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Long term partnership with Natta hits milestone of support
This week we caught up with our friends at Natta Building Company to celebrate seven years of support, in which time the company and its employees have raised a whopping £60,000. Over the years the ...Read more -
Dad and friend complete Mont Ventoux challenge for Rainbow Trust
Dad Godfrey Haire, whose family are supported by Rainbow Trust, has just completed a year of gruelling challenges to raise funds for us. Godfrey and his friend Paul Taylor finished their epic year wit...Read more -
Parents need better psychological support when a baby dies
Too many parents affected by pregnancy or baby loss are currently not able to access the psychological support that they need, according to a new report published to coincide with Baby Loss Awareness ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust joins 23 charities in innovative charity advent calendar
We are delighted to announce that we are part of a unique advent calendar for Christmas 2019, alongside 23 other charities, which will appear in John Lewis & Partners stores across the country. ...Read more -
A week in the life of a Family Support Worker
Angie has been at Rainbow Trust for 3 years and shares one of her working weeks with us. Monday I visited a mum whose seven-month-old baby had died. She is struggling most days as her husband wo...Read more -
Family Support Worker Mandy gives family time to focus on each of their children
Ali’s 12-week pregnancy scan revealed that one of their twins, Marlowe, was at high risk of having Down’s syndrome and that she had a hole in her heart. This heart condition made it difficult for M...Read more -
Giving Fabian’s family time to manage cancer together
When doctors found a tumour in her son’s liver, Marte found it difficult to cope. This is her story. When Fabian, my son, was two and a half, he was seriously unwell but specialists and doctors told...Read more -
Auto Windscreens get colourful to raise over £2,700 for Rainbow Trust
Over the last few weeks Auto Windscreens has been taking part in all things charitable, hosting a fundraising day and separate staff BBQ to raise money for Rainbow Trust. Six team members also comple...Read more -
Knight Frank to give their all for Day of Giving 2019
One week from today, Knight Frank staff will be fundraising their socks off for a few selected charities, including Rainbow Trust. Alongside LandAid, Alzheimers Society, Contact the Elderly and Youn...Read more -
Remember A Charity Week 2019 is here!
Today you can pass on something wonderful. Legacy gifts are so important to Rainbow Trust and have an incredible impact in the support we are able to offer children with life threatening illnesses ...Read more -
Meet Simon, a Dad raising money to thank Rainbow Trust
Simon Hanid, whose four-year-old daughter Poppy recently ended two years of gruelling leukaemia treatment, is taking part in the 25K Thames Bridges Trek on Saturday 7 September to raise funds for Rain...Read more -
Invisible Children – those out of school with serious illness
We welcome a new report highlighting the need for more support for children who are not attending school because of illness. Jointly published by tech start-up, No Isolation, and think tank, Tomorr...Read more -
Meet Elodie, Corporate Intern
Tell us a bit about yourself? I’m a corporate intern, so I work with the corporate team. I do a lot of research for future clients that we might potentially partner with and could fundraise for us. ...Read more -
What do wine tasting and sky diving have in common?
Nothing at all! But that didn’t stop Corporate Partner Decanter (part of the TI Media Group) from combining the two! Throwing yourself out of a plane thousands of feet above the Cambridgeshire count...Read more -
K2 Corporate Mobility show support for Rainbow Trust
K2 Corporate Mobility, based in Weybridge, have been a supporter of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity since 2012, supporting the charity through sports and challenge events and office fundraising initi...Read more -
Meet Hannah, Sports and Events Volunteer
Tell us a bit about yourself – interests and hobbies, other work or volunteering I’m Hannah and I have volunteered with Rainbow Trust for 6 months so far. For the last 3 years I have worked as a per...Read more -
Vote Rainbow Trust in the ScS Big Toy Bonanza
Rainbow Trust are thrilled to be one of the worthwhile charities invited to participate in the ScS Big Toy Bonanza. Wednesday 7 August 2019 is National Play Day and to celebrate this, ScS are launc...Read more -
Surrey family fronting CarFest receives a VIP welcome
Singing on stage with the Rock Choir and meeting radio presenter and festival founder Chris Evans were among the highlights for Henry and his family from Redhill, Surrey who enjoyed a VIP welcome at C...Read more -
Mika Flowers partners with Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity to provide gift for loved ones
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, has been selected as Mika Flower’s charity partner and will receive 10% from the sale of every flower box and 15% from every Rainbow Trust bespoke flower box. Mika ...Read more -
Jill Halfpenny takes on new role as Ambassador
British actress Jill Halfpenny has been announced as an Ambassador for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which supports families with a seriously ill child. Jill, who has just appeared in the new fo...Read more -
Our message to new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity today wrote to new the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson MP, to welcome him to his new job, and to highlight the urgent need to ensure all families with a seriously ill ch...Read more -
Rainbow Trust is heading to CarFest
As a CarFest 2019 Charity partner, we are excited to be heading to Cheshire on Friday. CarFest is a three-day family-orientated festival, which attracts over 100,000 people, and has raised over £13...Read more -
Why I give up my time to support families in hospital
For parents who spend lots of time in the hospital caring for their sick child, having a Hospital Support Volunteer to look after their other children is invaluable. Working on a voluntary basis, D...Read more -
Meet Amanda, Hospital Support Volunteer
One of the many things we are proud to offer is hospital support. When it comes to families who might have a child with a life-threatening illness who spend a lot of time in the hospital, the help we ...Read more -
Top tips for travelling with a child with a serious illness
As many of you will know from first-hand experience, travelling with children, in general, can be a difficult situation, but travelling with a child who has a serious illness can be an even bigger cha...Read more -
Teen calls on Government to offer more support to young people with disabled siblings
Across the UK, there are thousands of young people, like 15-year old Emily, whose brother Ben has a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Often carrying the emotional weight of their parents, youn...Read more -
Meet Sarah, Family Support Worker
Based in Essex, Sarah works with families in extreme and uncertain situations, so that they don’t have to manage alone. In doing so, Sarah often becomes a trusted and constant person in the lives of t...Read more -
Giveacar helps us keep Family Support Workers on the road
Rainbow Trust have been partnered with Giveacar since 2011 and are pleased to share that for the month of July 2019, we are their charity in focus. Giveacar is a not-for-profit social enterprise ...Read more -
Significant new pledges on children’s palliative care
Following a parliamentary debate on children’s palliative care on Monday 1 July, Rainbow Trust welcomes a new government pledge to increase the annual Children’s Hospice Grant to £25 million by 2024 f...Read more -
Children’s Funeral Fund to become a reality this month
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity warmly welcomes that a start date for the Children’s Funeral Fund has finally been set, 16 months after Prime Minister Theresa May committed to making children’s funer...Read more -
Today you can help more families like Natalie’s
Will you help us raise £21,360 this summer so 12 families can receive respite and support by a Family Support Worker like Shelly for a year? There’s something you can do right now to help ease...Read more -
Rainbow Trust backs urgent call for fair and sustainable funding
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity backs today’s call for fair and sustainable funding for children’s palliative care, and urges for any increase in funding to be equitably shared between services. ...Read more -
Six-year-old’s sponsored silence is golden
A six-year-old ‘chatterbox’ from Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, remained tight-lipped for a six-hour sponsored silence, raising £500 for families with a seriously ill child. Lucy Freegard like...Read more -
Meet Marie, our Celebrity Support Volunteer in the PR team
Hello, I’m Marie and I’ve been volunteering at Rainbow Trust since March this year. I worked in the Public Sector for 36 years and spent most of my career in HM Treasury. I spent the last 10 years o...Read more -
Meet Molly, Silver Duke of Edinburgh award volunteer
The DofE Award recognises extra-curricular activities undertaken by young people outside of their academic achievements, covering sport, skill development, physical challenge and volunteering – we off...Read more -
Kennedys Law take on the Three Peaks Challenge
An intrepid team from Kennedys Law will be embarking on a 3 Peaks Challenge on 28th June 2019 in aid of Rainbow Trust, their current charity partner. The team of 22 will be climbing the three highe...Read more -
Sector faces perfect storm of rising demand, rising costs and uncertain finances
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity shares the grave concern among the wider children’s palliative care sector that statutory funding is not keeping pace with the rising cost of delivering the care that ...Read more -
FSB raises over £30,000 for Rainbow Trust
Rainbow Trust was honoured to be the Chairman’s Charity of the Year for 2018/2019, as selected by Mike Cherry of the Blackpool-based Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). Over the last 12 months, t...Read more -
#GiveItBack campaign launches
A major new campaign is calling on the Chancellor to plug a £434 million gap in funding for social care for disabled and seriously ill children. Launched today, in partnership with The Sun newspape...Read more -
Volunteer awarded Room to Reward hotel stay to mark Volunteers Week
To mark Volunteers Week which starts on 1 June, Bournemouth resident Ruth Hunter is looking forward to a two-night stay at a hotel in recognition of her dedication volunteering for Rainbow Trust Child...Read more -
The day my life changed forever
My family have been supported by Rainbow Trust since my son was diagnosed with Leukaemia and our lives changed forever. We are an ordinary family, Mum, Dad and three sons, Marcel, Eddie and Arthur. ...Read more -
Crafter’s Companion’s rookie runners take on The Great North Run
Nine novice runners, from Crafter’s Companion in Newton Aycliffe, will complete the Great North Run in the hopes of raising more than £3,000 for seriously ill children and their families. Sunny Paha...Read more -
Tom's Final Peak
This July Tom will tackle the final Nuttall in his nine-year epic challenge! Nine years ago when persuaded to join some friends on a climb of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, Tom didn’t realise this initial ...Read more -
Choose kindness with Smiggle
Rainbow Trust is thrilled to announce that we have partnered with colourful, fun children’s stationery brand Smiggle, to bring smiles and giggles to children who need them most! For 5 weeks from 24 ...Read more -
Minister responds to Rainbow Trust’s open letter
Care Minister Caroline Dinenage MP has formally responded to Rainbow Trust’s open letter on sibling support which was delivered to the Department for Health and Social Care ahead of international sibl...Read more -
IWFM selects Rainbow Trust as as their Charity Ball beneficiary
The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) are delighted to be supporting Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity at this year’s IWFM Charity Ball. IWFM is a community of over 17,000 wor...Read more -
Let's talk about death
Death and dying is still a taboo topic because people are fearful of how to tackle it. This feeling is exacerbated when it’s a child that has died or is nearing the end of their life. Rainbow Trust ...Read more -
Huge disappointment at delay to start of Children’s Funeral Fund
Despite urgent pleas from MPs and charities, Ministers are still not able to provide a date for the Children’s Funeral Fund to start operating, more than a year after its announcement. Speaking in t...Read more -
Candice Brown calls on families to make a ‘Great Rainbow Bake’ to help seriously ill children
Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown is fronting our Great Rainbow Bake campaign and calling on families to take part and get messy to raise vital funds and awareness to support families caring...Read more -
South Shields girl Phoebe fronts Great Rainbow Bake Campaign
Phoebe Doneghan, aged six, is fronting the Great Rainbow Bake Campaign to help raise funds to support families with a seriously ill child. Phoebe, who was diagnosed with Fanconi Anaemia in March ...Read more -
Henry selected to represent Rainbow Trust for Chris Evans' Carfest
Five young people inspire you to #DoMoreGood for five charities at this year’s CarFest. CarFest, the family festival created by radio presenter Chris Evans, is on a mission to Do More Good and ensure ...Read more -
Spring in to your Easter fundraising
As spring finally returns, Easter is the perfect opportunity to turn over a new leaf with some fresh fundraising. Check out our cracking Easter fundraising ideas to help put a spring back in your step...Read more -
Siblings deliver letter to heart of government
Rainbow Trust’s call for sibling support to be valued and funded more highly was delivered by siblings to government ministers in person this week. Siblings Hannah, Rose and Eddie, along with Rainbow ...Read more -
100 miles and 10 mountains
TEC Reports CEO, Charles Griffin takes on a 10 Peak Challenge. Charles, CEO of TEC Reports, has set himself a challenge to raise £5000 to help I Love Claims hit their £1 million target for Rainbow T...Read more -
Helping siblings cope
A child’s life changes dramatically when their brother or sister is diagnosed with a serious illness. We know from speaking to siblings we support that their lives can be turned upside down, while par...Read more -
Twins survived ‘against the odds’ and home for Mother’s Day
A mother supported by Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, is looking forward to spending Mother’s Day with her twin daughters after doctors told her they probably would not survive. Ella-Mae’s non-id...Read more -
Meet Julie, Care Team Admin Volunteer for the Central London team
Meet Julie, Care Team Admin Volunteer for the Central London team who has been volunteering for Rainbow Trust since August last year. Here, she shares her volunteering experience. I am 42, I live in...Read more -
Rainbow Trust launches new partnership with Craft & Crumb
We are thrilled to announce a brand new partnership with Craft & Crumb launching just in time for our Great Rainbow Bake campaign in May. Craft & Crumb is an award-winning company selling be...Read more -
Former England Footballer Paul Konchesky becomes an Ambassador
We’re delighted to announce that Former England footballer and Stapleford Abbots resident Paul Konchesky has become an Ambassador for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. The popular former Leiceste...Read more -
Rainbow Trust says ‘cheers’ to Above Brand
Rainbow Trust were thrilled to be offered 23 cases of Martorelli Lab’s organic craft beer by Francesca Martorelli, Creative Director and CEO of Above Brand and Martorelli Lab. We decided to put the...Read more -
Ask the expert
Dr Finella Craig, Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Medicine at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH), talks to Rainbow Trust volunteer, Chris Evans, about the importance of supporting si...Read more -
My Ride London experience
My grandfather “Pop” has always been the driving force and inspiration in my life. He has ridden Land’s End to John O’Groats twice and was still doing 100-mile time trials on his bike at 70 years of a...Read more -
Travel Weekly pledges to raise £50,000 to mark its 50th anniversary
We are delighted to announce that Rainbow Trust has been chosen as one of five children’s charities to benefit from Travel Weekly’s £50,000 fundraising target as it celebrates its golden anniversary t...Read more -
Entrepreneurial seven year old supports seriously ill children
We’re delighted to partner with a very entrepreneurial 7 year old, who has created an exciting new card game Nine 2 Nothing. Nine 2 Nothing was invented by Summer, a 7 year old girl, whilst on a ...Read more -
Mother’s relief as ‘Tuesday’s child’ Sophie rings bell to mark end of chemotherapy
The mother of nine-year-old Sophie Laidler from Durham who celebrated the end of two years of gruelling chemotherapy at the end of January has spoken of her relief that Sophie was able to ring the ‘en...Read more -
Five ways you can volunteer with Rainbow Trust as a student
Volunteering as a student is a great way to get that all important experience whilst you’re studying. Find out our top five ways you can get involved and support families with a seriously ill child. ...Read more -
Fourteenth of February is more than ‘just another day’
This Valentine’s Day, many parents will be looking forward to a romantic night out, leaving their children in the safe hands of a babysitter. However, for a family caring for a seriously ill child thi...Read more -
Rainbow Trust at The United Kingdom Air Cargo Club Gala Ball
Over 300 members of the United Kingdom Air Cargo Club gathered together for an extravagant masquerade Gala Ball on Saturday 26 January at the Royal Garden Hotel, in Kensington. This was the 58th an...Read more -
Remember you're not alone
Evie shares how having a serious illness has impacted her life and how important it is to talk. Hi, my name is Evie and I’m 13. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer when I was eight-years-...Read more -
MPs press for emotional and practical support for families
Emotional and practical support for seriously ill children and their families, and the need to support their siblings, were among the issues raised by MPs in parliament on Tuesday. In a wide-rangin...Read more -
Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club Surrey Section raises £2,100
Rolls Royce Enthusiasts’ Club Surrey Section held their 2018 Annual General Meeting and Christmas Lunch at Kingswood Country Club, raising £2,100. Over 70 members enjoyed a fun-filled lunch and r...Read more -
Carshalton piano students help raise more than £2,000
Carshalton piano teacher Niromi Fernando organised a popular sponsored piano recital with her students and together they raised £2,070 to support seriously ill children and their families. Fifty...Read more -
Go Team Henry!
We think Godfrey Haire (from Redhill, Surrey) is pretty amazing. Not only is he preparing to donate his kidney to his eight-year-old son Henry, he’s also taking on RideLondon as well as six other c...Read more -
Lottery players help Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity hit the jackpot
Supporters who have signed up for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity lottery have helped raise an impressive £30,000 for seriously ill children and their families. Players pay just £1 each week to joi...Read more -
New NHS plan falls short on practical and emotional support for families
Rainbow Trust welcomes many of the new commitments announced in the new NHS Long Term Plan, but is disappointed that the importance of practical and emotional support to families is not identified. ...Read more -
Look For Me In Rainbows
Family members remember Declan by completing a half marathon to support seriously ill children and their families. Just over a year ago Declan Dunne tragically passed away. He was a kind-hearted man...Read more -
Make 2019 the year you make a difference
January is a great time to start thinking about a healthier year ahead and what better way to motivate yourself than to sign up for a sporty challenge and give back at the same time! As a Rainbow...Read more -
I didn't want to worry my mum
A child’s life changes dramatically when their brother or sister is diagnosed with a serious illness. Our new report, See Us, Hear Us, Notice Us sets out why there’s a need to support the siblings of...Read more -
See us, Hear us, Notice us, a new report on support for siblings
Brothers and sisters of seriously ill children risk being left with a long-term negative impact on their mental health and education unless there is more funding to support them, a report published by...Read more -
Christmas is almost upon us
I love this time of year when Christmas is almost upon us, gifts (nearly) all wrapped and colourful twinkling lights brighten up the night sky. I am greatly aware that this is not an easy time of...Read more -
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity celebrate new Totton Care Team office
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity’s Southampton Care Team, which supports families with a seriously ill child, officially opened their new office at Calmore Community Centre on Wednesday 14 November. ...Read more -
ICAP Charity Day 2018
We’re immensely proud to have been one of the chosen charities for ICAP Charity Day 2018! ICAP Charity Day is a momentous event in any charity’s calendar and a day that we are privileged to have bee...Read more -
Rainbow Trust counts down to ICAP Charity Day 2018
Rainbow Trust are busily preparing for the ICAP Charity Day 2018, which takes place this year on 5 December 2018. For one day annually, the global organisation gives away all its revenues and commis...Read more -
#Remember when
In every classroom across the country there will be at least one bereaved child and for many of them it will be a sibling that has died. At Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, we have the privilege of...Read more -
CarFest selects Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity as new charity partner for 2019
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been chosen as one of four new charity partners to benefit from the immensely popular CarFest 2019, founded by Chris Evans, which is set to raise hundreds of thous...Read more -
Abseilers take fundraising to new heights
The Epsom Downs Racecourse Queen’s Stand Abseil (in association with our Corporate Charity Partners, The Jockey Club) has been in planning since summer and our supporters have been hard at work raisin...Read more -
Four-year-old takes on his first fundraiser!
Father and son team successfully completed the Bedford Half Marathon and Mini Mile Fun Run raising £1,400 for Rainbow Trust. Four-year-old, Colby and his family, first heard about Rainbow Trust when...Read more -
A meagre Budget for seriously ill children
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is disappointed that the Budget Statement offers little for seriously ill children and their families. In yesterday’s Budget, Chancellor Phillip Hammond announced a...Read more -
From Source to Sea: Four Friends Tackled the Thames
From Source to Sea, four friends kayaked 200 miles of the Thames, raising almost £2,800 to support seriously ill children and their families. Before attending a basic training course, the Source to ...Read more -
More than 100 charities urge Chancellor to put #ChildrenAtTheHeart of spending
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is calling on the Chancellor Phillip Hammond to put children, young people and families at the heart of government spending plans to be announced in next Monday’s Budg...Read more -
MPs urge government to act on patchy access to children’s palliative care
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes a new report which urges the government to act swiftly to improve end of life care for children. Failure to act will risk the government not meeting its own c...Read more -
Volunteer recognised on the ward where she spent first year of her life
A student nurse recently found herself back on the ward where she was looked after as a baby while volunteering for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. Lia Grafanakis, 21 from Clapham, has been vol...Read more -
World Mental Health Day: Mum says her mental health was at risk without Rainbow Trust
To mark World Mental Health Day on 10 October, Gateshead family, the Halliwell’s, say the ‘huge impact’ on their mental health would have been worse without support from Rainbow Trust Children’s Chari...Read more -
Bitesize Bootcamps names Rainbow Trust as charity partner for 2018’s Battlefield Challenge
This year Bitesize Bootcamp are holding their annual Battlefield Challenge on the 3-4 November, with a Halloween twist and you’re invited! Bitesize Bootcamp offer boot camp inspired fitness session...Read more -
Oktoberfest comes to Uppingham!
Corporate Partners, Smithers Purslow, continue their ‘£40K for Charity’ challenge with a Bavarian-style October fundraiser. Smithers Purslow has set itself the challenge of raising over £40,000 for ...Read more -
Baby Loss Awareness Week focusses on improved bereavement care
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is proud to support Baby Loss Awareness Week, which this year takes place from 9-15 October. Miscarriage, still birth or the death of a baby are not rare events, and t...Read more -
Join Team Rainbow Trust for the 2019 London Marathon today!
Join Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity for the biggest sporting event in our calendar and the largest single day fundraising event in the world, the Virgin Money London Marathon. ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust dad rallies eighteen friends for mud race
Jay Connor and his 18-strong team of friends took on the Nuts Challenge in September, tackling over 100 army constructed obstacles on a 7km course to raise over £5,000 for Rainbow Trust. The team we...Read more -
What should the NHS be doing over the next 10 years?
