporate partners.
• Lineham Explorers Residential Sponsorship Corporate sponsorship of the Lineham Explorers residential programme with tiers for 25 children, a full programme of 75 children, or 100+ children, funding safe accommodation, meals, and inclusive residential experiences for disadvantaged children.
• Outdoor Education Cabin Sponsorship Corporate sponsorship of a dedicated outdoor learning space at Lineham Farm used for nature-based education and outdoor adventure activities with children.
• Climbing Wall Sponsorship Corporate sponsorship of the climbing wall activity at Lineham Farm, which builds confidence, resilience, and self-belief in children through physical and mental challenges during residential stays.
• Bedroom Sponsorship Corporate sponsorship of one of 13 bedrooms at Lineham Farm, providing children with peaceful rest spaces after days of outdoor learning, adventure, and discovery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 children supported annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Luminate Education GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuminate Education Group supports Leeds Children's Charity through fundraising, volunteering, and community partnership. They represent one of the charity's key educational sector partnerships helping to brighten the lives of children across Leeds.
• LC Vehicle HireminorOthersFor over a decade, LC Vehicle Hire has generously donated the use of a vehicle to Leeds Children's Charity. Recently provided a new electric van for another year of use, enabling transport capabilities for the charity's operations.
• ReestablishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth support organisation whose Lead Worker Jo Sunderland testified: 'Lineham Farm is a place we can take our young people that gets them out of the one square mile of deprivation where they spend 90% of their lives.' Partnership provides outdoor experiences for young people in challenging circumstances.
• Family Action - Leeds Young CarerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing activity days for young carers. Young people practitioners and carers participated in events at Lineham Farm, with participants describing experiences as 'the best day of my life.'
• MST CANcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultisystemic Therapy Child Abuse and Neglect team partnered with the charity for summer support, using Lineham Farm as a space where 'parents could gain confidence and model skills from the excellent patient staff, the children had lots of fun and developed positive memories.'
• Phil Davies / AonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhil Davies from Aon is highlighted as a regular supporter helping the charity support over 3,000 young people. Regular corporate support enables better planning for delivery and future.
• Leonard CurtisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services firm supporting Leeds Children's Charity with volunteering and fundraising over the past several months.
• Ben JonesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndividual ultra marathon runner taking on an incredible challenge to raise funds, combining personal fundraising with a tribute to his late nanna Rita. Represents community supporter engagement.
• Jet2.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChartered a specially decorated plane from Leeds Bradford Airport for approximately 150 children to meet Father Christmas, providing a special sky-high festive experience.
• NorthpointcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Chair of Trustees Duncan Pearse is also Chief Executive of Northpoint, bringing over 25 years of experience in mental health, wellbeing, safeguarding and youth support services.
• Valley Striders Athletics ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosting the Meanwood Valley Trail Race 2026 in support of Leeds Children's Charity.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Action for Children: National UK charity supporting disadvantaged children through residential care, family support, and youth services. Comparable because it shares the mission of providing residential and educational wraparound support to vulnerable children, though operates many sites across the UK.
• Barnardo's: The UK's largest children's charity, operating residential services, fostering, and child-protection programmes nationally. Comparable as a broad incumbent delivering wraparound support and residential experiences for disadvantaged children, though at far greater scale and with broader service lines than Leeds Children's Charity.
• NSPCC: UK-wide child protection charity. Comparable as a broad incumbent addressing child welfare, abuse prevention and safeguarding, and works in partnership with local services like Leeds Children's Charity on referrals.

Direct peers

• The Children's Trust: UK charity providing residential rehabilitation, short breaks, and education for children with brain injuries and complex needs. Comparable as a peer charity running residential services for vulnerable children, though more clinically specialised than Leeds Children's Charity's outdoor-education focus.
• Together Trust: UK charity providing residential short breaks, outdoor education, and SEND services for children and young people. Directly comparable — operates a similar model combining residential respite, outdoor learning, and school partnerships for disadvantaged and SEND children in the North of England.
• PGL Travel: Commercial provider of residential outdoor education and adventure activity centres for UK schools. Comparable as a direct competitor for school residential bookings, though PGL is commercial and serves mainstream rather than disadvantaged-only cohorts.
• Calvert Trust: Network of UK outdoor activity centres providing adventurous residential experiences for people with disabilities and additional needs. Directly comparable as a residential outdoor education charity serving children with SEND and disadvantage through accredited adventure programming.
• Bendrigg Trust: Outdoor education charity operating a residential centre in Cumbria providing adventurous activities for disabled and disadvantaged children and adults. Comparable as a single-site residential outdoor education charity with accredited activity programmes serving vulnerable young people.
• The Outward Bound Trust: UK charity delivering outdoor residential courses for young people, including programmes targeted at disadvantaged students from partner schools. Directly comparable model — outdoor adventure residentials funded by donations and partner schools to build character and resilience in young people.

Others

• Kids in Need of Support (KIN): UK charity supporting kinship carers (relatives raising children). Comparable thematically as a children's-services nonprofit serving vulnerable children and families in England and Wales, though focused on kinship care rather than residential outdoor education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@leedschildrenscharity
• Facebookfacebook.com/LeedsChildrensCharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leeds-children's-charity
• Instagraminstagram.com/lccatlineham

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Leeds Children's Charity