KIDS COMPANY IS DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT GÜNTER ROTH IS THE FIRST ARTIST TO COLLABORATE ON A PIONEERING SCHEME, ‘KIDS COMPANY ART WITH HEART’ TO RAISE SUSTAINABLE FUNDS FOR THE CHARITY.

Günter Roth, the determinedly non-commercial but acclaimed German artist, has partnered with leading UK charity Kids Company for a unique private viewing and sale of his Bathers series paintings. Having never previously shown in the UK this event is a one off opportunity for a British audience to experience his work with 50% of all sales going directly to Kids Company.

Luca and Graziella Ferrari, both long time supporters of Kids Company, designed this concept as an innovative way to help the charity they love while simultaneously developing a new platform for the art world. The goal of this philanthropic endeavour is to create a self-sustaining model to provide funds for Kids Company’s therapeutic service through annual art exhibitions.

“The juxtaposition of the sophistication of London as a global financial centre, with the conditions that some children are forced to endure only a short distance away from the City, is hard to fathom. We have been overawed by the work done by Kids Company in turning despair into hope and misery into opportunity. We owe a huge thanks to Günter who has made his work available for this initiative, and would encourage everyone to look at his art, and know that anything you decide to purchase benefits an amazing cause.”  Luca and Graziella.

Founded by Camila Batmanghelidjh in 1996, Kids Company provides practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city children. The partnership with Kids Company is the first time Günter Roth has worked with a charity specifically in the UK.

“Children who have been maltreated are stunned by shock. Often words freeze and language is paralysed as the trauma seems more powerful than words can express. Arts therapists and artists at Kids Company help children use images to process the pain, acquire mastery over it and then transform it into creative output. Partnering with artists is a gift, reaching out to restore dignity to children who have been denied it. This art is beautiful; so are the children. What more do you want? And by the way, you should definitely buy it for a lot of money!”  Camila Batmanghelidjh,

Founder and Chief Executive, Kids Company.

www.kidsco.org.uk

All art enquiries and price lists queries can be directed to Serena Morton Limited at serena@serenamorton.com

Notes to Editors:

Günter Roth

1934 Günter Wilhelm Peter Roth born 5 July in Eschweiler a small town near Aachen in Rhineland, Germany.

1953-1956  Attended the Werkkunstschule in Aachen (School of Arts and Crafts), previously directed by Mies van der Rohe, as a pupil of Josef Zeller

1956-1959 Attended Accademia di Belle Arti Brera (Brera Academy of Fine Arts) as a pupil of Marino Marini.

In 1972 he exhibited a series of sculptures made in the Sixties at Arte Centro Gallery in Milan.

1977-91 Lived in Germany with his family until his return to Milan in 1991.

1992-1997 Started focusing on a new subject called The Bathers, painted on canvas.

Currently lives and works in Milan.

For further information see his website http://www.gunter-roth.com/

Luca and Graziella Ferrari

Luca is an M&A advisor who worked in London for S.G. Warburg and Goldman Sachs and is currently a partner of Greenhill. He is married to Graziella, and they live in London with their two children, Mia and Alessandro and Dylan the Labrador.

Kids Company

Kids Company was founded by Camila Batmanghelidjh in 1996.  Kids Company provides practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city children. Its services reach 36,000 children across London, including the most deprived and at risk whose parents are unable to care for them due to their own practical or emotional challenges. The charity provides a safe, caring, family environment where support is tailored to the needs of each individual. Their services and support empower children who have experienced enormous challenges to lead positive and fulfilling lives.

In 2007 Kids Company was awarded the Liberty and JUSTICE Human Rights Award. In 2010 they were selected as a ‘Child Poverty Champion’ by the End Child Poverty project for their success in enabling children to achieve their full potential.

Registered Charity Number: 1068298

www.kidsco.org.uk

All Kids Company enquiries can be directed to Anna Butterworth  anna.butterworth@kidsco.org.uk
tel: 020 7202 2700

All art enquiries and price lists queries can be directed to Serena Morton Limited at serena@serenamorton.com

The Morgan Stanley Heart Yard was opened on 30 April 2013 by Joanna Lumley with Camila and Sue Watts, Chair of the Morgan Stanley International Foundation. Morgan Stanley and its London employees raised £1.6 million enabling Kids Company to purchase and equip a permanent therapy centre that will give thousands of children the help they need.

This is the first centre that Kids Company now owns outright, providing a legacy for the charity and a lasting tribute to the generosity of Morgan Stanley and its employees for which we are so grateful.

The Morgan Stanley Heart Yard is a therapeutic sanctuary in the heart of South London where the most vulnerable children will receive intensive emotional and psychological support. Kids Company provides a lifeline to children, young people and carers to overcome the unimaginable abuses suffered during their lives through a range of holistic and traditional therapies.

