Rowland Brothers Foundation

What Rowland Brothers Foundation does

Rowland Brothers Foundation is a registered UK charity (No. 1171808) founded in 1984 by Tony Rowland MBE and registered with the Charity Commission in February 2017. The Foundation delivers free, professional bereavement support to individuals, families, children, schools, and community organisations across Croydon and surrounding South London. Its core services comprise 1:1 counselling (in person, online, and by telephone), group sessions, the weekly Never Alone support group (Wednesdays at Salvation Army Croydon), Never Alone Drop-In (Thursdays at Purley Baptist Church alongside the Renew 23 wellbeing café), Never Alone Walk & Talk (a guided walking group), and the When Life Changes online video programme (13 short segments presented by Dr Bill Webster, delivered via email). Specialist child bereavement support is delivered through the Schools Project (launched January 2022 at Oasis Academy Shirley Park and partially funded by the National Lottery), which provides qualified bereavement professionals to Croydon schools responding to knife-crime-related trauma. Bereavement training seminars are also offered to care homes, nursing homes, and insurance providers in exchange for donations.

Name

Rowland Brothers Foundation

Legal name

Rowland Brothers Foundation

Website

https://rowlandbrothersfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rowland Brothers Foundation is a Croydon-based registered charity that delivers free professional bereavement counselling, support groups, and child bereavement services to grieving individuals, families, and schools across South London.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Bereavement Support Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO), Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Bereavement support services
• Grief counselling
• Community bereavement charity
• School bereavement training
• Online bereavement programme

Headquarters

HQ city

Croydon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations from Rowland Brothers Funeral Directors: Primary funding source. The work of the Foundation is financed largely from donations made each year by Rowland Brothers Funeral Directors.
2. Individual Donations: Donations accepted via GoFundMe, one-off or regular standing orders, EasyFundraising (shopping donations from 8000+ retailers), and Croydon Community Lottery (60% of ticket price).
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Companies can sponsor the Foundation as their nominated charity, providing donations and helping spread awareness.
4. Training Seminars in Exchange for Donations: Bereavement training seminars for organisations (nursing homes, care homes, insurance providers) offered in exchange for donations to the Foundation.
5. National Lottery Funding: Schools Project partially funded by the National Lottery, supporting child bereavement training in Croydon schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Rowland Brothers Foundation delivers free, professional bereavement support to people who have suffered the loss of a loved one, including one-to-one counselling (in person, online, and telephone), weekly group support sessions (Never Alone Support Group, Drop-In, and Walk & Talk), the 'When Life Changes' online video programme with Dr. Bill Webster, a child and young-person Schools Project, and organisational bereavement training seminars. Services are funded principally by donations from Rowland Brothers Funeral Directors and supplementary fundraising activities.

Product overview

Rowland Brothers Foundation is a bereavement support charity offering a portfolio of counselling and support services to those who have suffered loss. The core services include 1:1 counselling sessions (in-person, online, and telephone), group sessions, and Never Alone support groups including weekly drop-ins and Walk & Talk sessions. The Foundation provides an online video programme called the When Life Changes programme consisting of 13 short video segments delivered via email. Additional services include bereavement training seminars for professionals, a Schools Project providing child bereavement support in Croydon educational settings, and child bereavement training for schools. Fundraising activities include the Croydon Community Lottery, charity hikes (Seven Sisters Challenge, Surrey Three Peaks), and an annual Memorial Tree tradition. The charity also makes donations to local charities andworthy causes, and provides referrals to partner organisations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• When Life Changes: Online video bereavement support programme consisting of 13 short video segments presented by Dr. Bill Webster, delivered via email to support those grieving.