The NHS has recently been consulting on a new ‘Long Term Plan’. The idea is to gather input from people and organisations the NHS will set out its ambitions for improvement over the next decade, and i...Read more -
In Henry's name
We were deeply saddened to hear that Rob Delaney’s son Henry died earlier this year. A Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker is continuing to support the family at this incredibly difficult time. We wou...Read more -
Family supported by Rainbow Trust featured in BBC News report
A family supported by Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity was featured on the BBC national news on Thursday 20 September. Mother Clare Finch spoke about her struggle to access local authority support for...Read more -
Rainbow Trust receives £15,000 grant from ABF The Soldiers’ Charity to help army families
We received a £15,000 grant from ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, which will enable us to help more army families initially from our South West team based in Chippenham. This grant will boost the help the...Read more -
Shining a light on childhood cancer
Every September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a month dedicated to shining a light on the impact cancer has on young people and their families. We know from reports that childhood cancer is ...Read more -
Meet Karis, Family Support Volunteer
Hi! My name is Karis and I’m a 22-year-old Geordie. University drew me away from my small hometown of South Shields to Manchester almost 3 years ago. I recently graduated from the University of Manche...Read more -
A day in the life of a Sibling Support Worker
Here, Sibling Support Worker, Natasha, shares a typical day in her shoes. This morning, I left my house early to be with a family for an assessment at 10:30. Assessments can take anywhere from 1-3...Read more -
Keeping Rainbow Trust green
It’s been an incredible two years since my first blog entry. The positive news is that our Green Team is still here, being strong and proactive! Since then, some members of the Team have inevitab...Read more -
How you can pass on something wonderful
This September, Rainbow Trust is joining 200 charities to come together to launch Human – the world’s first charity-powered search engine. Combining charities’ unique knowledge and expertise, Human...Read more -
St James Group staff support Rainbow Trust through payroll giving
Long-term corporate partner St James Group has been successfully raising funds using a payroll giving scheme which enables employees to make tax-efficient donations to the charity. Here, Dean Summer...Read more -
Cumbrian family raises £50,000 in memory of their daughter
The mother of a little girl, who passed away six years ago of a rare genetic disorder, has so far raised £50,000 for Rainbow Trust. Kelly Holliday and her husband Phil, from Workington, began fundra...Read more -
Racing car driver raises £700 for Rainbow Trust
Reece Barr, an exciting young racing car driver, raised £700 last season to support seriously ill children and their families. Reece, 17 years-old and originally from Donegal, currently lives in Sil...Read more -
Act now to go Nuts for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
There is still time to sign up to take part in the Nuts Challenge on behalf of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. Online entries close on 17 August for the event, which takes place in Dorking on 1 an...Read more -
New Family Support Workers in Cumbria provide much needed boost
Rainbow Trust has welcomed two new Family Support Workers to the North West team to cover Cumbria, providing much needed support to families who have a child with a life threatening illness in this ar...Read more -
Boy supported by Rainbow Trust stands up for the first time
A boy supported by Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity who has a genetic muscle wasting disease has stood for the first time using a frame, giving his mother fresh hope for his future. Little Hadi will...Read more -
Rainbow Trust receives over £43,000 from The Big Cycle
On Thursday 5 July North East drinks giants Hanover Dairies and Fentimans, makers of premium mixers and soft drinks, successfully completed their 300-mile bike ride ‘The Big Cycle’. The epic journey, ...Read more -
We're calling on runners for Royal Parks Half Marathon!
Rainbow Trust is calling on people to take part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon on Sunday 14 October. Royal Parks Half Marathon is one of the best-known races of its kind in the UK, with the route...Read more -
London International Kayak Fishing Festival raises £1,000
The London International Kayak Fishing Festival was held on 8-10 June at RK Leisure in Wraysbury and featured a mega raffle, raising £1,000 to help support families with a seriously ill child. The ...Read more -
ARMA ACE Awards raise over £5,000
We’re delighted to have been chosen as charity partners by ARMA (the Association of Residential Managing Agents) and supported through their glittering ARMA ACE Awards, held at Tobacco Dock in London ...Read more -
Danetree School's human rainbow in aid of seriously ill children
Last month, 670 children aged 4 to 11-years-old from Danetree School formed a human rainbow to raise much needed funds for families with a seriously ill child. Danetree School’s Rainbow Day brought ...Read more -
Remember a Charity in your Will Week
For the first time, Rainbow Trust has joined forces with 200 other charities to celebrate how gifts in wills can changes lives. Taking place on 10-16 September, Remember a Charity Week aims to rais...Read more -
Mother supported by Rainbow Trust helps raise over £95k
A mother who we support, delivered a speech about her son at the Co-op Property Awards at Lancashire Cricket Club, helping to raise over £95,000. Clare’s family began receiving support from Rainb...Read more -
Parental bereavement leave bill now ready to become law
Rainbow Trust is delighted that a new bill will soon become law, meaning that parents who are employed at the time of their child’s death will be entitled to two weeks of paid compassionate leave. Unt...Read more -
Research shows £1.5 billion funding gap for seriously ill and disabled children
The Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP) – a coalition of 60 charities, including Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity – has published research showing a £1.5 billion funding gap for health and social ca...Read more -
Government urged to listen to children and young people’s experience of cancer
A new report into the experiences of children and young people who have received cancer treatment has identified crucial areas where their treatment and care could have been improved. ‘Listen Up...Read more -
Mum of Bradley Lowery commends charity's valuable work
The mother of Bradley Lowery, who died of a rare cancer last year when he was six and captured the nation’s heart, has spoken about the importance of raising awareness of Rainbow Trust Children’s Char...Read more -
Mother 'keeps daughter's memory alive' with arts and crafts
A mother who makes hand-made crafts in memory of her daughter to raise money for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which supported her whole family, has said her daughter would be proud she is helping...Read more -
Florrie completes the World Marathon Majors to raise an awesome £2608
Florrie Maxwell uses her 6 World Marathon Major places to fundraise £2608 to support seriously ill children and their families. Florrie Maxwell completed this incredible challenge in eight months, c...Read more -
Charity Challenges to tick off your bucket list
With World Cup fever upon us, Global Adventure Challenges have an awesome deal to save you 25% on your registration fee for a whole host of crazy challenges with the code ‘WC25’! Here’s our favourite ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust joins AmazonSmile
Amazon is an online shopping site which many of use on a regular basis, but did you know about their charitable sister-site, AmazonSmile? AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support...Read more -
Help us win Sainsbury's local charity of the year
We need your help! We’ve been shortlisted at a number of Sainsbury’s stores across the country to be their local charity partner, but we need your vote to win. Every year Sainsbury’s work together w...Read more -
Meet Barbara and Eleanor, volunteers from our Essex shop
Meet Barbara and Eleanor, two of the original volunteers who established our Harold Wood shop over 20 years ago. As long standing volunteers, they’ve given a huge amount of their time to support Rainb...Read more -
Family celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day
On Sunday 3 June families around the country will celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day and none more so than the Kemish family from Totton whose eight year old son McKenzie reached the milestone of...Read more -
Mums up a Mountain conquer Mount Snowdon
Mums up a Mountain conquer Mount Snowdon raising over an incredible £2,400 to support seriously ill children and their families. The ‘Mums up a Mountain’ team consisting of 8 friends, Ruth, Viv, Ke...Read more -
Launch of the Children and Young People Cancer Coalition
Rainbow Trust is pleased to be a member of the Children and Young People Cancer Coalition, which launches today. The coalition brings together 15 organisations supporting children and young people wi...Read more -
Meet Ioan, newest member of the Regional Fundraising Team
At Rainbow Trust we have a team of dedicated Regional Fundraisers, ready to help you raise funds to support seriously ill children and their families. From dealing with your enquiries and helping you ...Read more -
Step up this National Walking Month
This May is National Walking Month, a whole month dedicated to encouraging people across the country to get on their feet. From a stroll along the South Coast, to trekking your way up the UK’s three h...Read more -
They said he had three weeks to live
When Dominic, my youngest son, was 10 weeks old, he was diagnosed with a cancerous mass on his brain, spinal column and central nervous system. Doctors told us it was extremely rare and unlikely to be...Read more -
Our charity partnerships helping you plan for the future
These days our lives are packed full of choices. This even extends to writing a will, but it no longer has to be a long-winded, expensive process. Rainbow Trust has partnered with two will writing pro...Read more -
Nobody expects to outlive their child
Nobody expects to outlive their child, but this is something that happens for many families we support. We support families living with a child with a life threatening illness and last year 67 of t...Read more -
Rainbow Trust calls for improvements in bereavement bill
Rainbow Trust warmly welcomes the development of the Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill which will support bereaved employees at the most difficult of times. However we urge MPs to support chan...Read more -
Rainbow Trust calls on volunteers to make Time For Change
On 31 May - 2 June we are calling on volunteers to give #TimeforChange to help raise awareness and vital funds for families by partaking in our biggest ever bucket collection. Time for Change will ...Read more -
Plan your alternative bake-off
We share some food for thought ahead of #GreatRainbowBake with some alternative ways you and your little ones can partake in the Rainbow Bake challenge. For children with special diets or with a con...Read more -
Candice Brown, Great British Bake Off winner 2016, supports our Great Rainbow Bake
We are absolutely delighted that Candice Brown, Great British Bake Off winner 2016, is supporting our Great Rainbow Bake! Candice is kindly lending her support to encourage families to get busy bak...Read more -
Get your bake on for the Great Rainbow Bake
Katie and her three sons, Jacob, Louis and Charlie, one of whom has an undiagnosed genetic condition and has started walking against the odds, are appealing for people to take part in the #GreatRainbo...Read more -
Hanover Dairies and Fentimans 300 mile bike ride to support families with a seriously ill child
Hanover Dairies have teamed up with Fentimans and are taking on a gruelling 300 mile bike ride to raise money for Rainbow Trust. A team of four will cycle from Hanover Dairies offices in Newcastle ...Read more -
Hanover Dairies mission to give families a week to remember
Following the success of an all expenses paid trip to Centre Parcs in June last year for four families supported by Rainbow Trust, Hanover Dairies have been on a mission to source sponsorship to send ...Read more -
George Michael tribute charity walkers raise over £9,000 for families
A group of dedicated George Michael fans held two charity walks on the 2 December and 7 April to celebrate the memory of George Michael, a past Rainbow Trust patron, raising an incredible £9,100 for f...Read more -
Victory for campaigners as free funerals for children announced
Following many months of campaigning, the Prime Minister has promised free funerals for children under 18 through the creation of a Children’s Funeral Fund. The cross party campaign was led by Caro...Read more -
Having a seriously ill sister has taught me a lot
This National Sibling’s Day, Petra, a sibling we support, shares her experiences having a seriously ill sister and how this impacted her growing up. Hi, my name is Petra. I am 14 years old and I...Read more -
A thank you letter to a Rainbow Trust Supporter
Time is precious when a brother or sister has a life-threatening illness but what difference does an hour of support make? Tyrese tells us how important time with his Sibling Support Worker is in this...Read more -
Rainbow Trust launches Forever Funds
Last year we supported over 2,300 families with a seriously ill child – this is only possible because of the fundraising efforts made by our supporters and the families we support. To thank the fami...Read more -
MPs hold inquiry into improving care for seriously ill children
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased to see the progress of an inquiry into end of life care for children which has been hearing from families and professionals during February and March. The i...Read more -
Get egg-cited with Easter crafts
With Easter just around the corner, we’re getting egg-cited to welcome in Spring and what better way to celebrate than by getting crafty? Check out these cracking crafts, perfect for keeping the kids ...Read more -
London Comedy Lunch success
We are thrilled to announce that the London Comedy Lunch, held on 7 December of last year at the HAC, raised over £12,000 for seriously ill children. The afternoon was a tremendous networking event ...Read more -
Harold Wood volunteers hit £1 million target
On 7 March, the Harold Wood Friends Group, along with the Deputy Mayor of Havering, Cllr Dilip Patel, celebrated completing their One Million Campaign - one month ahead of schedule and in their 25th a...Read more -
A moment for mum this Mother's Day
We’re calling on families across England to take part in our campaign celebrating amazing mums ahead of Mother’s Day on Sunday 11 March. ‘Moment for Mum’ invites children to download a poster, co...Read more -
How will you celebrate National Old Stuff Day?
Perhaps one of the lesser known days in the Awareness Day calendar, National Old Stuff Day, which falls on Friday 2 March, is all about the re-purposed, the recycled and the reusable. Here are a few i...Read more -
Five reasons to volunteer as a student
Thinking about swapping the classroom for some volunteering but not sure you have time while studying? Here are five reasons why you should. Great work experience Many students find aft...Read more -
Topgolf UK to support Rainbow Trust
Rainbow Trust are thrilled to announce that a market leader in sports entertainment, Topgolf® have chosen Rainbow Trust as their charity partner for 2018. With an ambitious fundraising target of ov...Read more -
Meet volunteer Chloe
Volunteer of five years, Chloe, shares why she started volunteering and how the experience has changed her life for the better. How did you first hear about Rainbow Trust? I used to volunteer at ...Read more -
Family Support Worker brings joy to family caring for a seriously ill child
A Manchester family who we support, has spoken about the joy its Family Support Worker has brought them, ahead of International Day of Happiness on 20 March. Every Tuesday, three-year-old Alexander...Read more -
Five year old in remission from cancer is Rainbow Trust’s ‘face’ of the Great North Run
A five-year-old boy from County Durham who is in remission from cancer is fronting our appeal, calling on people to take part in the iconic Great North Run in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 9 September. Ap...Read more -
K2's Kili Klimb raises over an incredible £17,700
A team of eight intrepid explorers from K2 Corporate Mobility took on the most popular of Kilimanjaro routes, the Machame, to raise much needed funds for seriously ill children and their families. Th...Read more -
Challenge 1: My first saxophone lesson
So Challenge 1 was my first ever saxophone lesson. Now to be clear I can read music. I also played the recorder as a child and tried to play the oboe for a short time. But goodness me how VERY diff...Read more -
Why I'm taking on Challenge 50 this year
Hello all and welcome to my first Challenge 50 blog and to my inspired avatar! I am a great fan of marking ‘significant’ ages in a positive way – celebrating being alive, well and healthy. When I tu...Read more -
#FollowTheChild campaign calls for better end of life care
Rainbow Trust welcomes the campaign to #FollowTheChild which urges action to ensure that all seriously ill children have the best possible end of life care. The campaign is calling for all families to...Read more -
Hadleys London to Support Rainbow Trust
The Arun Estates group have launched a new brand called Hadleys London and we are pleased to announce that they will be supporting Rainbow Trust. Cubitt and West, another Arun Estates brand, have be...Read more -
Grandma gives back and goes sky high above fundraising target
Joanne Shaw and Kath O’Reilly, both from Manchester, took to the skies to complete their sponsored skydive, smashing their initial £790 fundraising target and raising £1355. Their fundraising will ...Read more -
How Rainbow Trust can reduce pressures on hospitals
With NHS Hospital Trusts across the country reporting very high levels of pressure on their services, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity calls on Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt to look aga...Read more -
Seriously ill children supported by Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enjoy reindeer and sleigh rides
The Grounds Care Group in Fetcham organised a party with reindeer and sleigh rides for seriously ill children supported by its charity partner Rainbow Trust. Families supported by the charity’s Surr...Read more -
Inspirational Cubitt & West dad supported by Rainbow Trust wins Fundraising Champion Award
A father from Redhill and branch partner at estate agent Cubitt & West whose family is supported by Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, has won a Fundraising Champion Award for raising funds for the...Read more -
Contiki brings smiles to Rainbow Trust families
Travel company, Contiki, opened the doors of its trendy London Basement on 9 December 2017, to host a Christmas party for Rainbow Trust families from the central London area. An appearance was even ...Read more -
Parents whose two daughters undergoing pioneering treatment for Batten Disease thank Rainbow Trust
Parents whose two daughters were diagnosed with the same fatal disease a year ago have thanked Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity for its support and are looking forward to the New Year with fresh hope,...Read more -
Holly Willoughby supports best friend raising money for Rainbow Trust
We are delighted that This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby took to Instagram on Monday 8 January to support her best friend who is raising money for the charity, which is supporting her sister’s fa...Read more -
My time interning with the digital team
My name is Max and I am an undergraduate studying business management. I joined Rainbow Trust as part of their digital team after my second year of university as I needed real world experience on my C...Read more -
Star studded support for top London Carol Concert raises more than £30,000
Hundreds of guests filled the pews of the stunning St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge on Wednesday (6 December) for the much-loved celebrity studded London Carol Concert which raised more than £30,000 fo...Read more -
SC3 select Rainbow Trust to benefit from Christmas single ‘Family’
SC3 (S Club 3) will be supporting Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity through the sale of their single ‘Family’, released Monday 11 December, to help the charity support families with a seriously ill chi...Read more -
Without Rainbow Trust life would be very tough
Four-year-old Amadeusz was only the fifth person in the world to be diagnosed with a rare genetic mutation of epilepsy when he was just eight months old. “We knew there was something wrong as soon a...Read more -
Harold Wood crowdfunding nearly at £1 million
Harold Wood charity shop in Essex have been fundraising for families for the last 24 years and are only £25,629 away from reaching £1 million. Patron and joint founder of the group Pauline Obee MBE ...Read more -
Meet Heidi, a Family Support Volunteer
Meet Heidi, who volunteers with Sarah (pictured above) a Family Support Worker in our Essex care team. Our Family Support Volunteers provide a vital role in assisting our Care teams up and down the co...Read more -
I love every minute of volunteering with Rainbow Trust
Meet Liz who volunteers with the Southampton Family Support Team. Our Family Support Volunteers provide a huge support to our work with families out in the community, in hospital and at home. How di...Read more -
The greatest gift this Christmas, time together
Samuel has a life-threatening heart condition. Rainbow Trust helps Samuel’s family cope by providing a dedicated Family Support Worker called Sarah to help them face and make the most of each new day....Read more -
Five steps to improve children’s health and social care
Yesterday saw the publication of a five step plan to address the urgent health and social care needs of disabled children, including those with life threatening and terminal conditions. The plan has b...Read more -
Budget 2017: A missed opportunity
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is disappointed that today’s Budget from Chancellor Philip Hammond has missed the opportunity to bring comfort to families of children with life threatening or termina...Read more -
Rainbow Trust backs #BurytheDebt campaign
As part of the Fair Funerals alliance, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is backing the #BurytheDebt campaign in the run up to the Budget on 22nd November. We are urging the Chancellor to increase the ...Read more -
Hanover Dairies raise over £51,000
On 4 November 2017 Hanover Dairies Limited held its 4th Charity Ball in aid of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity and raised £51,000. The event took place at the Crowne Plaza in Newcastle and was host...Read more -
David conquers Kili and raises an incredible £5,404
David Thompson, conquered Mount Kilimanjaro by taking on the Lemosho route and completed the climb in seven days. Having managed to raise an incredible £5,404, his fundraising will enable Rainbow Trus...Read more -
Allowing children and young people to ask the difficult questions
This Children’s Grief Awareness Week, Monica, a Family Support Worker from the North East Care Team shares her experience providing support to young people and their families through bereavement. A...Read more -
Commissioning Children’s Palliative Care TfsL Report
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes the new report ‘Commissioning children’s palliative care in England: 2017 edition’ from Together for Short Lives launched on Sunday 12 November. Based on Fr...Read more -
Bristol ‘Charity bucket collection’ is not from Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been made aware that a man has been knocking on the doors of Bristol residents purporting to be collecting money for Rainbow Trust. The man has called at homes ...Read more -
Epsom branch of Leeds Building Society present ‘Memory Boxes’
A member of the Epsom branch of Leeds Building Society took time out on Friday 6 October to present special memory boxes to Rainbow Trust’s Surrey Care Team in Leatherhead, who support families caring...Read more -
Rainbow runners raise over £5,000 for families
Rainbow Runners Cathy and Darrell from Basingstoke, are set to run the Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday 15 October. Having currently raised over £5,000, their fundraising will enable Rainbow Trust to prov...Read more -
Baby Loss Awareness Week
Baby Loss Awareness Week 2017 Today marks the beginning of Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October). Alongside more than 40 other organisations, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is calling for every ...Read more -
QuirkyAccom.com makes generous donation
Earlier this month, we were delighted to receive a donation of £20,000 from QuirkyAccom.com to support seriously ill children and their families. QuirkyAccom.com is an online directory, offering a ...Read more -
Why I took on the Ice Mile for Rainbow Trust
Meet fundraising star, Andrea. Andrea became the 206th person in the world to complete an Ice Mile, a gruelling mile long race in freezing temperatures. Below she shares why she decided to fundraise f...Read more -
Ride London raises funds for Rainbow Trust
Earlier this year, on 30 July, staff and ‘volun-cheerers’ lined the streets of Leatherhead, Dorking and Surbiton to cheer on our team of fifty-one amazing cyclists as they tackled the 100 mile Prudent...Read more -
Five-year-old Gwen takes on a Half Marathon for families
On Sunday 1 October, five-year-old Gwen and her dad Jamie, embarked on a Half Marathon of their own to raise vital funds for families. Their challenge, starting at Barnes Footbridge on the Thames and ...Read more -
The Rainbow Fish Design a T-Shirt Competition
The Rainbow Fish is celebrating its 25th anniversary with Rainbow Trust, supporting families with a life threatened or terminally ill child. To celebrate this very special partnership, exclusive Rainb...Read more -
Rainbow Trust partner with ChariTable Bookings
We’re excited to announce the launch of our partnership with new charity restaurant booking portal, ChariTable Bookings. ChariTable Bookings is an exciting concept whereby diners can book to eat at ...Read more -
Joe and Anna’s Rainbow Wedding
Supporters Joe and Anna recently celebrated their wedding with a rainbow theme, raising over £1,000 for Rainbow Trust during their special day. “We think what they do is really special and very in n...Read more -
One year on: what progress on end of life care for children?
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes the publication of a progress report by government on the first year of implementing its End of Life Care strategy. However we urge greater attention on the r...Read more -
Natta’s Survival of the Fittest experience
Corporate supporters and ‘survivors’, Natta Building Co Ltd, share their advice to those taking on the Survival of the Fittest course in Manchester this October after completing the London course earl...Read more -
Sweet charity, Time Inc. and Rainbow Trust
On 19 September, Time Inc. (UK) Ltd will celebrate their partnership with Rainbow Trust Children’s charity by delivering a sweet treat to each of the staff at their London, Farnborough and Manchester ...Read more -
Bereavement leave debated in Parliament
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes a wide ranging debate on ‘Bereavement leave for families who lose a child’ which was held in Parliament on 12th September. This was secured by Paul Masterto...Read more -
New guidance on quality of care at end of life
Rainbow Trust warmly welcomes the publication today of new guidance on the quality of care that children and their families should expect when a child is approaching death. The guidance covers medical...Read more -
Gift Aid: what you need to know
A mystery to many of us, Gift Aid can be a bit confusing, but is it worth it and do charities really benefit? The answer is yes! According to the Charities Aid Foundation, Gift Aid has raised more tha...Read more -
Therapy through play
Rainbow Trust’s Family Support Workers take on a number of roles within their day-to-day work: Transport provider. Tea maker. Hug giver. Day out facilitator. Tear wiper. Food shopper. Face painter. ...Read more -
Rainbow Fish celebrates 25th anniversary by partnering with Rainbow Trust
Louis Kennedy and NorthSouth Books have announced that Rainbow Fish is celebrating its 25th Anniversary with a partnership with Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, supporting families with a life threat...Read more -
Harold Wood volunteers launch crowdfunding campaign to reach £1 million
Dedicated Harold Wood charity shop volunteers today launched a campaign raise the £50,000 needed to reach the milestone of raising of £1 million since they started fundraising for Rainbow Trust 24 yea...Read more -
What if I don't have a will?