The new building offers double the capacity of the previous rented facility with six additional rooms which have been made into dedicated therapy rooms. Kids Company aims to double the number of face to face sessions from 500 per month to 1,000 per month having a huge impact on the lives of so many more children.

THIS MONTH:

NOMINATE KIDS COMPANY AT YOUR LOCAL SAINSBURY’S

Every May, customers are able to nominate their favourite charity at their local Sainsbury’s. The one selected becomes the store’s Local Charity and is supported over the next 12 months through fundraising and volunteering.

You can nominate Kids Company between now and 15th May by picking up, completing and submitting a nomination form at your local Sainsbury store.  This year, you can also download nomination forms from Sainsbury’s Local Charity page and submit them by emailing local.charity@sainsburys.co.uk

DIFC SUPERHERO RUN

SUNDAY 19^th MAY

REGENT’S PARK

The Doitforcharity.com superhero run will be taking place in London on Sunday 19 May. Over 2,000 people are expected to take part raising funds for hundreds of different charities and now this is your chance to join them!

All you need to do is register online here to reserve your place, and pledge to raise £100 for Kids Company.

No previous experience is required and with a bit of training the 5km or 10km distance should easily be within your capabilities. The spirit of the event is ‘taking part’ not ‘winning’ so you can run, jog or walk – you decide!

For more information email suzie.curran@kidsco.org.uk

COMING SOON:

CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING – PLAYSCHEMES

If you want to relive the summer holidays of your youth and help teach children (and perhaps your colleagues!) the benefits of teamwork and creativity, get in touch with our Corporate Volunteering team to hear about our Playscheme project. Taking place at the beginning of the summer holidays, the Playscheme is run in two of our schools and includes cooking, sport, arts and crafts and drama workshops for up to 50 children, as well as outdoor obstacle courses and even bouncy castles!

For more information about how your team can get involved, please contact dilara.gurpinar@kidsco.org.uk

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY: 

MARYLEBONE SUMMER FAYRE

SUNDAY 16^TH JUNE

MARYLEBONE HIGH STREET

Kids Company are delighted to have been chosen as the Marylebone Summer Fayre’s partner charity once again. The Fayre is everything you would expect from a traditional village fete – food, drink, music, children’s activities, craft stalls, a farmers’ market, tombola and lashings of community spirit. There is a music stage featuring some of the most exciting up-and-coming acts in the country, some of London’s finest restaurants and retailers taking, and an amazing range of activities for the whole family. See more on the event here.

The Fayre raises lots of money for Kids Company in a variety of exciting ways! Every penny spent at the Festival Bar in the Blue Zone goes directly to Kids Company, dozens of generous retailers, institutions and individuals are contributing a glittering array of prizes to the Summer Fayre tombola, which will be drawn on the day of the event and lots of our local retailers and restaurants are raising money for Kids Company by adding an extra £1 to the bill of any customers willing to participate. We look forward to seeing you there!

IN THE PRESS:

KIDS COMPANY ON ‘THE SECRET MILLIONS’ – CHANNEL 4

Kids Company were recently involved in Channel 4’s ‘The Secret Millions’, which aired last Sunday 28^th of April. Led by Gok Wan, the documentary follows the journey of some of our young people as they pilot a new therapy-based programme; a project that will develop the skills that our most vulnerable young people need to enter the workplace. The pilot is part of a plea to the Big Lottery to ask for big money to make the scheme permanent.

If you missed it, catch up here on 4OD, and find out whether we managed to secure the funding!

If you would like to know more about the job therapy course, click here.

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ON MARGARET THATCHER

With the legacy of Margaret Thatcher dividing the nation, The Guardian asked some of Kids Company’s young people to give their views on the Iron Lady, and how her policies are still affecting young people today. Read the full article here.

URGENT CALL FOR MALE MENTORS

Many of our young people live in single-parent homes and do not have a positive male role model in their lives.  We have a great need for male mentors within our Mentoring Programme and are actively recruiting caring, enthusiastic men who are committed to our work and to working with our young people.

If you or someone you know would like to become a positive male role model in the life of a young person through mentoring, please contact the Mentoring Team at mentoring@kidsco.org.uk or on 020-7202-2700.

READ MORE

Our mentors build a one-to-one relationship with one of our young people, committing to meeting them once a week for at least a year. Mentors must be CRB checked, and go through Kids Company’s interview and training process to ensure they are well matched with a young person. The bonds created through mentoring enable our young people to achieve goals, build confidence, and to simply have fun.  The consistency and reliability our mentors provide has a positive and profound impact upon our young people.

COMING SOON: 

BUPA 10,000

Monday 27^th May 2013, St James’s Park

Register now!

With the cold winter months waning, are you looking for a way to get fit and toned for the summer, or looking for a new challenge?  Then why not join us for the Bupa 10,000? Lose pounds for you, gain £’s for us!