Products and services

• 1:1 Bereavement Counselling Sessions One-to-one bereavement support sessions offered in person, online, or by phone to help clients work through grief and related issues with practical and emotional support. Free at the point of delivery.
• Group Sessions Bereavement support group sessions providing a space for individuals to connect with others experiencing loss, offering mutual support and shared understanding.
• Never Alone Support Group Weekly in-person support group held every Wednesday (11.45-13.15) at the Salvation Army building, Booth Road, Croydon CR0 1XY for individuals experiencing grief.
• Never Alone Drop-In Weekly drop-in support session held every Thursday (10:00am-2:00pm) in conjunction with Renew 23 wellbeing cafe at Purley Baptist Church, providing light refreshments and lunch.
• Never Alone Walk & Talk Weekly guided walking group held every Thursday (11:00am-1:00pm) combining grief education with outdoor exercise, suitable for beginners, with stops at cafes.
• When Life Changes Online Programme Online video bereavement support programme consisting of 13 short video segments (5-7 minutes each) presented by Dr. Bill Webster, delivered via email for self-paced viewing in the privacy of the user's home.
• Bereavement Training Seminar: How to Talk to the Bereaved Professional training seminar for organisations on compassionate communication with bereaved individuals, covering grief understanding, comforting language, active listening, and avoiding conversational pitfalls. Offered in exchange for a donation to the Foundation.
• Schools Project Specialised bereavement support programme for schools providing qualified professionals to help pupils and staff deal with bereavement and trauma, particularly related to knife crime. Funded by the Foundation and partially by the National Lottery.
• Child Bereavement Training for Schools Free bereavement training provided to Croydon schools to help educators support young people dealing with loss and grief.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 35 'Let's Talk About Loss' meet-ups available across the UK for young people aged 18-35
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• My Ends & Our TowncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with relational networks of strategic community charities and organisations working together to make Croydon a better and safer place. Rowland Brothers Foundation proud to be part of this venture since its inception in 2020. Pioneered by Croydon Voluntary Action and chairman Anthony King.
• Golden Leaves Funeral PlanscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 198338-year partnership with Golden Leaves, a funeral plan provider. Rowland Brothers is an appointed representative of Golden Leaves, authorised and regulated by the FCA.
• The Good Grief TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with The Good Grief Trust providing access to over 1000 charities and tailored local and national support services. Helps bereaved individuals find appropriate support quickly through signposting to immediate tailored local and national support.
• Dr Manju Shaheel FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health support charity committed to creating safe spaces for open conversations, support, and recovery concerning mental health issues.
• SSAFA, the Armed Forces charitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity supporting ex-service men and women. Rowland Brothers Foundation extends bereavement support to this worthy cause, providing services to armed forces community.
• Croydon Voluntary ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal infrastructure organisation for volunteering and community action in Croydon. Partner in My Ends initiative and recipient of bereavement training for staff.
• Oasis Academy, Shirley ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst school for the Schools Project launched January 2022. Receives child bereavement counselling services funded by Rowland Brothers Foundation.
• EasyFundraisingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline fundraising partnership with EasyFundraising. Over 8000 retailers donate a percentage to the Foundation when users shop through the platform.
• Croydon Community LotteryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity lottery where at least 60% of every ticket purchased goes to support the Rowland Brothers Foundation.
• Let's Talk About LossminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing access to over 35 monthly meet-ups across the UK for young people aged 18-35 who have been bereaved.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hospice UK: National charity representing UK hospices and supporting hospice-affiliated bereavement services. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the hospice-linked bereavement category.
• Mind: UK mental health charity providing counselling and support services. Comparable as a broader mental health and emotional support incumbent overlapping with grief-related services.
• Marie Curie: Major UK charity providing palliative and end-of-life care including bereavement support. Comparable as a large established player offering hospice-linked bereavement services at greater scale.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: Large UK charity providing cancer support including bereavement services for families. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering bereavement support as part of a wider health support portfolio.
• Sue Ryder: National charity operating hospices and bereavement support services across the UK. Comparable as a broader end-of-life and bereavement support incumbent with overlapping bereavement counselling offerings.

Direct peers

• Cruse Bereavement Support: The UK's largest bereavement charity providing free counselling, helpline, and group support across the country. Directly comparable as a free, donation-funded bereavement support provider; one of the Foundation's counsellors (Mary Clair Kelly) previously worked at Cruse.
• Winston's Wish: UK charity专门支持丧失亲人的儿童和青少年, providing counselling, helpline, and online resources. Direct peer as the Foundation operates the Schools Project providing child bereavement support in schools.
• The Good Grief Trust: UK bereavement charity that signposts to 1000+ support services and charities. Direct peer as the Foundation's strategic partner; overlapping mission around connecting bereaved individuals to appropriate local and national support.
• Childhood Bereavement Network: UK hub for organizations supporting bereaved children and young people. Direct peer in the child/youth bereavement segment addressed by the Foundation's Schools Project.

Others

• SSAFA: UK armed forces charity providing support to ex-service personnel and their families. Strategic partner of the Foundation extending bereavement support to the armed forces community; adjacent rather than directly competitive.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RBbereavementaftercaresupport
• Instagraminstagram.com/rowland_brothers_foundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rowland-brothers-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Rowland Brothers Foundation