Thinking about the future and writing a will can be intimidating, but it can also be an incredibly positive experience, providing peace of mind and ensuring you can make a difference in people’s lives...Read more -
Being there through tough times
Amelia is a Family Support Worker in our Swindon team. She supports up to 25 families at any one time, helping them cope through caring for their child who has a life threatening or terminal illness. ...Read more -
RideLondon rider raises over £2,700
Crawley Down resident, Nick Levett, cycled 100 miles by taking part in RideLondon on Sunday 30 July to raise money for families caring for a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. Nick,...Read more -
Cubitt and West employee shaves head
Reigate trainee estate agent, Leonore Oxley, had her head shaved by a local barber, on 27 July at Woldingham golf course during a Cubitt and West staff BBQ and award ceremony, to raise money for Rainb...Read more -
Summertime Picnic letter to the editor
Now that the summer holidays are here, parents (and grandparents) everywhere are hunting out activities to keep the children occupied – me included! Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has launched a f...Read more -
Hanover Dairies funds Centre Parcs holiday for families with seriously ill children
Pictured above: Amy and Darren Tate with their three-year-old son Jake, Hanover Dairies owner Trevor Hanover and Hanover Dairies Managing Director Tony Baldwin. Hanover Dairies in Blaydon, Tyne a...Read more -
RideLondon cyclists ride to victory raising £42,000
50 Rainbow Trust supporters took part in RideLondon on Sunday 30 July, raising an amazing £42,000 for seriously ill children and their families. The competitors began their 100-mile challenge at the...Read more -
The need to tackle high funeral costs
Families adjusting to the death of a child experience much grief and distress. Finding the money to pay for a funeral can be an added source of stress. Rainbow Trust welcomes a consultation from the D...Read more -
Top tips for a successful picnic
Whatever the weather, a picnic is a perfect excuse to get everyone together and this summertime, whether you decide to head to the park or prefer to stay in and camp out on your living room floor, we’...Read more -
Morrisons Foundation funds Rainbow Trust drop-in groups
Rainbow Trust celebrates a funding boost following a £3,000 grant from the Morrisons Foundation. The donation will be used to run our drop-in groups where families of children with life-threatening...Read more -
How to survive The Nuts Challenge
This gritty, exhilarating and often very muddy adventure race is well known for its challenging obstacles. But how do you make sure you get to the finish line? We asked some experienced ‘nutters’ for ...Read more -
Summertime Picnic: what's it all about?
Our Summertime Picnic is a nationwide fundraising event where we ask people across the UK to host their own picnic, using the materials we’ve provided, to raise funds for Rainbow Trust. Every day m...Read more -
Winner announced for Evans Design A T-Shirt Competition
Our fashionable partners at Evans recently launched an exciting Design-A-T-Shirt competition which ran throughout April 2017 to raise vital funds for seriously ill children and their families. Evans...Read more -
Double fundraising by Natta Group
On Friday 9 June 2017, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity was fortunate enough to be one of the beneficiary charities of the annual Natta Group Golf Day. Natta have been a long time supporter of Rain...Read more -
Gymboree extends their support of Rainbow Trust
Gymboree Play & Music have been supporting and fundraising for Rainbow Trust since 2016. In the last six months that support has grown and both the Surbiton and Walton-on-Thames branches now off...Read more -
Bradley Lowery
We are extremely saddened to hear the news that Bradley Lowery died this afternoon. Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity will continue to support Bradley’s family at this immensely difficult and privat...Read more -
Rainbow Trust open letter delivered to new health minister
This week Rainbow Trust delivered an open letter to the Department of Health from parents, professionals and supporters of the charity. Our aim is to make sure that the new Minister for Care and Menta...Read more -
West Cornwall Pasty Co take on the Samworth Brother's Charity Challenge
A courageous team from West Cornwall Pasty Co recently took part in the Samworth Brother’s Charity Challenge for Rainbow Trust. Taking place every two years, the Samworth Brothers Charity Challenge ...Read more -
Island charity Layla’s Trust helps fund dedicated Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker
Isle of Wight based charity Layla’s Trust has made a £12,000 donation to us to help fund the Island’s first Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker, dedicated to helping families caring for a child with a...Read more -
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity voted Surrey’s best Not-for-profit Organisation
We’re delighted to have won the Toast of Surrey 2017 Not-for-profit Organisation Award. Oonagh Goodman, Head of Marketing and Communications at the Leatherhead-based charity, collected the plaque at...Read more -
The Secret Life of Us: new campaign launches
Today marks the launch of a major new campaign, the ‘Secret Life of Us’, by the Disabled Children’s Partnership. This coalition of more than 45 organisations, including Rainbow Trust, is calling for b...Read more -
Child of Courage Bradley Lowery continues to be supported at home by Rainbow Trust
We are extremely saddened to share with you the news that Bradley Lowery has now been given weeks to live Bradley, six, from Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when...Read more -
Father's Day letter to the editor from Zak, a Family Support Worker
Since becoming a father last year, the celebration of Father’s Day has taken on a whole new meaning for me. I’m looking forward to receiving my wonky homemade card and the huge hug from my daughter on...Read more -
What does the election result mean for seriously ill children and their families?
For families whose child has a life threatening or terminal illness, the impact of the election is yet to become clear. The surprise election result of a minority Conservative government led to three ...Read more -
Essex volunteer group devastated after break-in
The founder of a volunteer-run charity shop in Harold Wood, the proceeds of which go to Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, has spoken of her upset after jewellery and money were taken just two days aft...Read more -
Will you give children like Hadley a summer to look forward to?
My husband Benedikt and I have twins; Ben, who is a healthy four year old and Hadley, who was diagnosed with leukaemia two years ago. Since then our life has been a rollercoaster; a blur of antibiotic...Read more -
Brentwood volunteer inspired to help families with seriously ill children supported by Rainbow Trust
A woman from Brentwood, Essex who volunteered for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has become a full-time Family Support Worker after being inspired by its work helping families caring for a child wit...Read more -
Rowan's hospital essentials for children starting cancer treatment
Rowan (pictured left) was just three years old when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She underwent 18 months of gruelling chemotherapy. Janet, a Surrey based Family Support Worker, started su...Read more -
Essex mother volunteers for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which enabled her son to die at home
A mother from Great Canfield, Essex, whose son was able to die at home because of the support he received from Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, has become a Volunteer Ambassador for the charity, 24 y...Read more -
Meet Lily, Regional Fundraiser for Greater Manchester and South West
At Rainbow Trust we have a team of dedicated Regional Fundraisers, ready to spread the word of Rainbow Trust and help you raise funds to support families. From Schools to Rotary Clubs, Lily is on hand...Read more -
Meet Katherine, Regional Fundraiser for the North and South East
At Rainbow Trust we have a team of dedicated Regional Fundraisers, ready to spread the word and help you raise funds in your community to support families. Katherine, our Regional Fundraiser for the N...Read more -
Rainbow Trust welcomes HRH The Duchess of Cambridge’s video message marking Children's Hospice Week
We are delighted to share the exciting news that Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge has recorded a personal video message to celebrate children’s palliative care services and mark the beginn...Read more -
Why I became a Rainbow Trust Trustee by Consultant Paediatrician, Jon Rabbs
Jon Rabbs is Consultant Paediatrician at Worthing Hospital and a Trustee at Rainbow Trust. Here he explains why he became involved and his vision for the future of the charity. I became a Rainbow ...Read more -
I love being able to make even the smallest difference
Zak from our West London Care Team tells us what it means to be a Family Support Worker and how you can help more families up and down the country. I’ve been working for Rainbow Trust for the past f...Read more -
This Dying Matters Week mum shares how Rainbow Trust supported her through the loss of two children
Dying Matters Awareness Week is an opportunity to highlight the importance of talking about dying, death and bereavement, all of which are so often overlooked and ignored for fear of offending or upse...Read more -
This Mental Health Awareness Week brave mum shares why she supports other parents
This year, as we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, the focus is on why so few of us are thriving with good mental health. Why don’t people reach out? What stops people asking for help? Is it bec...Read more -
Top three suggested reads for aspiring MPs
Few commentators expected a General Election to be called this summer. But while children’s palliative care is unlikely to be discussed on doorsteps in this period, recent months have seen some import...Read more -
We need your Good Old Pounds
Following the introduction of the new 12-sided pound coin on 28 March 2017, we are calling on supporters to give us their ‘Good Old Pounds’. The old pound coins will lose their legal tender on 15 O...Read more -
Family supported by Rainbow Trust speak about their son’s illness to mark Undiagnosed Children's Day
A family from Reading are helping us to mark Undiagnosed Children’s Day on Friday 28 April by speaking about caring for their three-year-old son whose birthday falls on the same day. Faith and Jor...Read more -
Are you planning a celebration?
My little girl has leukaemia. Rainbow Trust has been supporting us for over a year, which has made a huge difference to our everyday lives. Phoebe has a big brother, Ollie, and so during Phoebe’s t...Read more -
The Community Foundation for Surrey make generous donation to support siblings
The Community Foundation for Surrey have made a generous donation to Rainbow Trust to enable our Family Support Workers in Surrey to host a series of Sibling Support Days over the course of the next 1...Read more -
Why I became a Fundraising Ambassador
When Michael’s godson, Dominic, was diagnosed with cancer in 2013, he experience first hand how Rainbow Trust supported his godson’s whole family. Since then, Michael has hosted fundraising events ...Read more -
Swindon teen’s skydive in memory of best friend
A Swindon teenager is fulfilling her promise to her best friend who died of a rare heart and lung condition and jumping around 10,000ft from a plane to raise money. Ash Cleverly, 19, from Grange Park,...Read more -
Rainbow Trust and Evans design a T-Shirt Competition
This April, Evans has teamed up with us to launch a Design a T-shirt competition. Grab your pens or pencils and get creative for a chance to have your t-shirt design produced and sold in-store this su...Read more -
A letter to my brother this Sibling's Day
Rainbow Trust has been providing support to the Watts family for the past two years, including sibling support for Georgia. This #NationalSiblingsDay, five-year-old Georgia writes a letter to her brot...Read more -
What it means to be a Sibling Support Worker at Rainbow Trust
Callie from our Greater Manchester Care Team shares what it means to be a Sibling Support Worker at Rainbow Trust My role within Rainbow Trust could be described as quite niche. and it is certainly ...Read more -
Lockton chooses Rainbow Trust as charity partner
We have been selected as Lockton‘s UK Associates’ charity partner for 2017, a collaboration that will see the company raise funds and awareness for the charity, which supports families caring for a ch...Read more -
Essex man raises £1,600 after John O’Groats to Land’s End cycle
A man from Wickford, Essex, who raised £1,600 for seriously ill children and their families by cycling from John O’Groats to Lands End has encouraged others to follow in his footsteps. The 1,089-mile ...Read more -
Ralph Hydes shares his top tips to help you prepare for your marathon
We’re proud to have the support of Ralph Hydes, our coach and all round fitness expert who has represented Great Britain in eight duathlon and triathlon age-group World Championships. Here he shares s...Read more -
Mums caring for a sick child - Not Alone
Today Rainbow Trust launches a new animation in time for Mother’s Day, Mums caring for a sick child - Not Alone. It highlights the issues of loneliness and isolation that some mothers face when caring...Read more -
Rainbow Trust and Evans partnership leads to an extra special treat for one lucky mum
On Monday 13 February, Stephanie and her daughter Miracle made their way to a London studio to receive a special Evans makeover as part of the Evans Mother’s Day campaign. This Mother’s Day, as wel...Read more -
Hidden Savings: how Rainbow Trust is saving at least £2 million each year for health and social care
Our new report, Hidden Savings, shows that our vital emotional and practical support not only helps the whole family to cope better but also saves the health and social care system at least £2 million...Read more -
London’s celebrity studded fashion fundraiser raises £80,000 for seriously ill children
London Fashion Week may be over, but the final event on the fashionistas calendar took place on Monday 13 March, with the annual ‘Trust in Fashion’ event at The Savoy, London. The prestigious fashion ...Read more -
New coalition announced to push for improved services for disabled children and their families
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased to be part of a new coalition of charities, the Disabled Children’s Partnership, launched today 17 March. Together the coalition is seeking to improve the...Read more -
Endurance runner Susie Chan answers your running questions
Rainbow Trust is proud to have the support of Susie Chan. As an endurance runner she has taken part in some of the toughest ultramarathons and endurance races. She also commentates at races, has appea...Read more -
Disappointment as budget offers nothing for seriously ill children
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is disappointed that the Chancellor’s Spring Budget has once again failed to deliver anything for children with life threatening or terminal illnesses. While we welcom...Read more -
Why we support Rainbow Trust year after year
Blathwayt House at Reed’s School in Cobham, Surrey, have completed the London 10,000 for Rainbow Trust an amazing three times and are now signed up to complete their fourth! Here, Gareth, Head of Blat...Read more -
Government U turn on controversial children’s social care proposals
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased that controversial proposals to allow councils to pilot new ways of working are being dropped from a government bill on Children and Social Work this week. ...Read more -
Stockport man running marathon for Rainbow Trust, the “real life guardian angel” helping his nephew
A Stockport man who is running the London Marathon in aid of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which supports his nine-year-old nephew and family, described the charity as a real-life guardian angel....Read more -
Meet Molly our new Regional Fundraiser for London
At Rainbow Trust we have a team of dedicated regional fundraisers, ready to spread the word and help you raise funds in your community to support families. Molly, our new Regional Fundraiser for Londo...Read more -
Enterprise holds successful fundraising day raising over £11,000
On the 10 February 2017, the UK and European Enterprise Sales Team, based in Egham, raised more than £11,000 for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. The day was packed with fundraising events and acti...Read more -
Students share why they gave up their time for Rainbow Trust
This Student Volunteering Week, students Emily, Katie and Amy, share their experience after they joined us for week placement last summer. Tell us a bit about yourself? Emily: Hi, I’m Emily and I...Read more -
Valentine's Day Letter To Editor from Anne Harris
This Valentine’s Day, couples everywhere will be looking forward to a romantic night out to focus on each other and enjoy time away from hectic daily life. For parents caring for a life threatened o...Read more -
Portishead Rotary Club names Rainbow Trust as its 2017 Swimathon charity
Swimathon aims to raise vital funds to help families with terminally ill children Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been chosen as Rotary Club of Portishead’s beneficiary for the Portishead Swima...Read more -
I Love Claims smashes their £500,000 target at the ILC Lunch
Over 460 of the UK Motor Claims Industries’ finest, attended the 7th Annual I Love Claims Networking Lunch on 20 January 2017, raising over £55,500 for us as their charity partner. The generosity of...Read more -
Why I chose to sponsor a Family Support Worker
An interview with Sally, one of our incredible supporters who now sponsors a Family Support Worker.Tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection to Rainbow Trust I found out about Rainbow ...Read more -
Could you be our first Lottery winner?
Rainbow Trust is celebrating three successful months since the launch of our weekly fundraising lottery in partnership with Unity Lottery. Despite its fledgling status, we’ve already had four prize...Read more -
Responding to the state funding crisis: how you can get us past day 11
Yesterday we acknowledged the state funding crisis highlighted in a recent report ‘On the Brink’ from Together for Short Lives. The report warns of the growing number of children needing palliative ca...Read more -
Gymboree East Dulwich raise £1,975
Gymboree East Dulwich raised £500 in a Christmas raffle bringing the total they have raised to £1,975 for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which supports families caring for a child with a life threa...Read more -
Firm donates £2,500 to help families with terminally ill children
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has received a £2,500 donation from the company FastKlean. The company, which provides quality and affordable commercial and domestic cleaning services to all Centra...Read more -
Rainbow Trust shares condolences on the loss of George Michael
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is sad to learn of the passing of George Michael over the weekend. Emma Haines, from Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity said; ‘We are so saddened by the loss of Geo...Read more -
Mootilda finds a home
A Bournemouth family bought a life-size colourful cow hand-painted by their daughter and other children supported by Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity to thank them for supporting them with their son ...Read more -
How to be cheery & charitable this Christmas
A time for giving, but not as you know it, by Stephanie C at Expert Home Tips This year, we’re bypassing the jam-packed shops, long queues and excessive spending in favour of something a little dif...Read more -
Letter to Editor from Annabel Croft
After a year that seems to have passed in a flash, I am looking forward to a calm Christmas with my family gathered around me. This festive season Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity - the charity wher...Read more -
West Cornwall Pasty Co. Ltd launches partnership with Rainbow Trust
West Cornwall Pasty Co aims to raise vital funds to help families in the UK with terminally ill children Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been selected as West Cornwall Pasty Co’s first ever cha...Read more -
Rainbow Trust partners with Penwizard for Christmas
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is launching an exciting new partnership with Penwizard - a market leader in creating print on demand personalised children books - to help raise funds to support fami...Read more -
Children supported by Rainbow Trust join PM at Number 10 to turn on Christmas lights
Children with life threatening or terminal illnesses supported by Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity joined Prime Minister Theresa May at Number 10 Downing Street for the Christmas lights switch on, on ...Read more -
Star studded support for our London carol concert which raised over £36,000
Hundreds of guests filled the pews of the stunning St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge on Wednesday (7 December) for our much-loved celebrity studded London Carol Concert which raised over £36,000 to supp...Read more -
Rainbow Trust welcomes significant new guidance on end of life care for children
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes the release of the final version of important guidance setting out what care and support should be provided to terminally ill children. The finalised guida...Read more -
How to make the most of your intern experience
With the wonderfully welcoming team at Rainbow Trust, making the most of my three month PR Internship has been an absolute dream! Just like any experience, the most important things are to be confiden...Read more -
Rainbow Trust calls on shoppers to take part in a Charity Price Match for Giving Tuesday
Each year shoppers are able to make huge savings from big brand retailers during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as prices are slashed both online and in-store. As part of our Giving Tuesday campaign, w...Read more -
Time Inc. Your vote matters
Staff at Time Inc. have until Tuesday, 13 December to vote for their Charity of the Year and give families caring for a seriously ill children an early Christmas present. And your vote makes a big ...Read more -
North East volunteer takes to the skies
Martin volunteers with our North East Family Support Team. Despite being scared of heights he signed up to do a wing walk for Rainbow Trust. We asked Martin why he took on such a challenge. “Well, t...Read more -
State funding for child palliative care is falling
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes a new report ‘On the brink’ from Together for Short Lives which warns of a coming funding crisis for children’s palliative care. The report presents the fi...Read more -
One Click. Big Difference
One Click. Big Difference for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity Red Funnel, Isle of Wight ferries is choosing their next charity partner and we need the public’s support to help more families with a...Read more -
Warnings of crisis in palliative care funding
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes the attention given to the impending funding crisis for children’s palliative care on today’s BBC Breakfast programme, and urges decision makers to address th...Read more -
Grate48: UK’s highest stair climb at The ‘Cheesegrater’ raises £75,000
Hundreds of competitors, including BBC Newsreader Sophie Raworth, took part in the UK’s highest stair climb at the ‘Cheesegrater’ on Thursday (10 November) raising £75,000 for Rainbow Trust Children’s...Read more -
Grandmother cuts off hair and raises £756
A Grandmother from Bookham and one of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity’s founding volunteers has had a grade two haircut, raising £756 for the charity, which supports families who have a child with a ...Read more -
Zillah Bingley appointed Chief Executive
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has successfully appointed Zillah Bingley as Chief Executive Officer succeeding Heather Wood on 9 January 2017, who is retiring after 17 years as Chief Executive and 2...Read more -
Newsreader Sophie Raworth and runner Susie Chan to take part in UK's tallest stair climb
BBC Newsreader Sophie Raworth and endurance runner Susie Chan have signed up to take part in Grate48, the UK’s highest stair climb at the ‘Cheesegrater’ on 10 November in aid of Rainbow Trust Children...Read more -
Alarm over Children and Social Work bill
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity questions the consequences of proposed new legislation on children and social care for the children that we support, who have a life threatening or terminal illness. T...Read more -
A Goodbye to Albert Bennett, aged 101
Yesterday we said goodbye to a very special man and long term supporter. Albert Bennett was born in Rochester, Kent, on 15 October 1914, he died peacefully at home on 3 October 2016 just two weeks s...Read more -
Grate48: UK’s highest stair climb to take place at The Leadenhall Building in aid of Rainbow Trust
On 10 November up to 800 people will take on the UK’s highest stair climb at The Leadenhall Building – also known as The Cheesegrater – to raise money for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. The Grate48...Read more -
Big Hour letter to the Editor from Lucy Alexander
As the days become shorter, it’s a stark reminder that the end of another year is approaching – Halloween is nearly upon us and Guy Fawkes Night is just around the corner. For families caring for a ...Read more -
Kingston Smith aims to raise £75,000 for Rainbow Trust
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, could receive up to £75,000 to help families caring for a child with a life threatening or terminal illness, thanks to chartered accountancy firm Kingston Smith nomin...Read more -
OMERS London raises over £12,000 at Royal Parks
Senior MD at Borealis, an OMERS Company, and his colleague completed their first half marathon last weekend, collectively raising over £12,000 to support seriously ill children and their families. P...Read more -
Baby Loss Awareness Week
This week is Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15th October) with many organisations coming together to draw attention to the experience of families who experience miscarriage or the death of a baby or infa...Read more -
Lord Julian Fellowes hosts Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity’s 30th Anniversary party
Over 150 guests enjoyed a celebrity hosted evening to mark our 30th Anniversary, providing care and support to families who have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. Award-winning w...Read more -
Talking to someone can take away the loneliness
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity provides emotional and practical support to families living with a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. We support the whole family in whatever way they ...Read more -
Marvellous Mootilda to be auctioned at Sandown Park
Mootilda, our marvellous moo, will go under the hammer along with 40 other cows from the Surrey Hills Cow Parade at Sandown Park racecourse on Thursday 20 October. The colourful cow, hand painted ...Read more -
Too many parents prevented from being part of their babies’ care
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes a new report from the charity Bliss which sets out the practical and financial barriers which can prevent parents from being closely involved in their babies’...Read more -
Gymboree celebrates National Bubbles Week
Young visitors to Gymboree classes across the country will be bursting with excitement during National Bubbles Week from 19 to 25 September whilst raising money for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, w...Read more -
You don’t have to be a millionaire…
It’s just a myth that only the very rich can leave money to charity when they die. It’s just one of many misconceptions about giving to a charity in your will. Actually, legacies make a surprising ...Read more -
Social care within palliative care: challenges for professionals
Thousands of families have a life threatened or terminally ill child. Many families will need more support than their own resources and networks can provide. This is where social care becomes essentia...Read more -
Local Hampshire family raise over £14,000 to support seriously ill children
A family from Alresford, Hampshire have so far raised over £14,000 for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which supports families caring for a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. Matth...Read more -
East Dulwich Gymboree smash fundraising target
Three brave staff members from East Dulwich Gymboree completed 100 muddy obstacles on 4 September by taking part in the Nuts Challenge and raised £770 - almost doubling their £400 target for Rainbow ...Read more -
Cubitt & West go Nuts raising £11,638
Daring employees from Cubitt & West across Surrey and Sussex took part in The Nuts Challenge on 4 September for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity to help families caring for a child with a life thr...Read more -
£600 a month: the average burden on families during their child’s cancer treatment
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes a new report from CLIC Sargent which examines the financial impact of treatment on young cancer patients and their families. The report, ‘Cancer Costs’, is...Read more -
Eight-year-old Swindon girl climbs Snowdon for Rainbow Trust
An eight-year-old girl from Swindon climbed Mount Snowdon in aid of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity after being inspired by family stories on our website. Tia Murray, from Redhouse, summited the 1...Read more -
MP proposes paid compassionate leave for bereaved working parents
Rainbow Trust welcomes the introduction of a proposal in Parliament this week which would change the law so that bereaved parents would be entitled to paid time off work following the death of their c...Read more -
My internship with Rainbow Trust
I started my summer internship with Rainbow Trust as a part of my work placement module at Roehampton University and joined the charity as a Human Resources intern for their volunteering team. Before ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust announced as chosen charity for London Comedy Lunch second year running
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been confirmed for the 2nd consecutive year as the beneficiary charity for Inconnection’s London Comedy Lunch. The event takes place on Thursday 8th December at ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity Chief Executive to retire after 17 years
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has announced that Chief Executive Heather Wood will retire from her role after 17 years. Heather has been at the helm of the charity, which supports families who h...Read more -
Interview with Barbara Keeley MP
Barbara Keeley is the former Labour Shadow Minister for Care and current MP for Worsley and Eccles South near Manchester. Here she shares how she got into politics and how she hopes to provide proper ...Read more -
My daughter the anomoly
Matt and his family are support by our Greater Manchester Care Team. Here, he shares his families story and how their lives changed forever when their daughter, Scarlett, was rushed to hospital with a...Read more -
Why I became an intern at Rainbow Trust
My name is Ashley, I am a Journalism Postgraduate who has spent the past few months as a ‘Comms Intern’ at Rainbow Trust. You are probably thinking to yourself, why is this guy working for a Children’...Read more -
Why I find volunteering for Rainbow Trust so rewarding
Stephen, from Newcastle upon Tyne, began volunteering as a Family Support Volunteer in April 2015 and joined our North East Team providing support to the children and families on the children’s oncolo...Read more -
Do you have what it takes to become a Community Ambassador?
