Our story
1998-2015
Founders Rachel and Mike volunteer on and lead countless residential projects for vulnerable children from Liverpool and London. They see the lasting positive impact that these breaks have on both children and volunteers.
2015
Kids Company, the charity where both Rachel and Mike have worked supporting vulnerable children shuts down suddenly, leaving thousands of vulnerable children without support. Along with a team of former staff and volunteers, they vow to find a way to continue some of the work they have done there and, in December 2015, register Free to Be Kids as a new charity.
2016
Following a crowdfunding campaign, work begins with an after-school cooking group for vulnerable South London children referred by local schools. In the summer, a residential project for 30 children runs on a farm in the New Forest and a follow on tailored residential project takes place in October Half Term for some of the most in need children.
2017-18
Having successfully piloted, the following two years are spent scaling project places, growing volunteer numbers and increasing referral partners to support almost 150 children annually. Follow on pathways for children attending initial gateway residentials are created in the form of a 1:1 mentoring scheme, Young Leaders’ volunteering programme and the beginnings of the intensive Journey Projects.
Having run the organisation on a voluntary basis for two and a half years, Rachel and Mike take on paid Leadership Roles to develop the charity further.
2019
Thanks to funding from the Mayor of London’s Young Londoners Fund a Volunteering Lead is employed to allow further scaling of the charity’s work. The charity takes on its first office space in Waterloo, London.
In November, Free to Be Kids is honoured to win the London Youth Award for Excellence in Outdoor Education, in recognition of its commitment to ensure the most vulnerable children access inspiring opportunities outdoors.
2020
The pandemic halts all residential work with children and young people, but within 6 days of restrictions starting, Thrive Inside, an online and phone-based individualised support service launches to provide over 600 hours of one-to-one lockdown support to the most vulnerable children, with face to face work resuming whenever possible.
The charity receives Project Oracle accreditation for its Impact and Evaluation practices and becomes one of only 50 organisations across London to gain the London Youth Silver Quality Mark.
In Summer 2020, Covid Safe Adventure Days ensure children who have been isolated at home can be outdoors once again.
2021
As Covid restrictions ease, the need for Free to Be Kids’ work becomes more apparent than ever. A Youth Worker is employed and the Covid Adventure Day format is adapted into a roving Saturday Adventure Club to provide more long term support to children who need it.
In July, with rigorous risk assessment measures in place, Free to Be Kids becomes one of the first organisations to resume residential work.
2022
Growth continues with the employment of an Operations Manager and Coordinator, allowing Free to Be Kids to provide 319 residential project places across the year. The Board also grows to take on 4 additional Trustees.
In December, Free to Be Kids begins a partnership with The Woodcraft Folk to create a long-term home for its residential projects at Cudham Environmental Activities Centre in the beautiful Kent countryside.