Family Fund Business Services, the trading subsidiary of the charity Family Fund has been chosen to deliver BBC Children in Need’s Emergency Essentials programme to support children and young people across the UK with grants worth over £3 million to meet their most basic needs.
BBC Children in Need’s Emergency Essentials Programme supports families living with severe financial, health and social difficulties, and provides items that meet children’s most basic needs such as a bed to sleep in, a cooker to give them a hot meal, clothing (in a crisis) and other items and services that are critical to children’s well-being.
Family Fund Business Services (FFBS) was selected by BBC Children in Need to administer this programme following a competitive tender process. Family Fund set up FFBS to share its 45 years of experience of grant making to support other organisations such as charities and local authorities to provide essential and immediate support to meet the needs of their beneficiaries.
Cheryl Ward, Group Chief Executive of Family Fund and Family Fund Business Services said, “We are thrilled to have been chosen to deliver BBC Children in Need’s Emergency Essentials programme. Family Fund has a long history of providing essential support to children and families at their time of need across the UK. There continue to be thousands of children and young people who are currently living in crisis, without some of the most basic everyday items that can so often be taken for granted. We know first-hand the vital, positive impact that the provision of a small grant for items such as beds, kitchen appliances and clothing can have on the well-being of children and their families.
“We look forward to working in partnership with BBC Children in Need to ensure that those who work in frontline services and support children and families living in crisis know that the Emergency Essentials Programme is there to help them improve the well-being of children across the UK.”
Simon Antrobus, Chief Executive of BBC Children in Need said, “We’re delighted to be partnering with Family Fund on our Emergency Essentials programme which aims to support families in crisis. Small grants for basic household items such as a fridge, cooker, washing machine or new bedding can make all the difference to children’s lives, giving them access to nutritious meals, clean clothes, or simply a good night’s sleep. Working with Family Fund will enable us to provide this crucial support to those who need it as quickly as possible.”