As a charity, we need help to increase awareness of our services across the UK. Our Community Ambassadors play a key role in this by telling ‘the Rainbow Trust story’ in their local community. Hear fr...Read more -
Tom helps the team to go green
Rainbow Trust has a Green Team, made up of staff members who are dedicated to reducing the charity’s environmental footprint. We want to leave a healthier, happier and greener planet for the children ...Read more -
The Jockey Club names Rainbow Trust as one of its Charity Partners
The Jockey Club, the largest commercial group in British horse racing, which owns some of the country’s most well-known racecourses including Sandown Park, Epsom Downs and Aintree, has committed its f...Read more -
RideLondon Cyclists raise £34,800 for Rainbow Trust
Nearly 50 supporters of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, took part in the RideLondon event on Sunday 31 July. So far the riders have raised a grand total of £34,800. The challengers began their 100...Read more -
Scunthorpe Superheroes to cycle 500 miles for seriously ill children
A family from Scunthorpe are riding 500 miles between them dressed as superheroes to help support ‘real superheroes’ – the families caring for a seriously ill child who we support. Chris Ho...Read more -
Procter & Gamble names Rainbow Trust its Brooklands Site Local Charity of the Year
P&G Brooklands to raise funds to help families with terminally ill children Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been selected as the P&G Brooklands site local charity of the Year - the orga...Read more -
Rainbow Trust is a ‘Godsend’, mother of twins tells Barbara Keeley MP
The MP for Worsley and Eccles South visited a mother of twins who is supported by Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. Barbara Keeley, former Labour Shadow Minister for Care, met Naheed Umarji in Worsl...Read more -
Southampton Family Support Worker shaves head to celebrate Rainbow Trust’s 30th Anniversary
Pam Smith, a Family Support Worker in our Southampton Team, is helping to mark Rainbow Trust’s 30th Anniversary by shaving her head at Haskins Garden Centre, West End, at 6pm on Thursday 21 July. Pa...Read more -
Surrey golf PGA professional to run six marathons in 2016
A 45-year-old golf coach from Fetcham, is taking on six marathons in 2016, hoping to raise £10,000 for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, supporting families caring for a child with a life threatening ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust’s cow mooves to Leatherhead for CowParade Surrey
A life-size colourful cow, hand-painted by children Rainbow Trust supports, is grazing at the Swan Centre in Leatherhead as part of the Surrey Hills CowParade and we need your help to name her. The...Read more -
Seriously ill children face a postcode lottery of support
New research out today conducted by Together for Short Lives shows that four out of five local authorities in England are failing to plan and fund care for children with life threatening and terminal ...Read more -
Government responds to End of Life care review
The distinct needs of children at the end of life have been given recognition in an important new statement of government policy on end of life care. This week saw the release of the government’s long...Read more -
New guidance published for end of life care for children
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes the release of important draft guidance setting out what care and support should be provided to terminally ill children. The NICE (National Institute for He...Read more -
Campaign success for children in hospital long term
One year on from a landmark ruling at the Supreme Court, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is delighted to hear that the Department for Work and Pensions is today changing the rules so that familie...Read more -
Father holds ball in daughter’s name for Rainbow Trust
Matt, a father supported by Rainbow Trust, is organising a ball to support the charities that helped his family when his daughter’s undiagnosed illness left her unable to speak, or move. Matt Davie...Read more -
Cubitt & West funds Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker
Estate agent Cubitt & West has announced its funding for one of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity’s vital Surrey care team. On 10 June, staff at Leatherhead, Dorking and Reigate branches had the ch...Read more -
Surbiton mum launches Gymboree charity partnership
A mum supported by Rainbow Trust attended Surbiton’s Gymboree class on Wednesday 25 May to officially launch the new partnership between the Gymboree and Rainbow Trust, who supports her family in cari...Read more -
The worse thing about cancer is that you have no control at all
Our North East team supports Darren Frazer whose daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour before she was two years old. Leanne Cummins, a Family Support Worker from the team, supports him and his fa...Read more -
A message from Austin this Father's Day
As any parent can vouch, having children is a rollercoaster ride. I am a very proud father to four energetic girls. I’m incredibly lucky that my girls are all fit and healthy, although I know how help...Read more -
Dear Dad - they say being a parent is the hardest job in the world!
Dear Dad, They say being a parent is the hardest job in the world! But they didn’t say much about how hard it is to be a parent to a terminally sick child. When my brain started to fail me, you co...Read more -
Premium Credit get colourful in aid of Rainbow Trust
Premium Credit, the No.1 Insurance Premium Finance Company in the UK and Ireland has been supporting Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity since the beginning of 2015, raising vital funds to support our wo...Read more -
Rainbow Trust services applauded in parliamentary debate
Rainbow Trust is delighted to have been recognised for its work in a parliamentary debate this week when the needs of children with terminal or life threatening illnesses, and their families, were dis...Read more -
Hanover Dairies to walk 169 miles in aid of Rainbow Trust
Employees from Hanover Dairies in Blaydon, Tyne and Wear, will re-trace the steps of the company’s owner, Trevor Hanover, and walk 169 miles from Glasgow to Inverness to raise money for Rainbow Trust ...Read more -
Colour5K in Dorking raises an amazing £3,200
A rainbow of powder paint covered hundreds of people in Dorking as they ran the Colour5K on May 22, in support of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. Around 500 people took part in the event held at ...Read more -
Father raises almost £50,000 and calls for more volunteers
A father from Doncaster who has run 64 marathons for Rainbow Trust after his teenage daughter died of cancer, has said it is vital that more volunteers help the charity. Fred Tomlinson, aged 67, fr...Read more -
Modus Sports names Rainbow Trust as its partner charity
Darts management and events firm to raise funds to help families with terminally ill children. MODUS Sports, the world’s leading management company for professional darts players and promoter of pro...Read more -
Interning with the Regional Team
Once I completed my studies at University, I knew that I wanted to work in the third sector. I really wanted to gain some work experience in a charity and see how it runs. After weeks of searching, I ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust volunteer explains how charity ‘saved my family’
A woman whose family was ‘thrown into turmoil’ when her brother was diagnosed with leukaemia said Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity ‘saved them’ and has chosen to speak out to publicise Volunteers Week...Read more -
Northumberland businessman to host 30th Anniversary golf day
A local businessman will host an annual golf tournament on Tuesday 14 June as part of our 30th Anniversary celebrations, helping us to support families caring for a child with a life threatening or te...Read more -
Southampton teen calls on more volunteers for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
A Southampton teenager volunteering for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which helps families who have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness, has encouraged others to volunteer their sp...Read more -
We could not do all the things we do without you
This year Rainbow Trust is celebrating 30 years of care. In this time our name and mission has never changed. We believe that every family caring for a child with a life threatening or terminal illnes...Read more -
‘Jump With Us’ weekend raises over £4,500
We had a fantastic response from our first skydiving weekend and we are calling on more daredevils to take the plunge for our next ‘Jump With Us’ event on Saturday 30 July to help us celebrate our 30t...Read more -
Children paint Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity’s cow for CowParade Surrey
Siblings from families we support were on hand last week to help paint a life-sized colourful cow that will join this year’s CowParade, Surrey. Two sisters visited local artist Vikki Gibso...Read more -
Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker takes on Isle of Wight Challenge
Dawn, a Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker from Southampton, completed a 25km walk on the Isle of Wight on 30 April, raising money to support families caring for a child with a life threatening or te...Read more -
Hush Gin & Jam Afternoon Tea supports Rainbow Trust
Rainbow Trust Children’s charity, have been chosen to receive proceeds from every Gin & Jam Afternoon Tea sold at a top London brasserie in Mayfair, Hush, thanks to a new partnership. The co...Read more -
Behind the scenes of 'A day with Amelia’
This month we launched our new campaign ‘A day with Amelia’ asking people to join us and sponsor a Family Support Worker. For the campaign, filmmaker Drew Cox, created documentary style films, giving ...Read more -
Stephenson Harwood LLP names Rainbow Trust as its charity of the year
Firm aims to help families with terminally ill children through fundraising and volunteering. Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been selected as Stephenson Harwood’s charity of the year beginning...Read more -
Compassionate care for all
A review published this week suggests there is still much to be done if all parts of society are to receive high quality and compassionate care at the end of life. The research by the Care Quality Com...Read more -
Hugo and Pandora take to the skies for Rainbow Trust
Two brave celebrities leapt 10,000 feet last Saturday in a tandem skydive to raise vital funds for Rainbow Trust to support terminally ill and life threatened children across the country. Rainbow Tr...Read more -
Mother speaks out about her ‘Miracle baby’ for Children’s Heart Week
A London mother from Oval has spoken out for the first time about her ‘Miracle baby’ to mark Children’s Heart Week and to thank ECHO - Evelina Children’s Heart Organisation and Rainbow Trust Children’...Read more -
Brave celebs take to the skies for Rainbow Trust’s 30th Anniversary challenge
A duo of brave celebrities have signed up to Rainbow Trust’s ‘Jump With Us’ challenge and will be completing a tandem skydive from 10,000 feet on Saturday 30 April to help raise vital funds to support...Read more -
Sal runs the London Marathon for Rainbow Trust
Sal Rotondetto from Nether Wallop, Hampshire is taking part in the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 24 April to raise money for Rainbow Trust. For a number of years Sal’s family has received Rainbow T...Read more -
Interning with the Digital Team!
I came to Rainbow Trust having studied Fashion Marketing at Northampton University. Graduating in 2014, I worked in Customer Service for around 18 months. Following this, I was driven to pursue a care...Read more -
Families with seriously ill children feel overwhelmed by lack of support outside of hospital
Families caring for a life threatened or terminally ill child feel overwhelmed when they leave hospital and feel as though they lack professional emotional support, according to an audit unveiled toda...Read more -
Care teams take part in Wicked workshops
Rainbow Trust Care Teams from across the UK had the opportunity to take part in creative workshops held by a freelance actor and trainer from the award winning musical, Wicked. The workshops, held ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust listed in The Sunday Times’ Top 100 Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has once again been named as one of the Top 100 Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For, achieving the accolade for the 5th year running! We have taken 60th place o...Read more -
Third London 10,000 for Reed's School in Cobham
41 year-old Gareth Hart is Day Housemaster of Blathwayt House at Reed’s School in Cobham. He is a keen runner and is leading a team of students in the London 10,000 to run for Rainbow Trust for the th...Read more -
A letter to my seriously ill brother
Dear Dominic, I think you are the best little brother in the world. Without you I would have no-one to fight with and life would be very boring! I am so pleased that you survived having cancer. We w...Read more -
Why I'm taking on a half marathon for Rainbow Trust
As you get older your life becomes more hectic, leaving you less time to keep yourself in shape. One day you are 13 stone of pure fitness (slight exaggeration), playing rugby and football, going to th...Read more -
I’ve been told I am a lifesaver, but I’m not, I’m just here to help
I was a Psychotherapist in Italy and I came to London two years ago to learn to speak English. I spent some time in retail which was a big shock to me - people can be so difficult. So, when I started ...Read more -
Surrey Care Team launches new Family Support Group
We’re thrilled to announce that we have launched a new Family Support Group at The Olive Tree Cancer Support Centre at Crawley Hospital in West Sussex. The group hopes to be a network for families s...Read more -
Be #Fearless4Families
This year is Rainbow Trust’s 30th Anniversary and to help us celebrate, we’re asking our supporters to be #Fearless4Families and come and skydive with us! Who better to lead the way than Rainbow Trust...Read more -
Rainbow Trust Shortlisted for Runner's Favourite Charity Award
Rainbow Trust has been shortlisted for Runners’ Favourite Charity at The Running Awards 2016, and is calling on supporters to help win the coveted title! The Running Awards, the “Oscars of the runni...Read more -
What will I be expected to do as an intern?
Finding the right internship is always a daunting challenge – especially when you aren’t entirely sure what you’ll be doing. When I graduated university I was stuck for what to do afterwards. I kne...Read more -
Gymboree launches national partnership with Rainbow Trust
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been selected as play and learning expert, Gymboree’s, Charity of the Year 2016 launching in March. The company, which is the world’s foremost provider of child...Read more -
Response to audit of end-of-life-care
An audit of end-of-life care for adults in hospitals has found improvements in many areas of care since the last study in 2013. However, too many adults still do not receive care from palliative care ...Read more -
Trevor Hanover Awarded Point of Light Award from 10 Downing Street
Trevor Hanover, owner of Hanover Dairies, has been named a ‘Point of Light’ by Prime Minister David Cameron for tirelessly volunteering for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity and raising over £180,000 t...Read more -
Timothy James and Partners takes on the Nuts Challenge
On 05 March Timothy James and Partners entered 29 employees to tackle the Winter Nuts Challenge. This year’s challenge saw 667 out of 757 finish the assault course with all employees of TJP completing...Read more -
Turning 30 with Rainbow Trust
Reaching your 30th birthday for some is just another day in the calendar. For me however it was time for reflection and contemplation on my life so far. Despite many ups and downs I looked at my li...Read more -
Fundraisers in York skydive for charity
A team of fundraisers in York will be skydiving on Saturday 26 March to raise money for Rainbow Trust Children’s charity. Daring fundraisers from the Nationwide Building Society’s branch in Parliame...Read more -
Our response to the Budget announcement
Following Wednesday’s Budget announcement, Rainbow Trust is disappointed to note that there was a complete lack of help announced for the families we support. Rainbow Trust feels that the Government h...Read more -
Trust in Fashion 2016 raises £63,000
Rainbow Trust’s 6th annual Trust in Fashion event took place on 11th March at The Savoy, London. The prestigious fashion show with a conscience raised over £63,000, an amazing total! Among the 250 g...Read more -
Aimia employees choose to support Rainbow Trust
Employees at Aimia, a data-driven marketing and loyalty analytics company that own Nectar in the UK, have chosen to support Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity for the next 12 months! We were thrilled to...Read more -
Corks and Couture 2016
Guests at the exclusive Corks & Couture fashion event at The Savoy, London dug deep to raise vital funds on Friday evening. Style-savvy, wine connoisseurs enjoyed an evening of couture fashion and...Read more -
Get catwalk ready with Anna Mason
Working with the likes of Karl Lagerfield and Valentino, Anna Mason has made a name for herself amongst the fashion elite. Setting up her own label in 2012, Anna is known for playing with styles that ...Read more -
Mother's Day Letter to Editor from Anne Harris
With Mother’s Day just around the corner I’m sure mothers everywhere are looking forward to receiving their annual cards, bunches of flowers and loving appreciation from their families. For mothers...Read more -
Rainbow Trust responds to MPs debate on end of life care
Variable access to palliative care and social care, and the importance of people having genuine choice at the end of life, were among the issues raised by MPs in a parliamentary debate on end of life ...Read more -
Remembering a Charity in Your Will
Remembering a charity in your will is a particularly meaningful gesture, which ensures that your influence continues, supporting those causes most important to you during your lifetime. A pecuniary ...Read more -
Mum’s wise words this Mother’s Day
A mother’s work is never done, and we think Mother’s Day is the perfect time to say thank you to our mum’s, for all the wonderful things they do. Being a mum is a full time, rewarding, and not always ...Read more -
Last year Rainbow Trust helped a record 1,958 families. But it’s not enough.
It all started with a 12 year old girl who was dying of cancer… Rachel had terminal cancer. She didn’t want to die in hospital. She wanted to die at home, surrounded by her family. I was there to su...Read more -
National maternity review calls for more personalised care
Pregnant women are to receive notional personal budgets to improve their choice of care in a shake-up of maternity care report released today. The National Maternity Review made the recommendations as...Read more -
My time at Rainbow Trust by Joe Woodley
Over the past week, I have been volunteering for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, in what was definitely the most productive and valuable half term holiday I’ve ever spent. Although, I suppose that i...Read more -
30 Days of Rainbow Trust
This year marks Rainbow Trust’s 30th year of caring for families with a seriously ill child and we will be using the month of March to showcase some of the exciting achievements, milestones and storie...Read more -
Invesco Perpetual to support Rainbow Trust
Further to an employee nomination, pitch and voting process, we are delighted to announce a new corporate partnership with one of the largest independent investment managers in the UK, Invesco Perpetu...Read more -
Staff at Walther Strong pledge to raise funds for Rainbow Trust
Staff from Walther Strong have pledged to make a donation to Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity with every sale of Walther Strong tape in the UK. From every sale of Construction tape, 10p will go tow...Read more -
Evans’ #STYLE HAS NO SIZE campaign raises thousands for Rainbow Trust
Fashion retailer Evans has proved not only that STYLE HAS NO SIZE but also that style has deep pockets for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity after its #STYLEHASNOSIZE campaign raised over £23,000 to su...Read more -
£80 million announced for special educational needs and disabilities services
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes the recent announcement of £80 million for services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families by Children and Fam...Read more -
A message about our Surrey charity shops
A message from Emma Haines, our Director of Marketing and Fundraising “Following a period of consultation we have made the very difficult decision to close our two Rainbow Trust charity shops in Le...Read more -
Joining Forces with Evelina Children's Heart Organisation
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has partnered with Evelina Children’s Heart Organisation (ECHO) in London, with the aim of bridging the gap between the medical care that families receive in hospital ...Read more -
Designer Amanda Wakeley Announced for Trust in Fashion
Tickets for Trust in Fashion are expected to sell out fast after the announcement of Amanda Wakeley as this year’s featured designer. Wakeley will be showcasing pieces from her latest collection as we...Read more -
ILC Networking Lunch smashes fundraising target
Over 460 of the UK Motor Claims Industries’ finest, attended the 6th Annual I Love Claims Networking Lunch last Friday, raising over £54,000 for us as their charity partner. Hosted by Jonny Gould, w...Read more -
RBI fundraising success
This year staff at Reed Business Information (RBI) who have their head office in Sutton, have raised over £7,500 for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. RBI started working with Rainbow Trust when one...Read more -
UK Art Lantern Festival lights up for Rainbow Trust
UK Art Lantern Festival have announced they will be supporting Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity through a series of bucket collections during the festival period, taking place on 5 February – 20 April...Read more -
Five-year-old donates birthday presents to Rainbow Trust
When Jedidiah Obaseki was asked what he wanted to do to celebrate his fifth birthday, he decided that he wanted to share all the presents he received, to cheer up children that weren’t as fortunate as...Read more -
Harold Wood Fundraising Group raises £9,800!
