The Big Give Christmas Challenge

This Christmas, between the 3rd and 10th December, your generosity can go twice as far. During the Big Give Christmas Challenge, every pound you donate will be doubled, unlocking life-changing support for children facing unimaginable challenges. Together, we can transform their futures—because every child deserves hope, healing, and a chance to thrive.

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This Christmas, Give the Gift of Hope to a Child in Crisis

For thousands of children in the UK, the joy of childhood is overshadowed by trauma, anxiety, and overwhelming challenges. Children from disadvantaged communities are 4.5 times more likely to face severe mental health struggles, but too often, they are left without the support they so desperately need.

This Christmas, you have the chance to change that.

We’re taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, with a match-funded goal of £100,000 to transform the lives of children with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Every donation you make will be doubled, meaning your gift can go twice as far in helping children find safety, healing, and hope

The Reality

Imagine being a child who feels unheard, unseen, and unsupported.

Post-COVID, we’ve seen children struggling with speech delays, family trauma, and the burden of emotions they cannot name. Many are isolated, self-harming, or wrestling with thoughts of giving up entirely. Without intervention, these children face a future with limited opportunities and little hope.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Your Support Can Change Everything

Through our UPLifting Children programme, we provide tailored therapy to help children reclaim their futures. Our team of expert Psychotherapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech and Language Therapists work directly with children to:

Heal the wounds of trauma through creative therapies like art, play, and music.
Give children a voice by helping them communicate and express their emotions.
Build resilience so they can feel safe, valued, and ready to learn again.

Every child deserves to know they are not alone. Every child deserves a chance to dream again.

What Your Donation Will Do

Your support will fund:

1:1 Therapy Sessions that transform fear and anxiety into confidence and hope.
Specialist Interventions to improve communication, motor skills, and emotional well-being.
Support for Teachers and Parents to create the safe, nurturing environments children need to thrive.

With your help, we can reach over 3,000 children this year across London—children who are waiting for someone to believe in them.

The Power of Your Gift

“When I talk to my therapist, it feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”

– Year 6 child, Tower Hamlets

“I don’t know what I’d do without you. It’s nice to have someone to talk to when I feel overwhelmed.”
– Primary school child

Your donation is not just a gift. It’s a lifeline.

This Christmas, Be Their Hope

The funds raised will enable us to give children the tools to overcome trauma, rebuild self-esteem, and face the future with courage. Together, we can rewrite their stories and show them that they matter.

Donate today. Double your impact. Change a life.

Because every child deserves hope this Christmas.

Why Change is Needed Now

Half of all mental health conditions start before the age of 14. 

53% increase in children experiencing a mental health crisis in just 4 years. That’s 600 children every week, needing emergency support. The time for early intervention is now. Without it, these crises will continue to rise

That means by the time most children enter secondary school, many are already battling challenges they’ve had for years. Yet, despite the growing need, early intervention remains woefully underfunded.

At UP, we know that early intervention can change everything. From keeping children in school to preventing long-term mental health issues, catching these problems early can give a child the best chance at a happy, healthy future.

But with 54% of primary schools lacking early mental health support, thousands of children are slipping through the cracks. Our mission is to make sure they don’t. Help us reach more children, sooner.

By the age of 20 just 30% of children with SEMH needs have achieved any form of qualification. 

By providing tailored mental health and emotional support, we’re helping them to stay in school, reach their potential, and change their futures.

80% of teachers feel unsupported by mental health services.

Teachers are on the front line of this crisis. Yet, more than 80% of them feel unsupported by mental health services. At Unlocking Potential, we work closely with schools to provide the mental health support they need to keep their students in school and thriving. Because mental health IS education.

Permanent exclusions have risen dramatically, by 58% in primary schools alone.

For the children we work with, these exclusions can be life-altering, with 90% of children excluded from primary school never going on to pass English or Maths GCSEs. This cycle of exclusion, driven by undiagnosed or unsupported SEMH needs, pushes children further from opportunity and into a life defined by struggle and isolation.

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Partner with us

We believe that lasting change is only possible through collaboration, and we know we can’t fulfil our vision alone. As a charity we deeply value our partnerships, which are essential to amplifying our impact..

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