To provide help for low income families to buy essential items that directly benefit children such as beds, bedding and washing machines where real need exists and statutory funding is insufficient. A small grant can make a huge difference.

The Fund makes over 100 grants a year to families really struggling to provide for their children - families for whom there is very often nowhere else to turn. The Fund bridges the gap between what a family can hope to obtain from statutory funding and what a child actually needs - a bed and clean bedding for a good night's sleep, a cooker for healthy meals, a washing machine for clean clothes or perhaps a special piece of equipment for a child with a disability.

The Fund is volunteer-led and managed by Hertfordshire Community Foundation whose Fund Manager liaises with health visitors and other professionals who apply for grants for clients. In some cases, the Fund is a family's last hope of practical help. Low overheads maximise the number of children we can help.