Harold Wood Friends Group from Essex are celebrating a fantastic fundraising total! The group run a charity shop in Harold Wood and have also held various fundraising events throughout the year. In ...Read more -
Time to shout about social palliative care
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is the leading organisation providing children’s social palliative care in England. But mention palliative care for children and all too often people think of hospices...Read more -
Rainbow Trust launches 1001 Small Things – a journey through our year
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has launched an innovative online annual review with the release of 1001 Small Things – Our Year 2014/15. The website complements a print version of the review, and re...Read more -
Letter to Editor from Claire Skinner
Wishing all of Rainbow Trust’s supporters a very Happy New Year. This year marks 30 years of Rainbow Trust supporting families with a life threatened or terminally ill child in England. A team of Fami...Read more -
‘Your Free Day’ campaign calls on businesses and employees to put leap day to good use
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been chosen to benefit from an innovative leap day initiative from service communications experts soh, which aims to encourage businesses across the nation to use ...Read more -
30 years of care
In 1986 Bernadette Cleary was asked for help by a friend whose 12-year-old daughter had terminal cancer. Rachel wanted to die at home, not in the hospital. “I was there to offer emotional support an...Read more -
Why I chose to Intern
Before University I didn’t really know what an internship was, most of us had all done work experience during school but with no real idea of what we actually wanted to do in the future. However, once...Read more -
The Right Hon. Richard Stanley, 1931 – 2015
Richard served as Chairman of Rainbow Trust’s board of Trustees for seven years (2004-11) and for the last four years (2011-15) as our President. He was a dedicated and devoted member of the Rainbow T...Read more -
Rainbow Trust responds to new NICE guidelines on end of life care
Rainbow Trust welcomes the new NICE guidelines for adult end of life care issued today. Anne Harris, Director of Care for Rainbow Trust said: “Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes the new NICE g...Read more -
Get your Christmas bake on for Rainbow Trust
Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain donates a Christmas recipe to Rainbow Trust. Christmas can be a wonderfully happy occasion but this year thousands of families will be spending their festive season in...Read more -
Ketchup TV offers free viewing and asks viewers to "pass it on"
Children’s video channel aims to raise £25,000 to help families with seriously ill children this Christmas. Children’s on demand video channel, Ketchup TV has launched an innovative way of giving th...Read more -
We're up for staff vote at Aimia
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is thrilled to be in the staff vote for Aimia. Up until Friday 18 December, staff at Aimia have the chance to give families with seriously ill children an early Chri...Read more -
Star studded festivities at Rainbow Trust’s London carol concert
St. Paul’s Church in Knightsbridge, London was packed full of guests and festive spirit on Thursday 3 December at our celebrity studded carol concert to raise funds for families caring for a life thre...Read more -
Children’s literature just got a whole lot more personal!
Ever wondered why it was Alice that was transported to Wonderland or why Charlie was able to visit the Chocolate Factory? For those asking these questions and wondering just how you become idolised as...Read more -
Rainbow Trust nominated for Runners’ Favourite Charity Award
Rainbow Trust has been nominated for Runners’ Favourite Charity at The Running Awards 2016 and we need your help to secure vital votes by Friday 4 December. The Running Awards is an independent annu...Read more -
Rainbow Trust responds to the Spending Review
Rainbow Trust is disappointed at the opportunities missed in the Spending Review to support measures which would benefit families with a terminally ill child. There was no mention of fully funding car...Read more -
Family Support Volunteers making a difference
All our volunteers are integral to the way we operate. Whether it’s a day a week or a few hours a month, the time given by our amazing volunteers, really does make a huge difference. We couldn’t do it...Read more -
Looking forward to a family’s first Christmas at home together
I wanted just one thing for Christmas – to have my family together at home. Sadly I didn’t get my wish. But this year, with help from Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, I’m thrilled to be waking up on ...Read more -
The first ever Children’s Grief Awareness Week
Arlene Honeyman, Head of Care Strategic Development at Rainbow Trust, talks about the importance of support services for children who find themselves experiencing grief and why Rainbow Trust is suppor...Read more -
North Hampshire's little gems
My husband and I have been supporting Rainbow Trust for five years now. It is an amazing cause and we have seen the good it has done and the happiness and relief it can bring to families. We have visi...Read more -
Hanover Ball in Newcastle raises over £32,000 for Rainbow Trust
Hanover Dairies, based in Blaydon, held a glittering ball on Saturday 7 November raising over £32,000 for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which supports local families caring for a child with a life...Read more -
Rainbow Trust's Carol Concert to return to London
Rainbow Trust is holding its annual Carol Concert at the beautiful St. Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge on Thursday 3 December to raise money to support more families caring for a child with a life threat...Read more -
London to Paris and a few places in between
On the 25 September at 8:30 a small crowd started gathering outside Lloyd’s Chambers, Portsoken Street. Excitement was building, but for 5 members of that crowd excitement was quickly being replaced b...Read more -
Parking the charges - a small step forward
Listening to the parents and carers that we work with, we know that the cost and challenges of hospital car parking can add a great deal of strain to families at a highly stressful time. That’s why Ra...Read more -
Face painting for little heroes
Carma supports our Durham Team by providing her incredible painting skills. Here she tells us about her experience and how she loves every minute of it. Having painted for over 10 years and been bas...Read more -
Rainbow Trust to benefit from Comedy Lunch with Al Murray
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been chosen as the beneficiary charity at this year’s London Comedy Lunch, hosted by Manchester based events agency, InConnection. This high profile corporate lunc...Read more -
What’s next for sibling support?
‘The best place to cry is in the bathroom and the worst bit of all is the obligation to be nice!’ These were the words a teenage girl said to me as she tried to cope when her younger sister was se...Read more -
Time to #parkthecharges?
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased to hear that Julie Cooper, MP for Burnley, is seeking to introduce a new piece of legislation which would allow parents and carers receiving Carer’s Allowan...Read more -
Family Support Worker, Claire, hosts Big Hour Dog Walk
Family Support worker, Claire, is hosting a Sponsored Dog Walk to fundraise for her Big Hour Challenge. The Big Hour is a way for people to spend their extra hour when the clocks go back on October 25...Read more -
It's over and I survived - or at least parts of me did
Richard, long time supporter and our Fundraiser of the Month, blogs about his experience taking on the Marathon de Sables - a footrace across the Sahara back in April this year and what got him over t...Read more -
Rainbow Trust responds to report on UK's ranking for best end of life care
Anne Harris, Director of Care at Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity responds to the report naming the UK as the best place in the world in which to die. We welcome the report’s findings and are please...Read more -
The Power of your hour
On the 25 October the clocks will go back one hour. For most of us that will mean an extra hour in bed but for a child suffering from a terminal illness, that extra hour means so much more. At Rainbow...Read more -
Enterprise take to the saddle
Recently, our Sports Manager, Nicola, and our Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager, Louise, visited Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s head office in Egham, to catch up with a few of their 10-man RideLondon 201...Read more -
Boxing Fundraiser a real knockout
Following the success of the inaugural property industry fight night, organisers of White Collar boxing event, Rumble with the Agents, presented Rainbow Trust with £17,214. The sell-out summer even...Read more -
Tips for planning your Big Hour Challenge
Whether you’re taking on a challenge by yourself, supporting your colleagues or are holding an event in your community, we all know that planning is key in ensuring your event is a huge success. Take ...Read more -
Smells like team spirit
On Saturday 5 September, 2,000 individuals took on the Nuts Challenge - a 7km assault course adventure race in Dorking, Surrey. Amongst the brave, stood a team of Rainbow Trust supporters, ready to fa...Read more -
Rainbow Trust welcome NCVO's Fundraising Review
Emma Haines, Director of Marketing and Fundraising at Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, commented: “We welcome the NCVO’s review that has been undertaken because putting the interest of supporters fir...Read more -
History Heroes supporting Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity.
A brand new card game, History Heroes: Children, packed full of fun historical facts about inspirational children throughout history, is set to benefit Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. History Hero...Read more -
Rainbow Trust Partners with Savoo
Rainbow Trust is excited to announce Savoo Search, Save and Raise as a new fundraising partner using their innovative way of donating. Savoo is a website that acts as both a search engine and a vou...Read more -
Why I am making the most of my hour
My name is Dawn and I have been a Family Support Worker for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity for four years. The role can be very difficult as we are supporting families at a very emotional and delica...Read more -
Our top Big Hour Challenge fundraising ideas
This year, the Big Hour Challenge is all about getting involved in any way you can and making the most of the extra hour you gain when the clocks go back on 25 October, in recognition of the importanc...Read more -
Austin Healey hosts Inside the Rugby World Cup evening raising £17,000
Rugby fans were treated to an intimate ‘Inside the Rugby World Cup’ dinner and Q&A with rugby legend and Rainbow Trust Patron Austin Healey last week. The evening, compered by sports broadcaster, ...Read more -
Our Director of Care's thoughts this Grandparents Day
This Grandparents Day I want to shine a light on the immense contribution Grandparents make supporting families today, especially those with a seriously ill child. When a family is faced with having...Read more -
The Big Hour Challenge is back!
The countdown to the Big Hour Challenge 2015 has begun! Join us between the 19 - 25 as we prepare for the clocks to go back on 25 October and see how creative you can be with your extra hour. The Bi...Read more -
Rainbow Trust shortlisted for four industry awards
We are thrilled to have been announced as finalists for four prestigious industry awards, recognising our commitment to best practice and innovation in the sector. Our work has been shortlisted for ...Read more -
Why are internships useful for students?
When I was coming to the end of my first year of studying Journalism Studies at the University of Sheffield I was faced with the choice of what to do with my summer, and if I had learnt anything from ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity celebrates 10 years supporting Manchester families
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity in Greater Manchester is this month celebrating 10 years of delivering emotional and practical support to families in the region with a life threatened or terminally i...Read more -
Out with the old and in with the new
We are really pleased to announce that we have teamed up with Evans as their Charity partner. To kick of the partnership, Evans have been selling charity tees and denim shopper bags emblazoned with th...Read more -
What my internship has taught me
Hi, I’m Dan, a digital marketing intern here at Rainbow Trust. I’m currently a student at The University of Warwick studying German and Business (yes I know, an unusual combination!) and despite alrea...Read more -
AppyDriver Charity Drive
Do you think you’re a good driver? Why not see how good you are and help raise money for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity at the same time. We are really pleased to announce that Admiral Insurance ...Read more -
Supporters get on their bikes to raise money for Rainbow trust
Sunday 2 August was the last spin on the wheel for Rainbow Trust’s cyclists who took part in RideLondon-Surrey100. Rainbow Trust’s biggest ever team of 91 cyclists endured the 100 mile race, so far ra...Read more -
Local country club holds golf day in support of Rainbow trust
Matt Cousens, from Bushey Country Club held a charity golf day in order to raise money for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which supports families caring for a child with a life threatening or termi...Read more -
Opera Holland Park closes the season with a tea party
This summer the world famous Opera Holland Park supported Rainbow Trust, through their brilliant children’s opera, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The family opera was specially commissioned for ...Read more -
Austin Healey to host exclusive Q&A at Rainbow Trust Rugby World Cup event
Calling all rugby enthusiasts! Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is holding an exclusive rugby event, Inside the World Cup on Wednesday 9 September in London, with special guest host, England rugby leg...Read more -
Bernard takes on his third RideLondon for Rainbow Trust
Bernard Bunting, 57 from Fulham, will be taking on his third RideLondon-Surrey100 bike ride on Sunday in support of Rainbow Trust. These days Bernard, pictured above during the event in 2013, does it ...Read more -
Local brothers from Surrey are running the Royal Parks Half Marathon
Paul and Chris Osment, local brothers from Surrey, are taking part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon together on 11 October 2015 in order to raise much needed funds so we can continue to support famili...Read more -
Rainbow Trust announced as City v Wharf charity partner
We are pleased to announce that we have been selected as a charity partner for City v Wharf, a competitive 5k run challenge between London’s two key business districts. We’re calling for individuals a...Read more -
Dorking Colour5k showered with colours of the Rainbow
On Saturday 18 July a spectrum of paints covered runners at Dorking’s first ever Colour5K in aid of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. Over 300 runners took part to support families who have a child wi...Read more -
Making healthcare more human-centred
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes the ambition for the NHS to improve the choice of services for the families that we work with. Anne Harris, Director of Care, said ‘In our role, as the ...Read more -
Hugo Taylor becomes ambassador for Rainbow Trust
We are pleased to announced that Made in Chelsea star and founder of Taylor Morris eyewear, Hugo Taylor, has officially become an ambassador for Rainbow Trust. Famed for his appearances on Made in C...Read more -
UK Motor Claims industry rallies to support charties
The 2015 AGS HBC Gumball Rally drove home the importance of charity recently with 34 cars taking to the roads of Wales and Ireland to raise funds. The rally, now in its third year saw a whole array...Read more -
Thank Goodness! Wicked partners with Rainbow Trust
Wicked, the award-winning musical which follows the untold story of the Witches of Oz, has expanded their successful For Good programme and Rainbow Trust is delighted to have been included. The For ...Read more -
Alton Cars complete Ben Nevis Challenge
The Alton Cars team came, saw and conquered the epic Ben Nevis Challenge and raised £5,000 for Rainbow Trust. The adventure began on Friday morning with the team setting off in 2 motor homes for bo...Read more -
Post Head Shave!
I mentioned last week that I was having my head shaved in my bid to raise £7,000 to help support of life threatened or terminally ill children and their families. Most years I take on a fundraiser and...Read more -
Go the extra mile this summer with London 2 Cambridge Challenge
Rainbow Trust has teamed up with Action Challenge to offer relay teams an exclusive 50% off entry for its brand new London 2 Cambridge Challenge, taking place 29-30 August 2015. The London 2 Cambri...Read more -
Terminally ill children are not getting the end of life care they deserve
Anne Harris, Director of Care at Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity responds to the RCN story that states that terminally ill children are not getting the care they deserve. “We welcome the report iss...Read more -
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Drives Rainbow Trust to Gumball
It’s back and greener – but certainly not meaner! The AGS HBC Gumball Rally is back for its third year, and we are delighted to announce our involvement. With help from our amazing sponsors at Enterpr...Read more -
70 year-old set to cycle from Swindon to Barcelona
Today, 70-year-old Mike Sheppard will be enduring the ultimate challenge when he cycles over 1,300 miles, travelling from Swindon to Barcelona and on to his home in Masseube, France. Mike, who lived...Read more -
Step into a family wonderland this summer
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is delighted to be teaming up with London’s sell-out open air production of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, produced and commissioned by Opera Holland Park. The pr...Read more -
A Father's day message from Chris, Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker
Father’s Day is a special date in the diary, with children often making their dads handcrafted gifts - true momentum’s of the love a child has for their father. Dads eagerly await the invite from thei...Read more -
10 ways to enjoy Father's Day
Father’s Day is just around the corner, and what better way is there to celebrate than spending quality time with your dad. If you need ideas on things to do here are some fun and inexpensive ways to...Read more -
My last good hair day 'til Christmas
Enjoy today, hair, because I’m off to the hairdressers tomorrow and you’re coming off in my bid to raise £7,000 to help support of life threatened or terminally ill children and their families! Sin...Read more -
As a father and a man, I thought I should have all the answers
When my wife, Lucy and I, found out we were pregnant with Luke, our third child, I struggled to come to terms with it. In my mind, having the two boys we already had was the perfect scenario. Bringing...Read more -
Heather's head shave
Our Chief Executive, Heather Wood, is planning her next fundraising challenge! Having completed some adrenaline fuelled escapades in the past, Heather has chosen this year to do something more person...Read more -
Rupert Penry Jones supports 'Don’t forget Dad' campaign
This Father’s Day I am supporting Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity’s ‘Don’t forget Dad’ campaign, to honour all the dads across England who have a life threatened or terminally ill child, to increase ...Read more -
Attention all families – join Rainbow Trust for a truly colourful day
Attention all families - if you’re stuck for ideas to occupy your kids over the summer holidays then come along to ‘Colour5k’, the new fun run in Dorking, Surrey on Saturday 18 July 2015 The day inc...Read more -
Neonatal care and support – the challenges of piloting a new service
Developing a new service The prospect of developing a new service offering is always filled with mixed emotions – the opportunity to deliver a service in a different way or to new groups of people w...Read more -
How do I find the right internship for me?
Hi, I’m Frankie and I’ve been interning at Rainbow Trust since the beginning of the year. I’m part of the public relations team which is based at the charity’s headquarters in Surrey. It’s a small but...Read more -
Pam shares her volunteering experience
As featured on the NCVO blog, Pam, one of our office volunteers shares her volunteering experience. Quite often, when you think of volunteering for a charity, you think of sitting at a desk filing or...Read more -
Meet Louise, A volunteer Family Support Worker
Between 1-7 June, we are celebrating ‘Volunteers’ Week’ by highlighting the help we receive from 360 volunteers throughout the year. Without the 31,000 hours a year of invaluable support our volunteer...Read more -
How volunteering can help you as well as others
Volunteering is a chance for people to get involved in their local community and help make a real difference. For some people, it’s the flexibility and variety of tasks you can get involved with, for ...Read more -
Duo rally together in aid of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
Michael Binnersley and Chris Richardson from Liling and Hovingham near York, will be going on a trip with a difference as they take on the Monte Carlo or Bust Rally on Thursday 4 June. The duo will be...Read more -
It's National Volunteers' Week and we'd like to say thank you!
This week is National Volunteers’ Week, a chance for everyone at Rainbow Trust to say a huge thank you to our amazing volunteers, past and present. Whether you support us in our retail shops in Leathe...Read more -
Evans launch style has no size campaign with Rainbow Trust
Rainbow Trust is delighted to be partnering with Evans for its #StyleHasNoSize campaign. In September 2014, Evans staged the first ever curvy catwalk show during London Fashion Week, the mantra “st...Read more -
How do you create meaningful outcomes?
We have seen in past blogs how important social palliative care can be to a family’s well-being but it’s notoriously hard to measure the impact of our service and set meaningful outcomes that are meas...Read more -
Rainbow Trust develops innovative online toolkit for supporters and staff
Rainbow Trust has developed an innovative Online Toolkit for supporters and staff to easily create their own bespoke, on-brand, promotional materials. The toolkit has been designed to provide a sim...Read more -
Rainbow Trust responds to health ombudsmen’s report into end of life care
Rainbow Trust welcomes the publication of the health ombudsmen report into end of life care, ‘Dying with Dignity’ published today (Wednesday 20 May). The report highlights repeated NHS failings in ...Read more -
The value of tribute days
Remember that grief is not something you get over, it is something you walk through. My shoes are worn and my feet hurt from this walk. (Author unknown) In our society the death of a child is, thank...Read more -
Rainbow Trust dedicates week of remembrance for families
Rainbow Trust is hosting a week of remembrance events, dedicated to all the families we support across the country. Taking place 18-24 May, ‘Rainbow Trust Remembers’ will celebrate the lives of the ch...Read more -
Meet some of our fundraising heroes
Over the past few years, we have been overwhelmed by the amount of support received from people fundraising for us. Whether it was running a marathon, hosting a bake sale, dropping loose change in a c...Read more -
Interning with the Corporate Team
From the moment I entered Rainbow Trust I was treated as a vital member of the team. The organisation has a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere, coupled with individuals that were responsive to my...Read more -
Hospice Week - the social palliative care jigsaw
Rainbow Trust Director of Care, Anne Harris said: “Hospice care is a vital part of the palliative care jigsaw but it is just that, a piece of a broad jigsaw of options available to parents. Most fam...Read more -
London Marathon: our heartfelt thanks and congratulations
Wow, what a journey! We set out to make our presence at this year’s London Marathon bigger and better than ever and I am pleased to say that we certainly did! With 65 wonderful volunteers cheering ...Read more -
Good luck team!
All of us at Rainbow Trust wishes our London Marathon team lots of luck for Sunday! We hope that you are excited, ready and looking forward to running in your Rainbow Trust vest and headband. Our e...Read more -
Local beauty therapist runs London Marathon in memory of niece
Lauren Mitchell from Southampton will be undertaking the ultimate challenge in April, when she will be running the Virgin Money London Marathon. Lauren is taking on the marathon in memory of her nie...Read more -
Hampshire locals launch exciting new book in aid of Rainbow Trust
A select group of businesses in North Hampshire have been chosen by local residents to feature in a concierge-style book, known as “North Hampshire’s Little Gems”. The book has been created by a sm...Read more -
Father’s colleagues raise money in support of his daughter
Five employees from Towers Watson, a global professional services company, took part in the 2015 Paris Marathon on Sunday 12 April in aid of Rainbow Trust. For this team of runners, the challenge mean...Read more -
Gearing up for marathon day
There is just over a week to go now until the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon and we are getting very excited here at Rainbow Trust HQ! Just like the 50 runners who are running for us, our prepara...Read more -
The cost of social palliative care
Research commissioned for Rainbow Trust in 2012 by the York Health Economics Consortium 2012 final report shows that funding at a social level for palliative care has a huge and tangible impact for si...Read more -
Lilly + Sid to host first sample sale in support of Rainbow Trust
Calling all parents! Boutique children’s clothing brand Lilly + Sid has announced that it will be holding its first ever sample sale at Chatham Hall on Northcote Road in London on Monday 4 May in supp...Read more -
Local sisters, Emily and Louise tell us why they chose to volunteer
We’re celebrating Rainbow Trust’s campaign Born Friends this National Siblings Day (10 April), which raises awareness of the sibling support the charity provides families caring for a seriously ill ch...Read more -
Meet Claire a Sibling Support Worker
Claire Warrender, from our Manchester team answers a few questions on what it’s like being a Sibling Support Worker and why supporting siblings with a brother or sister with a serious illness is so im...Read more -
My Story by Laura
My family was just like any other family. We had our ups and downs but overall we were happy. We had days out to Moors Valley for picnics with ice cream and cheese sandwiches and we often went for wal...Read more -
Ultra-runner takes on Marathon Des Sables for Rainbow Trust
Richard Revell, from Hampshire is taking on a challenge few dare to even think about. Richard will be tackling the gruelling 156 mile Marathon Des Sables across the Sahara desert on 3 April to raise m...Read more -
Rainbow Trust introduces Born Friends for National Sibling Day
On National Sibling Day, 10 April, people across the UK will be celebrating the special bond between siblings, but for many children with a seriously ill brother or sister, the bond can be even more ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust calls for stock and support
Rainbow Trust urgently needs stock donations and volunteers to help with its retail shops located in Leatherhead and Cheam. Volunteers play a huge role in helping the charity operate and both shops ...Read more -
Hugo Taylor joins Rainbow Trust's London Marathon team
I’m very excited to announce that TV star, Hugo Taylor, has joined our team and will be running the Virgin Money London Marathon to raise money for Rainbow Trust and Malaria No More UK. Best known for...Read more -
Are the needs of a neonatal parent different to a parent with a terminally ill child?
