Be a Secret Santa For a vulnerable child
Many children in the UK face Christmas without food, warmth or love.
Each year your gifts help change this
Each year we ask you to become a Secret Santa, and thousands of you do.
Thank you to all our Secret Santas from this year. Incredibly, more than 45,000 of you stepped up to raise over £1 million.
Your generosity has helped make life brighter for a child in the UK.
Just because Christmas is over does not mean the worries of struggling families are over. All year-round children and families are living through fear, isolation and poverty.
Last year, people like you helped us reach more than 604,000 children, young people and families in the UK. And we still need your help. You can continue to be a lifeline to vulnerable children.
Volunteer with us
Volunteer with Action for Children to learn new skills, meet new people and support your community
Campaign with us
Help us amplify children’s voices and get the politicians to listen
Fundraise with us
Run a marathon or host a bake sale. You can join or set up an event to have fun and raise money for children
For most of us the festive season is a happy time. But there are children all over the UK who face a very different Christmas. A Christmas without food, warmth or love.
In the UK, 4.3 million children are living in poverty. That’s the equivalent of nine children in every school class of 30. At Action for Children, we see families struggling to get by every day. And Christmas can be the hardest time of all.
Each year we ask you to become a Secret Santa to help change this. With your donations, we can make sure children have the basics, like hot meals and proper winter clothes. And we could provide gifts to children who would otherwise miss out, or offer emergency support to keep homes warm and help families pay the bills.
More about Action for Children
What does Action for Children do?
We protect and support children and young people. We do this by providing practical and emotional care and support. We make sure their voices are heard. And we campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.
What have we achieved?
We’ve been helping children for more than 150 years. Today, we have 512 services across the UK, in local communities, in schools and online. In 2020/21 we helped 604,885 children, young people and families. This was only possible with your support.
Where your money goes
For every £1 we spend, 85p* goes directly towards helping children, young people and their families. Our supporters help fund a huge range of programmes – from schemes preventing neglect to mental health support.
Why regular donations matter
Donating a small amount every month by direct debit helps us give vulnerable children the stability they need. Our regular supporters help us carry out long-term work and keep vital projects running.
*Figure based on audited 2020/21 charity accounts that exclude subsidiary companies like commercial nurseries.
