Children's Heart Unit Fund

What Children's Heart Unit Fund does

Children's Heart Unit Fund (Chuf) is a UK-registered charity (No. 1160831) founded in 1979 — originally as the Lesley Anne Scott Memorial Fund — and headquartered in Gateshead, North East England. The organization raises funds to support the Children's Heart Unit at Freeman Hospital and a regional network of five hospitals (South Tees, James Cook, Sunderland Royal, North Tyneside, and others) providing cardiac care to children throughout the North of England and North Cumbria.

Chuf delivers its mission by funding medical equipment the NHS cannot provide — including 13 ECHO machines, two ultrasound machines, 3D-printed heart models, INR home-testing kits, and the SimBaby 'Nelle' clinical education simulator — alongside holistic family support services. These include Scott House parent accommodation (18 en-suite bedrooms, co-built with the Sick Children's Trust), the Clown Doctors programme with TIN Arts, weekly music therapy with Nordoff Robbins, food vouchers, and specialist staff positions such as Cardiac Liaison Nurses and the Fontan Nurse Specialist. Five Children's Cardiac Nurse Specialist positions initially funded by Chuf have since transitioned to NHS funding, evidencing a successful seed-to-public-funding pipeline.

Chuf operates an event-driven fundraising model with no proprietary technology platform. Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate partnerships, event participation (Great North Run, golf days, coastal treks, swims, abseils, the annual Chuf Toddle, and DIY challenges), and merchandise sales priced from £1 to £25. The charity is supported by a small core team of approximately eight staff, including a Director of Fundraising and Operations, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Community and Volunteer Fundraiser, and Events Fundraiser, operating across multiple channels including organic social media, email newsletter, and Heart Hero storytelling. Cumulatively, Chuf has directed over £10 million toward cardiac care in the North East since inception.

Name

Children's Heart Unit Fund

Legal name

Children's Heart Unit Fund

Website

https://chuf.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Children's Heart Unit Fund (Chuf) is a UK-registered charity founded in 1979 that raises donations to fund medical equipment, specialist staff, and family support services for the Children's Heart Unit at Freeman Hospital and regional cardiac care providers in North East England and North Cumbria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cardiac Charity Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Pediatric cardiac charity
• Congenital heart support
• Hospital equipment fundraising
• Heart family services
• Community fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Gateshead

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Chuf raises funds through individual donations, corporate partnerships, event participation fees, and merchandise sales. Supporters pledge fundraising amounts for events (e.g., £250 for Great North Run) and donate directly through the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Children's Heart Unit Fund (Chuf) is a registered UK charity that raises and grants funds to support the Children's Heart Unit at Freeman Hospital and regional hospitals across North East England and North Cumbria. Its offering consists of charitable programmes — funding medical equipment, specialist staff positions, family accommodation, music therapy, clown doctor visits, play services, food vouchers, and bereavement support — alongside a portfolio of community-led fundraising events and branded merchandise that sustain the charity's income.

Product overview

Children's Heart Unit Fund (Chuf) is a UK-based registered charity (No. 1160831) that supports children with congenital heart conditions and their families. Rather than offering a traditional product portfolio, Chuf provides a range of charitable services including: funding medical equipment for the Children's Heart Unit at Freeman Hospital and other hospitals in the North East; family support services including accommodation at Scott House (parent's accommodation built in partnership with the Sick Children's Trust); play services including a dedicated Play Team and Clown Doctors programme; music therapy sessions; Transplant Games participation; and various fundraising events and initiatives. The organization supports Heart Heroes from birth through to adulthood, providing both medical and holistic care support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clown Doctors Programme
• Scott House Parent Accommodation
• Music Therapy Service
• Great North Run Charity Places
• Chuf Charity Golf Day
• Summer Coastal Trek
• Great North Swim Team Entries
• Heroes on the Hospital Walls Abseil
• Cold Toes Warm Hearts DIY Fundraiser
• Chuf Toddle and Family Fun Day
• Wave of Love Remembrance Event
• Chuf Branded Merchandise Shop
• Family Food Voucher Programme
• British Transplant Games Support
• vCreate Secure Video Messaging Service
• INR Home Blood Monitoring Kits
• Saturation Monitor Home Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £10 million donated to support cardiac care in the North East
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sick Children's TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2014Partnership to build Scott House parent accommodation in the grounds of Freeman Hospital. Chuf raised £1.65 million towards the £1.65 million project. Sick Children's Trust provides ongoing management employing a dedicated House Manager. Chuf continues to support annually with a grant towards running costs.
• TIN ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Since 2006, Chuf has worked in partnership with TIN Arts delivering The Clown Doctors programme at the Freeman Hospital. Over the years, thousands have benefited. Chuf funds the programme at £35,000 annually. Partnership extended in 2021-22 with 'Very Special Meetings' programme extending care beyond hospital walls.
• vCreatecoreTechnology or IntegrationvCreate software subscription enables secure asynchronous video messaging allowing paediatric professionals to record and share short video-clips and photos with parents who cannot be at the bedside. System used by over 150 families with over 2,600 photos and videos recorded in the last year.
• Nordoff RobbinscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChuf funds a Nordoff Robbins Music Therapist once a week on the heart unit at a cost of £2,940 per year. Music therapy plays an important role in recovery and children enjoy continuity each week.
• North East & North Cumbria Congenital Heart Disease NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChuf works closely with the NENC CHD network to support cardiac care across the region, inspire innovation, and improve care. Together they established a patient engagement group. Chuf funded SimBaby 'Nelle' for clinical education across the region.
• NHS Blood and TransplantcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerChuf supports NHS Blood and Transplant by urging families to talk about organ donation decisions. Associated with Max Johnson's campaign leading to Max and Keira's Law (organ donation opt-out system enacted in England from 20 May 2020).
• Great North Children's Hospital Fund (GNCH Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with GNCH Fund, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, for the Heroes on the Hospital Walls abseil challenge. Both charities benefit from funds raised supporting children at Freeman Hospital's Children's Heart Unit and The Great North Children's Hospital.
• Macdonald Hotels (Linden Hall)minorOthersMacdonald Linden Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa hosts the annual Chuf Charity Golf Day. Cost per fourball team is £380.
• Close HouseminorOthersClose House grounds host the annual Chuf Toddle and Family Fun Day event.
• Brave Hearts of the North EastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChuf works alongside Brave Hearts to recognize and reward the bravery of Heart Heroes. Louisa McGregor-Smith received a bravery award from Bravehearts North East.
• South Shields Sailing ClubminorOthersSailing Club kindly hosts families after Wave of Love remembrance event with tea, coffee and biscuits.
• Blue Light ChoirminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Light Choir provides musical entertainment at the Wave of Love remembrance event, serenading families as they remember loved ones.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/@CHUFOfficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/CHUFOfficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children%27s-heart-unit-fund---chuf
• Instagraminstagram.com/chufofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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's Heart Unit Fund