Finding out that your child has a potentially life threatening illness can be a devastating experience for any family. Parents find themselves in a very different world, often surrounded by an array o...Read more -
Rainbow Trust responds to government’s end of life care report
Rainbow Trust welcomed the House of Commons Health Select Committee report of its inquiry into palliative and end of life care in England published yesterday (Sunday 15 March). In the report the com...Read more -
Rainbow Trust receives £35,000 grant from the Freemasons' Grand charity
The Freemasons’ Grand Charity, which supports nationwide charitable projects and services, has awarded Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity a grant of £35,000 to help the charity support more families wit...Read more -
Mother's Day message from Amanda, a Family Support Worker
This Mother’s Day, children will be baking cakes and picking flowers for their mums. Mothers will be looking forward to being spoilt on their one day off in the year but for those mothers who have los...Read more -
My first day as a Rainbow Trust intern
My name is Bea and I’m the Digital Marketing intern here at Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. I’ve just graduated from the University of Salford, Manchester after studying Media for the last three yea...Read more -
London’s Fashion show with a conscience is back
Tickets for London’s prestigious fashion event with a conscience are selling fast as the charity behind the event, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, announces Angela Scanlon as this year’s host. Tru...Read more -
Two months to go until the biggest sports event in our calendar
With more than 35,000 runners taking part, the London Marathon is the largest single fundraising event in the world. Each year the event tops most runner’s wish lists, and importantly, it raises over ...Read more -
SAVE 50% when you join us for the Ultra Challenge Series
For the first time ever, Rainbow Trust has teamed up with Action Challenge to bring our supporters an exclusive offer across the Action Challenge Ultra Challenge Series. Rainbow Trust has worked with ...Read more -
Father hits the ground running to raise funds for Rainbow Trust
A father of a terminally ill child in Swindon ran the Bath Half Marathon alongside his Family Support Worker and 11 other runners for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity on Sunday 1 March. The determin...Read more -
Rainbow Trust responds to Review of Choice in End of Life Care
Rainbow Trust welcomes the new report offering a ‘blueprint’ for future choice in adult end of life care. This is an important step in recognising the need. Anne Harris, Director of Care for Rain...Read more -
Where does social palliative care currently sit within provision and why is it so important?
When I first joined Rainbow Trust back in 1988 the need for specialist children’s palliative care services was just being recognised and the UK was leading the way. It was a really important time to b...Read more -
Gestamp Tallent Ltd raise £6,350 for Rainbow Trust
Just over a year ago, Gestamp Tallent Ltd, an automotive company based in Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, selected Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity as its charity partner. Since then, the staff have...Read more -
Rowan's journey
When Rowan’s family received the heart breaking news that she had a brain tumour, they were devastated. Beth, Rowan’s mum, said that learning to cope was her only option. Coping with the thought that ...Read more -
Motor claims Industry shows some love
On Friday 13th February, the UK’s motor claims industry came together to fundraise for Rainbow Trust. For the fifth year running, ‘I Love Claims Day’ saw dedicated staff at 25 companies in almost 100 ...Read more -
TV presenter Mary Nightingale presents radio 4 appeal
Rainbow Trust is urging its supporters and the general public to listen to a special charity appeal launching on BBC Radio 4. The broadcast, presented by television presenter and Rainbow Trust Patr...Read more -
Spread the Rainbow Love this Valentine’s Day!
Support Rainbow Trust this Valentine’s Day and buy a cute heart-shaped soap for your loved one. Produced especially for the charity and re-branded as Rainbow Love, premium soap company Sudzfun will do...Read more -
FTI Consulting names Rainbow Trust as its Charity of the Year
Firm aims to raise £30,000 to help families with terminally ill children FTI Consulting is delighted to announce that its UK employees have chosen Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity as its 2015 Ch...Read more -
New chairman appointed to lead Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
A new chairman to lead Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which supports families caring for a seriously ill child, has been announced. Mark Cunningham has been a Trustee of the charity for several yea...Read more -
Camp Hill Christmas Fair raises £6,000
Every year the beautiful Camp Hill estate in North Yorkshire opens its doors to the public for its annual Christmas Fair, where they invite local companies to come and sell beautiful Christmas gifts. ...Read more -
New year, new challenge?
With the start of the New Year, we often begin to think about what we would like to accomplish in the following months. Many of us will consider signing up for a challenge, whether it’s something we h...Read more -
Thank You Deutsche Bank
On behalf of everyone at Rainbow Trust, especially the families we support, ‘I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to every employee at Deutsche Bank who has given time and money this year, helpi...Read more -
Christmas shopping with Rainbow Trust
It’s that time of year again – Santa and his elves have been working hard with Christmas preparations, friends and family are braving the hustle and bustle of the high street, and we are all left wond...Read more -
Kemish family shines at London Carol Concert
On Thursday 4 December Rainbow Trust celebrated the start of the festive season with their sixth London Carol Concert. Held at the beautiful St. Paul’s Church in Knightsbridge, the concert treated gue...Read more -
A message from Carol
My daughter Kia has battled health problems since birth. Kia has a genetic disorder that’s so rare, it took seven years for doctors to understand. Those years involved regular trips to the hospital...Read more -
SACA Charity Bike Ride raises £30,000
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been proudly supported by SACA Charity Bike Ride throughout 2014. Hundreds of riders from across the UK took part in the Birmingham to London bike ride over the Su...Read more -
Sunshine girls bring light to Rainbow Trust
We would like to say a huge thank you to the Sunshine Girls for hosting their charity soul night in support of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. The Sunshine Girls are a group of lady DJ’s who get t...Read more -
Rainbow Trust partners with the first London 2 Cambridge Challenge
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has been selected as an official Event Partner for Action Challenge’s brand new London 2 Cambridge Challenge. The charity, which supports families caring for a seri...Read more -
Watch Rainbow Trust on this year’s BBC Children in Need appeal show
We’re delighted to announce that this year Rainbow Trust will be taking part in the BBC’s Children in Need appeal night on Friday 14 November. One of our Family Support Workers, Sean Tansey, was fil...Read more -
Meet Sean, our Family Support Worker, who featured on BBC Children in Need
Sean who featured on BBC Children in Need 2014 answers a few questions on what it’s like being a Family Support Worker and why he loves his job. Tell us a bit about your background I have always w...Read more -
Why the clocks going back this weekend should remind families to use time wisely
When Tilly-May Sommerville from Bristol was born in November 2006, her parents, Jenny and Richard were overjoyed at her arrival, but at the same time were heartbroken. This is because Tilly-May was bo...Read more -
Albert Bennett, Burma Star - RAF 155 Spitfire Squadron and long term supporter turns 100
You would think turning 100 may be a quieter occasion than other birthdays but not for Albert. For his 100th birthday he decided to have an open house from 10am-10pm! He had a never ending stream of v...Read more -
Family from South Shields talk about why every hour is important
Llana Qazi from South Shields was four months old when her mother noticed she wasn’t feeding properly, was always hungry and slept a lot. Tests confirmed that Llana had an irregular heart rhythm and a...Read more -
Totton family holding special event to act as a reminder of just how precious an extra hour is
In August 2011, two year old McKenzie Kemish, from Totton, fell off a chair and did what most boys do, he cried for a minute, then carried on playing. When his mum, Amberley, went to change his nappy,...Read more -
The Big Hour is here!
Our offices are buzzing at the fact that we actually have an excuse to bring in treats and eat more than we should be! We have some wonderfully skilled bakers in our mist and we can’t wait to try all ...Read more -
The Big Hour is almost here!
Time has really seemed to fly by as the weeks have whittled away to now a mere few days standing between us and The Big Hour. There are so many things to do now, but it also seems like we have prepare...Read more -
A brand new look for Rainbow Trust
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity launched a brand new look today to coincide with the launch of our new website. The new look, called ‘Facets of Light’, is the first brand change since the charity w...Read more -
An exclusive evening at Frieze Art Fair
We are excited to announce that Rainbow Trust is hosting an exclusive evening reception at Frieze Art Fair in London. The event, taking place on Thursday 16 October, invites guests along to view the...Read more -
Take part in The Big Hour
Rainbow Trust’s biggest fundraising event, The Big Hour is back this year, bigger and better than before! Sponsored by Wright’s Baking a third year in row! Help us out this October by spending your ex...Read more -
Having difficult conversations
Earlier this month, in the Independent on Sunday, Rainbow Trust contributed to an article regarding how doctors have very difficult conversations with parents when telling them that there is nothing m...Read more -
Hi, my name is Ben
Hi, my name is Ben, I am 13 and have Spinal Muscular Atrophy which is a rare neuromuscular disability. This means that the signals from my brain don’t get to the muscles in my arms and legs properly. ...Read more -
Circus Starr supports Rainbow Trust
Roll up, roll up! This Autumn Circus Starr is bringing the magic of circus to Swindon and Rainbow Trust is delighted to be their nominated Charity of the Year for their Big Top Autumn Tour 2014. Cir...Read more -
1st Credit, the battle continues
After first working with 1st Credit in 2013 we were thrilled the company decided to take part in a Rainbow Trust’s “Battle of the Boutiques’ retail Challenge. On Thursday 21 August two teams of 1st Cr...Read more -
DHL flying high for Rainbow Trust
On Monday 23 June nine brave UK Senior Operations Managers from DHL (aka the DHL Flyers) took to the skies to show their support for Rainbow Trust. Denis McCarthy, Kirsty McCue, Jez Jones, Jon Brook...Read more -
A Whopping success
On 3 July, Wapping Gardens was full of excitement and adrenaline as runners from all over geared up for the Whopping Rainbow Run. It was a wonderfully sunny evening, which made it more enjoyable for...Read more -
Party leaders must put #ChildrenAtTheHeart of the election
We have joined more than 140 charities who are calling on all party leaders to set out how children and young people will be prioritised in the next Parliament. The open letter highlights that there a...Read more -
For families living with serious childhood illness, It’s About Time
In the last decade, the number of families being referred to Rainbow Trust and needing our support has doubled. There are now more families than ever struggling to cope when their child is ill. For...Read more -
This Christmas, meet Jenson and his family
Clare and Steve have six beautiful children and like most parents at Christmas, want the day to be as special and magical as possible for them. So, when Jenson, their youngest, was rushed to hospital ...Read more -
What does the General Election mean for seriously ill children?
Ahead of the General Election on 12 December, we are calling on all political parties to commit to improve support for families where a child has a life threatening or terminal illness. We believe the...Read more -
Do your own thing
However you want to fundraise, we’d love to have you as part of #TeamRainbowTrust. Help us to support more families with a seriously ill child. We’d love to hear what you’ve got planned! Whether you...Read more -
Royal Parks Half Marathon 2025
Starting in central London, you’ll run past some of the city's world-famous landmarks. You’ll run along closed roads and through four of London’s Royal Parks, Hyde Park, Green Park, St James’s Park, a...Read more -
Swim Serpentine 2025
Swim Serpentine within Hyde Park is a one-day open water swimming festival staged in the heart of London. It's the perfect option if you’re looking to complete an achievable but memorable swim at your...Read more -
Great North Run 2025
Shown live on the BBC, the Great North Run creates an incredible atmosphere and a very memorable day for all involved. We would love to welcome you to the team and help cheer you around the 13.1 mile ...Read more -
Vitality London 10km 2025
The hugely popular Vitality London 10km will take place on Sunday 28 September 2025 on its traditional iconic course, starting on The Mall, going out through Trafalgar Square to the City of London, be...Read more -
Easter 50 Ultra Challenge
A challenge event you can take on at your pace. The Easter 50 Challenge invites you to walk, jog or run a distance of your choice, along a signed route, with free food and drink at regular rest stops,...Read more -
Great Wall of China Trek
Trek along one of the world’s most iconic structures and help us to support more families who have a seriously ill child. On this 9-day adventure we hike for 5 days along an iconic structure – the...Read more -
Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge
Conquer the alternative Yorkshire Three Peaks for Rainbow Trust and help us support families who have a seriously ill child. Starting and ending in Horton-in-Ribblesdale you take in the 3 highest p...Read more -
Coast to Coast Cycle
The Coast to Coast route takes you from the Irish Sea at Whitehaven to the North Sea at Sunderland. It’s the classic cycle route in the north of England. It’s a route on a par with (but not along!) ...Read more -
Windsor Race Night
An exclusive race night at Royal Windsor Racecourse. Set on its own island amidst 165 acres of picturesque Berkshire countryside, along the River Thames and with Windsor Castle towering in the backgr...Read more -
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Climb Kilimanjaro
Conquer Mount Kilimanjaro on this incredible 11 day trip and help us to support more families who have a seriously ill child. Trips take place throughout the year, the optimum time to climb is betwe...Read more -
3 Peaks Challenge
Conquer the Three Peaks for Rainbow Trust and help us support families who have a seriously ill child. This is your chance to tackle Britain’s highest peaks - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon - ...Read more -
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London Carol Concert
Our annual Christmas Carol Concert is back at the beautiful St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge on Thursday 5 December at 6.45pm. Join us for a magical, candlelit evening hosted by Jane Garvey and celebra...Read more -
Bookham Carol Concert 2024
Our Bookham Carol Concert will take place in the beautiful church of St Nicolas, Bookham on Tuesday 3rd December at 7.00pm. The concert will last approximately one hour, after which you are invited ...Read more -
Bath Half Marathon 2025
Sign up to the Bath half today to support Rainbow Trust and raise vital funds to help support families caring for a seriously ill child. The Bath half is an event you don't want to miss! As the sun c...Read more -
Spooky Fundraising at Chessington Garden Centre
We would like to say a huge thank you to the 70 volunteers that helped us over the October half term at Chessington Garden Centre in Surrey. Our team of enthusiastic volunteers, a mix of children, ...Read more -
Meet Chloe, our Office Admin Volunteer and Room to Reward winner
A volunteer who has given more than 2,500 hours of her time to Rainbow Trust has won an award celebrating her dedication and commitment to volunteering. Chloe Smith started volunteering at Rainbow T...Read more -
Family Support Volunteers - Chelmsford Essex
We are looking for volunteers to assist our Essex based family support team supporting families at home, in hospital and in the community. We are particularly looking for volunteers in the Chelmsfor...Read more -
What can seriously ill children expect from the re-elected government?
As seriously ill children and their families prepare to make the most of precious time together this Christmas, MPs new and old are taking up their seats in Westminster, and government ministers are r...Read more -
Why I would encourage other companies to partner with Rainbow Trust
We spoke with Rachel Hall at St. James Group about their experience as a Corporate partner with Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. How has partnering with Rainbow Trust helped St James fulfil its CSR...Read more -
Five policy areas affecting seriously ill children and their families in 2019
As the year draws to a close, we reflect on 12 months of Rainbow Trust’s policy and influencing work. From small steps forward to concrete changes, we’re proud to have used our voice to push for bette...Read more -
Zillah Bingley - Welcome Q&A
This week, Zillah Bingley joined Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity as our new Chief Executive. Here she shares with us some of her first thoughts. What attracted you to Rainbow Trust? The emotiona...Read more -
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It's About Time
For families living with serious childhood illness, time is everything. Not just for tests, treatments and the best care possible. But for the things that modern medicine can’t do. Time for playin...Read more -
Couch to 5k training plan
Leaving the sofa and training for a 5k can feel overwhelming but don’t worry this simple training plan will guide you one step at a time. This 12-week training schedule is designed for beginners wh...Read more -
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Share giving
Why donate shares to Rainbow Trust? Simple and tax-efficient, donating shares can help transform the lives of families with a seriously ill child with practical and emotional support when it matt...Read more -
Home support
Our support is available wherever the family need us most, including support at home. Rachael’s mum explains how Rainbow Trust supports her family. For months prior to Lia’s diagnosis, I had been sa...Read more -
Hospital Support
Sharon, Hope’s mum, talks about how Rainbow Trust supports her family in and out of hospital. When Hope was a year old, she was diagnosed with severe asthma, severe angioedema which is a condition t...Read more -
Sibling support
When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness, the whole family is affected. Aimee, Phoebe and Ollie’s mum, explains the impact of Rainbow Trust’s sibling support. When Phoebe was 14 months old, s...Read more -
Wednesday - Week with a Neonatal Family Support Worker
This morning I am taking Helen, mum of Alex, Finley and Aisha to visit their baby sister who is in intensive care at St Mary’s Hospital, London. The children aren’t allowed into the ward as they are...Read more -
Tuesday - Week with a Neonatal Family Support Worker
Today I am taking Lisa to visit her two month old daughter, Susan, at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. Samantha is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as she was born at just 26 weeks. On th...Read more -
Monday - Week with a Neonatal Family Support Worker
Today I collected Katie, Lauren’s mum, and took her to a full day of hospital appointments at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Lauren was born 13 weeks premature and spent a long time on a neonatal unit....Read more -
Legacy promise
A gift in your will to Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity will provide future support to families of children that have a life-threatening or terminal illness. We appreciate the particular importance of...Read more -
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Rainbow fruity ice cubes
Ingredientshandful raspberries handful blueberries 1 kiwi fruit 1 mandarin orange jug cold water MethodStart by washing the raspberries and blueberries, then fill a quarter of an ice cube tray wi...Read more -
Rainbow skewers
Ingredients1 kiwi fruit (peeled and chopped) ½ mango (peeled and chopped) strawberries red grapes blueberries MethodWash the strawberries, grapes and blueberries in cold water and pat dry. C...Read more -
Rainbow omelette
Ingredients (makes 6 ‘cakes’) 1 tsp Olive Oil ½ Red Pepper 2 Spring Onions 1 Small Carrot 2 Tbs Sweetcorn 50g Cheddar Cheese 3 Large Eggs What you do… Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4...Read more -
Rainbow couscous
Ingredients (serves 4) 200g couscous 250 ml boiling water 1 red OR orange pepper 1 small green pepper 2 tomatoes 3–4 spring onions 200g can sweetcorn Dressing: 10g (about a handful) fresh co...Read more -
Rainbow slaw
Ingredients (serves 8) 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup lime juice 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1/3 cup olive oil 3 cups shredded red cabbag...Read more -
Rainbow pizza
Ingredients (serves 4) 4 stone-fire flat breads 1 cup pizza sauce (homemade or store bought) 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese 8 cups of veggies diced into roughly 1cm cubes, (to make a rainbow...Read more -
Summertime picnic - games
Add some fun to your Summertime Picnic with arts, crafts and games. We have a word search, treasure hunt and games to keep everyone entertained. All you’ll need is some scissors, glue and a pen. Simpl...Read more -
Summertime Picnic - Recipes
Have ago at making some of these amazing recipe’s to make your summer picnic even better!...Read more -
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Summertime Picnic Pay in online
You can also quickly and easily make a payment online. Simply click here and select “I would like to pay in money I have raised” and type in Summertime Picnic before completing the transaction If you...Read more -
Summertime Picnic - Picnic Pack
We have all of the materials you’ll need to make your picnic look as good as possible! Make sure your Summertime Picnic goes off with a bang with these handy resources....Read more -
About Summertime Picnic
When a parent is told their child has a life threatening or terminal illness, their lives are turned upside down. They are thrown into a world of hospital treatments, appointments and medical jargon w...Read more -
Why intern with us
Your questions answered Who can apply? Our internships are open to anyone looking to develop their skills and gain experience in the workplace. No previous experience of working in the charity secto...Read more -
Media Centre
Press Contacts PR Tel: 01372 363438 Email: [email protected] Out of hours: 07944 252 155 Media enquiries and spokespeople Rainbow Trust provides emotional and practical support...Read more -
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School life and friendships
School can be a welcome break from a pressured home environment, but it may not always be easy. The logistics for parents to attend appointments for the ill child and manage their condition on a day...Read more -
How to help
Healthy brothers and sisters will often benefit from time with a grownup who they know is there just for them. How much support they need will depend on many factors, such as the stage of the illnes...Read more -
Coping with stress and change
Lots of things can change when a brother or sister is seriously ill. Parents often have less time to focus on healthy children, and routines have to change to fit around the needs of the ill child. ...Read more -
Activities
One of our Family Support Workers shares an activity they do with siblings to help them cope and manage their emotions. One idea for working with siblings that I found useful was the following activ...Read more -
Tips for working with siblings
It can be difficult to know the right words to say. We asked some of the siblings we support for their top tips. Things to do when working with siblings: Get to know us; take time to talk to us and f...Read more -
What is sibling support?
Sibling support refers to support given to brothers and sisters of seriously ill children. It might be spending time playing, talking or going to the park with a Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker,...Read more -
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Please sign our letter to Government
Rainbow Trust’s new report, Hidden Savings, shows how our tailored support not only helps the whole family to cope better but also saves public services around £2 million per year. Rainbow Trust sup...Read more -
Meet Susie
Susie is an endurance runner. She runs races from one to 100 miles and has taken part in some of the toughest ultra-marathons and endurance races around the world. She regularly gives inspiring spee...Read more -
Meet Ralph
Ralph (pictured far right) took up Personal Training in the year 2000. Originally training and qualifying with Premier Training International, he is now a well-respected personal trainer and triathlon...Read more -
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Heart rate training
One of the most important element in determining your performance is how you train. Our fitness expert, Ralph Hydes, tells us how you can use your heart rate to help get the most effective results. ...Read more -
Conditioning for marathon
Training for a marathon or sporting event can be a tough challenge, where do you start? It’s important to incorporate conditioning in to your routine to help prepare your body for the challenge ahead....Read more -
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University and RAG fundraising
Interested in fundraising for charity whilst at university? Whether you are fundraising alone, with friends, in a society or as part of your university’s RAG, we are here to help and provide some insp...Read more -
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Taking time off work
Taking time off work to be with your child when they are sick, attending hospital appointments or receiving treatment as an in-patient, can be a struggle. Many parents or carers can’t afford to give u...Read more -
Benefits and other sources of help
Benefits, transport and equipment Check what you might be eligible for on the GOV.UK website. Your local Citizens Advice Bureau will also be able to advise you or you can head over to their website ...Read more -
Niamh and her family
Niamh was a typically active little girl trying to walk, eating solids and playing like other children her age when her parents noticed that this changed one day when she suddenly couldn’t do all of t...Read more -
Luke and his family
Luke is a bubbly ten year old little boy who loves football and to look at him, you’d never know he has a congenital heart defect. He has spent many months in hospital with treatment and surgery. This...Read more -
Adam and his family
Adam was eight when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. The trauma of the treatment and surgery has left this brave little fighter very nervous and agitated around new people. Megan, his 13 year old...Read more -
Michael Wainwright
Michael owns and runs Boodles with his brother, Nicholas. He is the fifth generation of the Wainwright family to own the jewellery business, established in 1798, and which has its flagship store in Lo...Read more -
Celia Woollett
Celia has a City background, most recently at LaSalle Investment Management, where she led the Global Client Services Team and was a member of the Management Board. In essence Celia was responsible ...Read more -
Mark Richardson
Mark is retired from full time employment having occupied a number of senior positions in the asset management business. He has broad international experience and now undertakes non-executive and cons...Read more -
Andrew Honnor
Andrew is the founder and managing partner of Greenbrook, a specialist communications firm that advises financial organisations and individuals on all areas of communications, reputation and risk mana...Read more -
Tim Bunting
Rainbow Trust is delighted to appoint Tim Bunting as a Life President. This is an honorary position to recognise an individual who has made a significant contribution, in a variety of different ways,...Read more -
Mark Cunningham
Mark has over 25 years’ experience in the finance industry and is a founding partner of Holbein Partners LLP. Starting his career at Panmure Gordon in 1987 he went on to become a Director of Corporate...Read more -
Phoebe's Story
Phoebe was just 14 months old she was admitted to hospital for various infections. When the consultant told her family that she had leukaemia, their whole world came crashing down. Phoebe spent the n...Read more -
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Safeguarding Statement
‘Safeguarding Children is everyone’s responsibility’ All children and young people linked with Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, wherever they are, whoever they are with, whatever they are doing, ha...Read more -
One percent
Our vision has always been to provide every family who has a child with a life threatening or terminal illness with access to a Rainbow Trust carer. If charities received 1% of the value of every e...Read more -
Charity lottery: Rainbow Trust Children's Charity Lottery
1. Choose how many entries you want to purchase - you can buy one entry for £1 per week.2. You’ll be given a unique six digit Lottery number.3. Your number will be entered into the draw.4. To win, mat...Read more -
Invesco Thames Challenge Registration
Please Note It is important to provide an active email address and the mobile number you will be taking on the event! Bike information If you selected to bring your own bike, please ensure that your b...Read more -
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Where your money goes
The support that every Family Support Worker provides is unique to the needs of each family. Siblings of sick children often feel left out or uninvolved so our Family Support Workers spend a lot of...Read more -
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You're making a difference
By taking part and fundraising for seriously ill children and their families you’re helping to bring back the colour to their lives. Meet some of the children and their families who we support bel...Read more -
Colourful fundraising ideas
Need some inspiration to help boost your Bring Back the Colour fundraising? Take a look at these colourful ideas to get you started. ...Read more -
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About Bring Back the Colour
Bring Back the Colour at work, school or wherever you are! Departments, teams, groups or classes choose a different colour to wear for the day and each person donates £2 (or £1 for schools). You co...Read more -
Sign up for Bring Back the Colour
We value your privacy and promise to keep your details safe and never share them with anyone. You can read more about how we keep this promise in our Privacy Policy. If you change your mind about how ...Read more -
Community Ambassadors
Do you have what it takes to become a Community Ambassador? We are looking to expand our team of Community Ambassadors to help raise our profile across the areas where we work. If you want to be part ...Read more -
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Christmas White Chocolate Tray Bake
Nadiya Hussein, winner of the 2015 Great British Bake Off, is supporting Rainbow Trust this Christmas and has shared her favourite Christmas recipe to bake with children. Our Family Support Workers...Read more -
Making a snowflake
Nicki, a Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker and Francesca who she supports, share this simple how to guide so you can make your very own paper snowflake! You will need:Six squares of paper Scissor...Read more -
Ketchup TV
Rainbow Trust urgently needs more Family Support Workers to care for seriously ill children and their families this Christmas and beyond and Ketchup TV, home of many of your favourite kid’s programmes...Read more -
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Cardiac Support
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has partnered with ECHO (Evelina Children’s Heart Organisation) with the aim of bridging the gap between the medical care that families receive in hospital and the soc...Read more -
Christian McBride
Eight years ago when a colleague mentioned Rainbow Trust to Christian McBride, he chose to support us - impressed by the service we offered to families in crisis. So when Christian and his partner ...Read more -
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Mark's half marathon
In March 2015 Mark Sutton, Dad we support and father of three, completed the Fleet Half Marathon for Rainbow Trust. Our Surrey care team is currently supporting Mark and his family as his youngest son...Read more -
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What you'll receive
When you Sponsor a Family Support Worker, like Amelia, you’ll be providing support to families who have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. Our Family Support Workers work with famili...Read more -
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Big Hour - Indoor teddy bear picnic
For today’s the day the teddy bears have their picnic… This year why not make the most of your extra hour by bringing everyone together for an event that the whole family can enjoy with an indoor ...Read more -
Big Hour - Lunch hour olympics
Your lunch hour may usually be a relaxing time where you sit back and enjoy doing nothing for a brief blissful moment - it’s time to break the norm! Work in a busy office? Why not introduce some hea...Read more -
Big Hour - Donation shopping list
Your fundraising makes a real difference. Use our shopping list below to see how your money will make life easier for a family with a child who has a serious illness....Read more -
Big Hour - Tools
Holding a Big Hour fundraiser is easy. Simply sign up here to keep up to date with all things Big Hour and we’ll also send you tips and information on how you’re helping families. For now, we have eve...Read more -
Big Hour - Pay in your money
Thank you for holding your Big Hour. You’ve made a real difference to families who have a seriously ill child, you rock! Here are four easy ways to get your hard earned fundraising to us:Online - s...Read more -
What is The Big Hour?
My Big Hour is an annual fundraising event which encourages people to use an hour to fundraise for seriously ill children and their families. Every year, we ask our supporters across the UK to join ...Read more -
Supporter promise
You, like all of our generous supporters, are at the heart of us achieving this vision. Thanks to your generosity last year our teams of Family Support Workers helped over 2,500 families; more than ev...Read more -
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Neonatal support
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity works with the whole family. We focus on supporting the baby’s siblings, who are often very confused and upset, and unable to visit for a variety of reasons. We also p...Read more -
Our Patrons and Trustees
Meet the people who make decisions about our strategic direction Our Trustees work together to develop a clear strategy for the future of Rainbow Trust and ensure that the work we do and goals of the...Read more -
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Liz skydives for Rainbow Trust
Liz Stratford, 25, from Manchester, had wanted to do a skydive for as long as she could remember. She tells us here what it meant to her to finally tick it off her bucket list, whilst doing it for a c...Read more -
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Our publications
Browse through a collection of our latest reports, research and editions of the Rainbow Trust Magazine....Read more -
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Boutique and Auction
Fantastic shopping in our boutique Before sitting down to luncheon and the catwalk show, guests have the opportunity to enjoy a glass of chilled champagne whilst they shop in the Rainbow Trust bouti...Read more -
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Trust in Fashion - the catwalk
Last years’ Trust in Fashion headline designer was Temperley London. We’ll be announcing our 2019 event designer soon, watch this space! Temperley London Alice Temperley MBE founded her eponymous ...Read more -
Trust in Fashion - Thank You
Trust in Fashion CommitteeMelanie Honnor (Chair) Belinda Chaffer Trish Halpin Julia Impey Sheila Lucas Sarah Needham Caroline Regis Alta Thorne John Walford Noni Ware Emma White ...Read more -
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Meet Frankie and his family
Frankie is two years old and has chronic lung disease. He is oxygen dependent and has Downs Syndrome. Sean began working with the family in February this year. He originally supported Frankie’s brothe...Read more -
The Fielding Family
When 12-year-old Nathan was eight, he suffered a severe cardiac arrest when playing football at school and was diagnosed with a disease of the heart muscle. Sean has supported the family since Februar...Read more -
Zerina and her family
Zerina is three years old. When she was just 18 months old she was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer. Sean started supporting the family back in September 2013 and has helped the family in many di...Read more -
Charity Christmas Corporate eCards
For a minimum donation of £300* you can personalise a Rainbow Trust eCard with your company logo and greeting to send to as many customers and clients as you wish. Benefits include: No postage cos...Read more -
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Wright's Baking Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients Wright’s Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix 500g Water 200ml Vegetable Oil 60ml (4tbsp) Milk Chocolate Chips 150g For the topping: Butter or Margarine 200g Icing Sugar 200g Cocoa Powder...Read more -
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For Executors And Legal Executives
If you are the executor of someone’s estate, probate doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Here is some guidance and frequently asked questions about estate administration....Read more -
Why Leave a Gift in Will to Rainbow Trust
Our vision for the future Imagine a future where every single family who has a child with a life threatening or terminal illness had the support they needed, when they needed it. A future where f...Read more -
How to Leave a Gift in Will
It’s easier than you think Making a Will can seem daunting and easy to put off but it’s actually really simple to do. You can download a guide to leaving a gift in your will here. There are three wa...Read more -
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Zachary's Story
Clare and Ben have three beautiful children; Connor, Esther, and Zachary. This is Clare’s story. When Esther was six-weeks-old, we were called back for a routine blood test and we found out she was ...Read more -
Albert's legacy
It was 23 years ago that Albert Bennett first heard of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. He and his wife Betty were watching Hearts of Gold on BBC1. They listened to Rainbow Trust’s founder, Bernadett...Read more -
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See us, Hear us, Notice us
The case for supporting siblings of seriously ill children A child’s life changes dramatically when their sibling is diagnosed with a serious illness. Our new report, See us, Hear us, Notice us, set...Read more -
Why I'm leaving a Gift in my Will
There since the beginning “I’m proud to say that I’ve been with Rainbow Trust from the very beginning. I remember when it was just three of us, sitting around a kitchen table, talking about how we c...Read more -
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Payroll giving
Because payroll giving donations are taken before tax, you can save money every time you give. For a standard rate taxpayer:...Read more -
Pay-in-money
Completed a fundraising event or activity for us and want to know how to pay in your money? How to pay in your fundraising money We value every individual helping to fundraise for us, be it an eve...Read more -
Swimming Training plan
TrainingBuild up your training distances over a period of time. The Hampton Court Swim is 2.25 miles, which is just over 3,650meters. I.e. that’s 146 lengths in a 25 metre pool, 73 lengths in an Olymp...Read more -
Beginner's Half Marathon training guide
Tackle your first half-marathon with our 12-week training guide. We’ll give you everything you need to start developing the endurance and speed you’ll need to make it to the finish line! 13.1 miles ...Read more -
Cycling training plan
People who have not ridden a bike for several years or indeed at all will have to start their training regime at least 4 months in advance of their trip. Mileage should be built up gradually to avoid ...Read more -
Intermediate 10K 8-Week Training program
Crossing-training (CT): Cross-training allows you to give your joints and running muscles a break, while still working on your cardio. Do 60 minutes of cycling, swimming or cardio machines or another ...Read more -
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Why work at Rainbow Trust
Our full list of rewards and support We understand that we all have different priorities at home and we therefore aim to offer a mix of financial and non-financial benefits....Read more -
Terms and Conditions
These terms and conditions have been made in accordance with UK legislation and regulations. In these terms the following terminology applies. Any reference made to ‘Rainbow Trust’, ‘us’, ‘we’, ‘our...Read more -
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Privacy Policy
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity provides support to seriously ill children and their families and is funded almost entirely by donations, including those made by members of the general public. We wan...Read more -
Social Media Policy
Social media policy We’ve established these House Rules to keep our online sites a healthy environment for discussion. This is YOUR page to share fundraising stories and pictures, read about the...Read more -
Accessibility
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is committed to making this website as accessible and easy to use as possible. This website has been designed and built to meet W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) ...Read more -
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Why fundraise for us
Raising money for Rainbow Trust means helping us reach more seriously ill children and their families. Our fantastic team of expert fundraisers is on hand to give you all the advice and guidance you n...Read more -
Get your club involved
Pick a date Once you have chosen what sport you'd like to play, the next step is to pick a day. Think about how much time you might need to plan and get your teams together. Ensure there's enough tim...Read more -
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Membership group fundraising
Get your local supermarket or shop involved Waitrose Waitrose has been running their Community Matters scheme since 2008 and in that time has raised an amazing £13,000 for Rainbow Trust. Each mon...Read more -
Our strategy
There are an estimated 86,625* children in England with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. This number has trebled over the last 17 years and is rising. Thousands of families have to face t...Read more -
Pay in your money raised (TBH)
Thank you for taking part in The Big Hour Tea Time. We hope that you had a great time and we really appreciate your support! Here’s how to pay the money in that you’ve raised. Don’t forget that you ca...Read more -
Wright's Baking
We are delighted to have our Big Hour Tea Time sponsored by Wright’s Baking a family run flour mill established by George Reynolds Wright in 1867. With almost 150 years of milling experience the Wrigh...Read more -
Jo Wheatley's Vanilla Sponge Cake recipe
Serves 8 – 10 This is a classic vanilla: made with love, it can never fail to impress. Ingredients 225g margarine or unsalted butter, softened 225g caster sugar 4 large eggs, beaten 1 tsp vani...Read more -
Rainbow Cup Cakes
Ingredients 120g (4oz) soft margarine 120g (4oz) caster sugar 120g (4oz) self-raising flour 2 eggs What you do… Put all these ingredients into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon Alter...Read more -
Sweeten your tea time
Here are some great tips to make your Big Hour Tea Time a sweet success!...Read more -
Memory Jar
Children can sometimes find it difficult to talk about a brother or sister who has died. One way to encourage them to express how they feel is to create a memory jar. This simple activity helps childr...Read more -
Spooky Star
It can be a challenge to find ways of entertaining children indoors, particularly those coping with the added emotional stress of bereavement or the serious illness of someone close to them. Childre...Read more -
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My sister is very ill
Having a brother or sister who is very poorly can be very hard for you to deal with. You may feel very sad and sometimes angry. You may even feel guilty for wanting to do your things and miss time wit...Read more -
Josh Jones
This is a true story about a brave little boy whose family was supported by Rainbow Trust. The story is written by his mum and the wonderful pictures are drawn by Josh and his sister. He was only six ...Read more -
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My brother's got cancer
The pair have supported one another throughout the journey, “We’re very close. I would always talk to him if he was sad or anything. He would come to me when he was sad.” While her brother’s illness ...Read more -
I'm young and I've got cancer
Andrew Forbes was 12 when he was diagnosed with a rare and inoperable cancer. Doctors operated on him to remove as much of the tumour as possible without damaging his brain and afterwards he underwent...Read more -
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Just Diagnosed
Rainbow Trust supports young people up to the age of 18 who have been diagnosed with any form of life threatening or terminal illness. We can support you and your family through diagnosis, treatment a...Read more -
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What to Say to Parents
Talking to the parents or family of a child with a serious illness can be nerve-racking and uncomfortable. How do you know what to say? What if you say the wrong thing? Sometimes avoiding the family c...Read more -
How to Have Difficult Conversations
There’s never a good time to discuss illness or death, but there are ways to ensure children feel they can ask questions and cope with bad news. Anne Harris, Director of Care Services at Rainbow Trust...Read more -
How to Help Siblings Cope
“Choice of language and allowing siblings to be involved are key to helping them deal with the fact that their brother or sister is very ill”, says Sibling Support Worker Annalie Ashwell. The world in...Read more -
Questions Children Often Ask
When is my brother/sister coming home from the hospital? Explain that their sibling will come home as soon as the doctors and nurses decide that he/she is well enough. Children need age-appropriate,...Read more -
Essex team
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased to report that following our inspection by Care Quality Commission the Essex team has been awarded a rating of Good. ...Read more -
London and South East team
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased to report that following our inspection by Care Quality Commission the London & South East team has been awarded a rating of Good. ...Read more -
Southampton team
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased to report that following our inspection by Care Quality Commission the Southampton team has been awarded a rating of Good. ...Read more -
South West team
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased to report that following our inspection by Care Quality Commission the South West team has been awarded a rating of Good. ...Read more -
Greater Manchester team
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased to report that following our inspection by Care Quality Commission the Greater Manchester team has been awarded a rating of Outstanding. ...Read more -
North East team
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is pleased to report that following our inspection by Care Quality Commission the North East team has been awarded a rating of Good. ...Read more -
The Big Hour redirected
Why take part? Right now in this country there are thousands of families struggling to cope because they have a seriously ill child and need support. Rainbow Trust believes that they shouldn’t have ...Read more -
Contact us
For general enquiries, please contact our Leatherhead Head Office or email [email protected] If you are currently supported by Rainbow Trust and are unable to get hold of your Family Sup...Read more -
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Make a referral
Rainbow Trust provides emotional and practical support to families whose son or daughter is affected by a life threatening or terminal illness. This includes parents, carers, the unwell child, brother...Read more -
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Meet our Family Support Workers
Our Family Support Workers provide a lifeline to families. When time is limited by a serious illness, time becomes more precious than ever. Rainbow Trust pairs each family with a dedicated Family S...Read more -
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What we do
There are an estimated 86,625* children in England with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. This number has trebled over the last 17 years and is rising. Thousands of families have to face t...Read more -
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Poppy's Story
Poppy was two when she was diagnosed with leukaemia on Valentine’s Day 2017. “From around her birthday in November, she had gone from being a child I couldn’t keep in the pushchair, who wanted to ex...Read more -
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Our support
We work with families who have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. This means that some families we support will sadly face the death of their child. Uniquely, our Family Support Wo...Read more -
How to help siblings
When a child dies the impact is felt throughout the family. How a brother or sister reacts to this will be dependent on their age and maturity and what they have been told about their sibling’s health...Read more -
Planning a funeral
Having to make decisions about a funeral at this incredibly difficult time can be daunting. Some people may have religious or cultural beliefs that will guide them, however others may not. It is im...Read more -
What to expect
Each parent approaches their child’s illness and death differently. Maybe you have tried to ‘prepare’ yourself, or maybe you have focused on hoping for a positive outcome. Whatever the circumstances, ...Read more -
Bereavement support
Each parent approaches their child’s illness and death differently. Maybe you have tried to ‘prepare’ yourself, or maybe you have focused on hoping for a positive outcome. Whatever the circumstances, ...Read more -
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Meet Hadley and her family
Hadley, my two year old, had been ill on and off for months and when I look back now, I wish I had made the doctors do a blood test. Ben, her twin brother, got sick but recovered quite quickly. Hadley...Read more -
Sweepstake Guidelines
Sweepstake competitions can be a great way to help raise money for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, but there are some basic rules that you will need to follow if you are planning on hosting your own...Read more -
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Ways to volunteer
There are so many great ways to get involved, from joining our cheer squad at the London Marathon, working in our Head Office or directly supporting families. ...Read more -
Why volunteer with Rainbow Trust?
If you are passionate about helping people, are keen to get involved in your local community, and want to help families with a seriously ill child make the most of their time together, we think you’d ...Read more -
Our work with other organisations
Many voices are louder than one. To bring about change we often work with other organisations to help improve the lives of the children and families that we support. Rainbow Trust belongs to a numbe...Read more -
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Friday - Week with a Neonatal Family Support Worker
Friday is our team meeting day in the office. We talk about the families we are supporting and have the opportunity to share any concerns or challenges we are facing. It’s also a chance to catch up wi...Read more -
Thursday - Week with a Neonatal Family Support Worker
Part of my role is assessing families that are newly referred to Rainbow Trust for support. During these meetings I discuss, in more detail, what we can offer and the sort of support that might benefi...Read more -
Trust in Fashion
We are excited to announce that we will be returning to the Grosvenor House Hotel for Trust in Fashion 2020. Once again, guests will enjoy shopping in the Rainbow Trust Boutique, followed by lunch an...Read more -
Upcycle your Christmas cards
Old Christmas cards can often get left lying around or thrown in the bin after the festive season comes to an end. Reduce your waste and have fun upcycling them into 3d decorative stars. This fun f...Read more -
How to make a pom pom
Pom poms are a great simple crafting activity for any time of year. But at Christmas time, they can be more versatile than you think - garlands, wreaths or even tree decorations - how you use yours is...Read more -
Anna's Story
Anna was eight years old when she was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2018. Following an emergency operation and 18 rounds of chemotherapy at Bristol Children’s Hospital, Anna now has a prosthetic hip a...Read more -
Bella and Ruby's Story
Ella-Mae and fiancé Giovanni’s non-identical twins, Bella and Ruby, were born 14 weeks early weighing a mere 910 grams and 900 grams respectively. At her 20-week scan, Ella-Mae was told to prepare ...Read more -
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Rainbow Trust's Young Carers
I was once asked by a concerned parent what I thought the long-term impact would be on their other children, having a brother with cancer. This was an impossible question to answer as nobody can predi...Read more -
deVere Europe names Rainbow Trust its first charity partner
We have been selected by deVere Europe to be their first charity partner. The company, which is one of the largest independent financial advisory organisations in the world, has committed its annual f...Read more -
Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge
A challenge event you can take on at your pace. Join us for the Isle of Wight Challenge and take on the island’s coastal path. 2,000 adventurers of all experience levels will walk, jog or run a distan...Read more -
London to Brighton Cycle Ride 2025
Book your place below on the fantastic 55 mile London to Brighton Cycle for just £55 per person! Leave London behind and cycle your way through the Surrey and Sussex countryside before reaching Bright...Read more -
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Tips for parents struggling with their mental health
All parents want to protect their children and keep them safe and so it is understandably devastating if your child is diagnosed with a serious illness. By taking care of your mental well-being, you a...Read more -
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How to help a parent who is managing illness in the family
Parents of a seriously ill child can experience difficult feelings such as isolation, anxiety and depression. Coupled with the practical stresses of caring for the child and their siblings, this can t...Read more -
Checklist for health and social care professionals
Many parents say that they put on a brave face in front of professionals and their children. It may not be obvious how much a parent is struggling underneath. Please download our checklist when workin...Read more -
Supporting mental health in children and young people
As a Family Support Manager, I have worked with many families supporting them in crisis. While the parents are struggling with the news their child has been diagnosed with cancer or another life-threa...Read more -
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Jennifer Smithson
Jennifer has been a partner in the Private Client department at Macfarlanes, a prominent city law firm, since 2014, having qualified as a solicitor in 2005. Prior to becoming a solicitor, Jennifer spe...Read more -
Liz Crighton
Liz is Associate Professor for Children's Nursing at Kingston University. Previous roles include strategic lead for education at The Shooting Star Children's Hospice and practice educator at the Louis...Read more -
New ministers urged to respond to the needs of families of seriously ill children
The recent reshuffle of government ministers saw new appointments to two roles of significance for seriously ill children and their families.Helen Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, has been appo...Read more -
St James leaps to the rescue
At Rainbow Trust, the care and support we provide families with a seriously ill child costs £8,709 per day. In a Leap Year, there is an extra day which we need to raise money to fund. Reaching out to ...Read more -
Two very special Leap Year Birthdays
Two families that we support in Essex will be celebrating very special leap year birthdays this weekend. Skye, who has a rare genetic metabolic illness, will turn eight this weekend - defying all the ...Read more -
A bereaved father’s thoughts on Jack’s Law
When our daughter Iris was six months old she became quite ill and was diagnosed with a very rare cancer. Over the period of a year she went through surgery and treatment at Great Ormond Street, but v...Read more -
Meet Emily, Neonatal Sibling Group Volunteer
Tell us a bit about yourself – interests and hobbies, other work or volunteering I graduated from the University of Surrey around 4 years ago and have been working in the PR and Marketing industry eve...Read more -
Meet Sharon, Admin Volunteer in Southampton
Tell us a bit about yourself – interests and hobbies, other work or volunteering My name is Sharon and I am a mother of two grown up children and have three grandchildren. My hobbies include travellin...Read more -
Budget 2020 falls short for children
Sustainable funding for children’s social care was conspicuously missing in this week’s Budget, although emergency funding is being established to help local authorities support vulnerable people affe...Read more -
New entitlement to neonatal leave announced
We warmly welcome the announcement of a new entitlement to Neonatal Leave and Pay in this week’s Budget. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that employed parents whose babies spend an ‘extended period’ ...Read more -
Coronavirus statement
The current situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19) is deeply unsettling. As ever, our priority is the families we support, our staff, our volunteers and our supporters. We are following and responding ...Read more -
Standing together for Mother's Day
As we approach Mother’s Day, I know that as a parent myself I will reflect on what it means to be a mother. It is of course the most privileged role there is and this remains the same when you have a ...Read more -
An open letter from Zillah, our CEO, on COVID-19
Dear Rainbow Trust Supporter,What can I say that you won’t already have heard? We are (as are many others) facing unique times and the massive concern that Rainbow Trust will not be able to continue t...Read more -
Activities for kids at home
Sign up here for free and every week over the summer, we’ll email you an easy, creative activity for all of the family to enjoy. From ice paints to pebble pets to rainbow hunting, our activities are ...Read more -
Activities - Super Soap Experiment
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Activities - Make your own playdough
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Activities - Marble Run Fun
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
COVID19 Appeal
Our Family Support Workers - identified as ‘key workers’ in this Covid-19 crisis - are part of the national response to rapidly increasing demand, providing critical care and support to seriously ill ...Read more -
Cancer survivor virtually cycles to London to raise money for Rainbow Trust
Stockport teenager and cancer survivor Adam Finch, has set himself a massive challenge while in isolation by cycling on his exercise bike virtually over 200 miles to London, to raise £1,500 for us.Ada...Read more -
Activities - Hand Print Creatures
For this activity, you will need to download and print these handy templates (or if you don't have a printer at home, why not try drawing them yourself?)....Read more -
Activities - Salt Bingo
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
MPs call for emergency charity funding
More than 236 MPs and peers from nine different political parties have come together to call for an urgent government package to support charities and other voluntary groups in light of the devastatin...Read more -
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Activities - Bottle Bowling
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Living with the unknown - a way of life for families with a seriously ill child
A parent recently told me that after years of unplanned - and sometimes emergency - admissions to hospital she has developed a routine. Whilst she waits for an ambulance or medical help for her child,...Read more -
Activities - Paper Tulips
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity. If have enjoyed this activity and can spare just a few pounds to help us continue supporting families with a seriously ill child, please consider ...Read more -
Specialist sibling support for Freddie
Family Support Worker, Charlotte, gives Freddie time and space to understand his own feelings and emotions.Just before her first birthday, Freya was diagnosed with a very rare inherited metabolic cond...Read more -
Holding space: opening our hearts and stopping judgement
When there is so much to say and no space in the day to say it, having someone who will create room for you to just be yourself can be the thing that keeps you from being overwhelmed and less able to ...Read more -
Activities - Pipe Cleaner Bird Feeder
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Statement from the Chief Executive of Rainbow Trust on the Government proposals
We welcome the Government now having agreed to provide some financial support for charities but are concerned that the level of support pledged is only a fifth of the £4bn the sector is expected to lo...Read more -
Activities - Hand Bunnies
Download the step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these...Read more -
Activities - Spring Wreath
Download the step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these...Read more -
Activities - Kitchen Roll Rainbow
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Activities - Ice Fossils
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Activities - Memory Game
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Take part in the #TwoPointSixChallenge for Rainbow Trust
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisers of the biggest mass-participation sports events across the country have come together to create a new campaign to raise vital funds for the UK’s ch...Read more -
Activities - Colour Sorting
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Activities - Pebble Pets
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Activities - DIY Jigsaw
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
New research reveals significant rise in need for Rainbow Trust support
A new study published today shows that the number of children in England with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions has trebled over the last 17 years, and the likely need for services is signi...Read more -
Activities - Rainbow Hunt
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Activities - Alphabet Hunt
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity. If have enjoyed this activity and can spare just a few pounds to help us continue supporting families with a seriously ill child, please consider ...Read more -
Activities - Painted Collage
Download the step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these...Read more -
Isolation isn't new for us, it's a way of life
For families with a seriously ill child, isolation is something they are already familiar with. Here, Louise - a parent we support - explains. When the country went into lockdown in March, people sta...Read more -
Activities - DIY Kazoo
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Protecting our Future by Anne Harris, Director of Care Services
At Rainbow Trust we continue to balance the huge challenge of supporting families with a seriously ill child, who are in more need of our practical and emotional support than ever before, against the ...Read more -
Share your rainbow
Our Family Support Workers - identified as ‘key workers’ in the current crisis - have been part of the national response to rapidly increasing demand, providing critical care and support to seriously ...Read more -
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Activities - Woven Placemats
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
Not the way it was supposed to be: helping with grief and loss in a national pandemic
Contemplating the death of your child at any time is a thing that nobody should have to do, yet this is the reality for parents who have a child diagnosed with a life threatening or terminal illness. ...Read more -
Relief and grief after lockdown
When life in lockdown comes to an end, I am sure that we will all feel an initial flood of relief and will be excited to return to the things in our lives that seemed so normal to us before. But what ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust responds to change in shielding guidance
Rainbow Trust Children's Charity cautiously welcomes the announcement that families who are shielding may now leave their home if they wish, but urges the government to work more closely with the clin...Read more -
Activities - Twig Rainbow
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity.At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these r...Read more -
“It is a happy talent to know how to play”
When a parent first plays peekaboo with their baby or gives a funny voice to a loved soft toy, they are engaging their child with the world of play. It is the first way that children learn to communic...Read more -
RBC Trade for the Kids goes virtual and raises US$200,000 for Rainbow Trust
This week, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) hosted its first ever virtual edition of their annual RBC Trade for the Kids @Home event, donating over $4 million to more than 45 youth-focused charities around ...Read more -
Activities - Father's Day
Download a template for this activity:Super Dad Card TemplateSuper Hero Card TemplateSuper Hero Gift TemplateIf have enjoyed this activity and can spare just a few pounds to help us continue supportin...Read more -
For families with a seriously ill child, the crisis continues
As the lockdown restrictions are starting to ease and the reported rate of Covid-19 infections and related deaths declines, the crisis is far from over for families supported by Rainbow Trust. Many fa...Read more -
Children must be at the heart of UK’s recovery
We are among more than 150 organisations who are calling on the government to put children at the heart of the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The joint statement is being published ahead of toda...Read more -
Activities - Lava Experiment
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity. If have enjoyed this activity and can spare just a few pounds to help us continue supporting families with a seriously ill child, please consider ...Read more -
Families caring for a seriously ill child must not be forgotten
The majority of children currently considered extremely clinical vulnerable to coronavirus (COVID-19) will be able to be removed from the shielded patient list, according to the latest government anno...Read more -
Personal reflections on COVID-19
When it became clear the coronavirus was likely to become a pandemic the immediate and completely understandable reaction for people was – “what does it mean for me?” Having said that, my first thou...Read more -
Feeling Forgotten: Parental Mental Health and COVID-19
How the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded parents’ feelings of uncertainty and anxiety Isolation and loneliness are all too familiar feelings when caring for a child with a life-threatening or termina...Read more -
Rainbow Trust urges government to go further on proposed Carer's Leave
We are backing a government proposal for employed people with caring responsibilities to have an entitlement to one week of unpaid Carer’s Leave each year. However we urge the government to go further...Read more -
Andrew Hay walks the walk
Andrew Hay recently retired from his role as Global Head of Residential at Knight Frank, the well-known property consultancy. You wouldn’t be alone in thinking that, after a successful 37-year career,...Read more -
Take part in a virtual event for us
It has been a difficult time for charities as many of our events and fundraising challenges have been cancelled or postponed. We have created this programme of events to give you an idea of how you ca...Read more -
Sharing a special moment
For a family waiting for a life changing transplant the levels of anxiety are always high. Will the transplant come in time? Will the surgery and recovery go well? What will life be like afterwards? A...Read more -
A supporter tells us why she’s leaving a gift to Rainbow Trust in her Will
Lee has been a loyal and wonderful Rainbow Trust supporter for 17 years. Her interest in our work is closely linked to her husband being a Barnardo’s boy. Lee first came across Rainbow Trust when she...Read more -
Andrew Hay raises £69,400 - and counting!
Lord Andrew Hay, who recently retired from his role as Global Head of Residential at Knight Frank, has completed his 1000km trek along one of the most historic routes in Europe, raising over £69,000 f...Read more -
Chancellor urged to invest in Short Breaks for seriously ill children
Rainbow Trust is calling on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to fill the £434 million gap in spending on social care services for disabled and seriously ill children as he prepares new spending plans. Later thi...Read more -
Kennedys Law continue to raise money for us during COVID-19 bringing their total to £148,500
Teams from Kennedys Law have not been deterred by the restrictions currently placed on so many fundraising events. Kennedys UK employees have been as enthusiastic as ever and taken part in four fabulo...Read more -
Activities - Autumn Leaf Sensory Bag
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity. If have enjoyed this activity and can spare just a few pounds to help us continue supporting families with a seriously ill child, please consider ...Read more -
Emergency funding urged for children's cancer charities
As a proud member of the Children and Young People with Cancer Coalition, Rainbow Trust Children's Charity is today (29 September) calling on the Government to provide emergency income relief for char...Read more -
Family Support Worker, Janet, eases the pressure on Rachel and Jordan’s family
Rachel and Jordan have four children, Sofia is six, Ava is four, and twins Theo and Daisy are two years old and, as with most of the families we support, they have been shielding during the pandemic. ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust receives support from the National Lottery Community Support Fund
On Friday 5 October, we were thrilled to receive a grant of £81,583 from The National Lottery Community Support Fund, which will enable us to continue to provide vital support to 50 families in the No...Read more -
Five questions with Jo from HAM
HAM will be releasing a very special limited edition Rainbow Rabbit print very soon, in which 40% of every print sale will go direct to us. HAM follows the contented life of Rabbit - capturing his d...Read more -
Chancellor urged to ‘give families a break’
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is one of many palliative care providers calling on the Chancellor for an urgent increase in funding for Short Breaks for families caring for a seriously ill child. Th...Read more -
Rainbow Trust receives £100,000 grant from Barclays
Thanks to a grant from Barclays, we have received funding sufficient to provide support for 110 families with a seriously ill child. The Barclay’s 100x100 UK COVID-19 Community Relief Programme was l...Read more -
Join the giving revolution this Christmas – Rainbow Trust is proud to be part of innovative product line-up from Advent of Change
We are pleased to announce that we are part of a unique product line-up for Christmas 2020, alongside 47 other charities. The feel-good festive range has been revealed in partnership with John Lewis b...Read more -
Baby Loss Awareness Week tackles isolation
Rainbow Trust will be encouraging bereaved parents to reach out for support during this year’s Baby Loss Awareness Week 2020. The message to bereaved parents and families throughout the week is #YouAr...Read more -
Pandemic Pressures: the struggles and resilience of families caring for a seriously ill child
Family experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic Caring for a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness at any time brings many challenges to a family, both emotional and practical. The COVID-...Read more -
Our latest report shares stories of families crushed under pandemic pressure while caring for a life-threatened child
The immense pressures on families caring for a life-threatened or terminally ill child during the COVID-19 pandemic are revealed in our new report launching today. Pandemic Pressures - The struggles ...Read more -
Five questions with Clean Hands Company
Clean Hands Company will be launching their soap kit for children very soon, and £1 from every purchase will go to us. The kit aims to educate, inform and be creative for children whilst teaching th...Read more -
CarFest returns in 2021 with a new addition and a new Rainbow Trust representative
Following news of the new ‘Roadmap to Recovery’, Chris Evans’ has announced a new date for Retro CarFest and confirmed the release of more tickets for sale on 1st April. Retro CarFest is now all set t...Read more -
Rainbow Trust responds to new national lockdown
A new national lockdown is being introduced across England from Thursday 5 November in response to a steep rise in case numbers of COVID-19. The new measures will require people to stay at home as muc...Read more -
Rosie's Memory
Since Rosie died, aged four, of a very rare abdominal cancer in November 2019, her parents Annette and Ray have been determined to keep her memory alive for Rosie’s seven-year-old sister Beatrice and ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust to feature in Life in Lockdown: a special film for BBC Children in Need narrated by Emma Willis
Rainbow Trust will feature in Life in Lockdown, a powerful, uplifting and touching film which proves how brilliantly resilient children and young people can be in the face of a global crisis. Narrated...Read more -
Chancellor misses opportunity to support families caring for a seriously ill child
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is deeply disappointed that the needs of families with seriously ill children were not addressed in today’s Spending Review from the Chancellor, despite calls for new ...Read more -
An absent presence
Reflecting on the support I have given to families facing the death of their child I am aware that my presence in that moment, or in the time soon after has been the thing that many of them have value...Read more -
Ways to support Rainbow Trust this Christmas
There are many ways to support us this Christmas, whether that's fundraising for us, sending charity Christmas cards to your loved ones, or donating directly to our Christmas Appeal. Support our Chr...Read more -
Activities - Christmas Wreath
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity. If have enjoyed this activity with your own family and can spare just a few pounds to help us continue to support families with a seriously ill ch...Read more -
The moment when grief begins
We all know that families who have a child with a terminal or life threatening illness must be going through an extremely difficult time. We understand that when a child dies the family are left facin...Read more -
Distance shouldn't mean we can't share our grief
As a Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker, I sometimes attend the funerals of children I have supported. I know the importance of public mourning rituals; they occur in nearly all cultures. They help...Read more -
2020: What difference did we make?
As an extraordinary year comes to an end, we reflect on 12 months of our policy and influencing work. Increasingly a factor when families are referred for Rainbow Trust support, parental mental healt...Read more -
Activities - Christmas Bauble
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity. If have enjoyed this activity with your own family and can spare just a few pounds to help us continue to support families with a seriously ill ch...Read more -
Statement from Chief Executive, Zillah Bingley, on National Lockdown
As the country begins a third national lockdown, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is continuing to provide practical and emotional support to families caring for a seriously ill child in whatever way ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust Family Support Workers reflect on 2020
To welcome 2021 - after a year like never before - we thought it would be great to hear reflections from our Family Support Workers in each of our six care teams. Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandem...Read more -
Giving urgent, flexible and adaptable support during a national crisis
Angie was supporting 18 families at the onset of the pandemic, 10 of whom were classed as very high need. Here she describes how she was helping them in April 2020. “None of the families I support h...Read more -
Activities - Book Worm Pen Pot
Download a step-by-step worksheet for this activity. At an extremely uncertain time, we now face a dramatic drop in our income. 98% of our income comes from the generosity of donors and we need these...Read more -
A milestone to celebrate in 2021 as Natta reaches £80,000 for Rainbow Trust
What a year fundraising has been in 2020. Nearly all events were cancelled and charities were hit hard. However, this didn’t stop Natta Building Company who raised over £8,000 last year through their ...Read more -
Helping children to handle difficult emotions more positively and boost self esteem
Lancashire based Family Support Worker William is qualified to deliver a Drawing and Talking programme as therapeutic support. Designed to help people who have suffered trauma or have underlying emo...Read more -
Reflecting on the support we provide to families in difficult times
If I mention the role ‘Family Support Worker’ what would you imagine this role to entail? Would it be outings with children, delivering arts and crafts or activities, and holding group events? Liste...Read more -
Street Runners Statement: 20 January 2021
Rainbow Trust previously had a partnership with Street Runners Ltd, a company that distributes and collects door-to-door bags for unwanted clothes. The partnership came to an end in January 2020 and s...Read more -
K2 Corporate Mobility virtually climb the K2 mountain
Some corporate organisations have not seen their co-workers in person for months, maybe even a year. K2 Corporate Mobility have 10 offices across eight countries worldwide and they wanted to do a chal...Read more -
Zayd's Story
Zayd was diagnosed with leukaemia just after his second birthday and underwent three gruelling years of treatment which left him temporarily bed-bound and unable to talk. Zayd’s mum, Banin, had to c...Read more -
Volunteering during the pandemic: meet Sydney
At Rainbow Trust, we provide opportunities for students to gain valuable experience to supplement their studies by offering placements within our care teams. Sydney joined our Essex Care Team in Septe...Read more -
Kaia's Story
On 12 March at only 23 weeks pregnant, and as the country prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, Kelly gave birth to her daughter Kaia, weighing just 765g. Kaia was immediately taken away from Kelly an...Read more -
Budget remains silent on the needs of seriously ill children
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is disappointed that the needs of families with seriously ill children were not addressed in today’s Budget, despite calls for increased funding to enable families to ...Read more -
Lockdown anniversary: families with a life-threatened child say current situation is worse or much worse than first lockdown
At the start of 2021, we conducted a survey of families we were supporting.* This is the third survey we have run since the start of the pandemic. In 2021, 56% of respondents said that their family si...Read more -
Phoebe and Rory's Story
Phoebe’s mum, Katie, first discovered that Phoebe was not well in February 2020 when Phoebe was two and a half years old.She had been sick in the night and was just not herself when Katie found a big ...Read more -
Find Our Rainbow launches in Bristol
Our latest campaign - Find our Rainbow - is launching in Bristol on National Find a Rainbow Day this Saturday 3 April. The campaign encourages Bristol residents to find beautiful rainbow painted roc...Read more -
Cole's Story
Lauren shares her experience of bereavement and of the support Rainbow Trust offered to her family at such a traumatic time. "My partner, Richard, and I were told our baby had a heart problem at our ...Read more -
Providing emotional support to a mother after a traumatic birth
Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker Mandy shares how she is providing emotional and practical support to a mother whose baby was born at 25 weeks, for Maternal Mental Health Week. When I first contac...Read more -
There is no right place to die, just a right place for them
Family Support Worker Fiona talks about how her support varies when providing families with end of life care this Dying Matters Week. I received the call I had been expecting, that Holly had died ea...Read more -
Our response to Queen’s Speech 12.5.21
Rainbow Trust is pleased to see yesterday’s Queen’s Speech gave a commitment to providing children with the best start in life. We welcome the aspiration that ‘every child will be able to fulfil their...Read more -
#FindOurRainbow launches in Essex
Our #FindOurRainbow campaign, which successfully launched in Bristol last month, is now coming to Essex on Saturday 15 May. The campaign encourages local residents to find gorgeous rainbow themed pain...Read more -
Gift in Wills FAQs
The Rainbow Trust Legacy Promise We are very grateful that you are considering doing something amazing by writing Rainbow Trust into your Will and make the following promises to all our legacy pledge...Read more -
Free Wills Service
You can write your own Will online here following simple step by step instructions. Online help is available in case you have any questions. To claim your free Will please make sure you enter the code...Read more -
How we support families through bereavement
Contemplating the death of your child at any time is a thing that nobody should have to do, yet this is the reality for parents who have a child diagnosed with a life threatening or terminal illness. ...Read more -
Volunteers’ Week call to action from volunteer helping families with a seriously ill child
A Bristol volunteer for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, is calling on more volunteers to come forward and help support families with a seriously ill child, to mark Volunteers' Week which runs from 1...Read more -
Volunteers' Week 2021: meet Head Office volunteer Sally
This Volunteers' Week, we're saying thank you to everyone who gives their time to support Rainbow Trust. We're celebrating the fantastic contributions of all of our volunteers and sharing some of thei...Read more -
Volunteers' Week 2021: Longest serving volunteer helps families with a seriously ill child
A Winchester woman who is celebrating her tenth anniversary volunteering for Rainbow Trust, is calling on more volunteers to come forward and help support families with a seriously ill child. Annab...Read more -
Fabian's Story
When doctors found a tumour in her son’s liver, Marte found it difficult to cope. This is her story. When Fabian, my son, was two and a half, he was seriously unwell but specialists and doctors told ...Read more -
Rainbow Trust Named as 19th Best Charity Organisation to Work For in the UK
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity was announced as the 19th best charity to work for in a prestigious list of Charity’s 30 Best Organisations. The impressive placing was the tenth consecutive year...Read more -
Rainbow Trust receives £160,000 from Royal Bank of Canada’s ‘Global Charity Day for the Kids’
Rainbow Trust is celebrating after news that the charity will receive a staggering £160,000 from Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) ‘Charity Day for the Kids’ which took place on Wednesday 16 June. We w...Read more -
Bereaved Dad fronts campaign for ‘invaluable’ charity that was a ‘lifeline’ for his family
A bereaved Dad is fronting a fundraising campaign for Rainbow Trust, as we provided vital support during his daughter Annie’s short life. Mike is sharing his emotional story about Annie and the supp...Read more -
Annie's Story
Annie's dad, Mike, shares his emotional story about his daughter and the support he and his family received from Rainbow Trust after she was born with a ra