Registration is just £25.00 and we suggest a sponsorship target of £200.00 for each participant, you can register here.

READ MORE

The popular BUPA London 10,000 is the perfect race for beginners. Starting and finishing in St James’s Park, you’ll follow part of the 2012 Olympic Marathon route through the heart of the capital and along the River Thames – passing historic sites every step of the way.

Why not join in with colleagues, friends or family and make a day out of it!  You could even make it a competition to see who can raise the most sponsorship!

For more information on how to register, please email suzie.curran@kidsco.org.uk or call 020 7202 2700.

DIFC SUPERHERO RUN

SUNDAY 19^th MAY

REGENT’S PARK

The Doitforcharity.com superhero run will be taking place in London on Sunday 19 May. Over 2,000 people are expected to take part raising funds for hundreds of different charities and now this is your chance to join them!

All you need to do is register online here to reserve your place, and pledge to raise £100 for Kids Company .

READ MORE

No previous experience is required and with a bit of training the 5km or 10km distance should easily be within your capabilities. The spirit of the event is ‘taking part’ not ‘winning’ so you can run, jog or walk – you decide!

For more information email suzie.curran@kidsco.org.uk

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY: 

CYCLE SAIGON TO SIEM REAP: 08 November – 17 November 2013

There are still places open for Kids Company’s inaugural cycling challenge – 350km from Vietnam to Cambodia. This unusual and challenging expedition will take you from the bustling city life of Saigon to the magnificent Angkor Wat via the backwaters of the Mekong Delta, Cambodian village life and many dirt tracks.

Registration Fee: £300 Minimum Sponsorship: £2000

(Costs NOT included: flights, insurance (circa £30) and kit that needs to be purchased.)

For more information email chloe.hill@kidsco.org.uk

IN THE PRESS: 

London24 have announced that Kids Company is their 2013 Community Action Partner – over the coming months they will be promoting Kids Company’s work and raising awareness about child welfare in the capital. Read Camila’s thoughts on the partnership here.

GLOBAL KIDS FASHION WEEK

19^th-20^th March 2013

Freemason’s Hall, Holborn, London

Global Kids’ Fashion Week (GKFW) is the first event of its kind to showcase premium kids fashion from both well-known and emerging designers. The global event, staged in London, features a fashionable schedule of runway shows and performances as well as a mix of playful activities for children and parents (in collaboration with the V&A Museum of Childhood), entertainment and performances.

AlexandAlexa.com, the global online style destination for kids, is delighted to announce that tickets for the public show on Wednesday 20^th March are on sale here, with all proceeds donated to Kids Company.

GKFW aims to educate and inspire people about kids’ fashion – celebrating how this specialist category has thrived and evolved over the past five years.

Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of Kids Company, gives her full support to GKFW: “It is fantastic that there is going to be a Global Kids’ Fashion Week, long overdue! Kids Company is delighted that its children will be benefiting through funds raised at one of the events.  It is the kindness of strangers that has enabled Kids Company to remain a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable children. If these strangers are well dressed, then it’s a bonus!”

All proceeds from the SS13 public fashion show at GKFW will be donated to Kids Company, and guests will also have the chance to bid for exclusive fashion items in an auction staged at the event.

Visit the website www.globalkidsfashionweek.com for further details

DATE FOR THE DIARY:

INTERNATIONAL WOMAN’S DAY AT SELFRIDGES

Friday 8^th March 2013

12:45pm to 2:30pm, lunch will be served at 1pm

On International Women’s Day, Selfridges London will host a very special lunch with Mariella Frostrup and Camila Batmanghelidjh in aid of Kids Company. Tickets to this event are £50 per person and all proceeds will be donated to Kids Company. For details of how to book visit here.

Included in the ticket price will be:

• A luxury three course lunch in The Tasting Room, Women’s Designer Galleries on 2.
• An exclusive talk hosted by renowned presenter and journalist Mariella Frostrup with Camila Batmanghelidjh, CEO and Founder of Kids Company, about her life and career.
• A complimentary gift bag

Please note that tickets are limited due to the intimate nature of this event.

COMING UP:

BUPA LONDON 10,000

Monday 27^th May 2013

St James’ Park

With the cold winter months waning, are you looking for a way to get fit and toned for the summer, or looking for a new challenge?  Then why not join us for the Bupa London 10,000? Lose pounds for you, gain £’s for us!

Registration is just £25.00 and we suggest a sponsorship target of £200.00 for each participant, you can register here.

The popular BUPA London 10,000 is the perfect race for beginners. Starting and finishing in St James’s Park, you’ll follow part of the 2012 Olympic Marathon route through the heart of the capital and along the River Thames – passing historic sites every step of the way.

Why not join in with colleagues, friends or family and make a day out of it!  You could even make it a competition to see who can raise the most sponsorship!

For more information on how to register, please email suzie.curran@kidsco.org.uk or call 020 7202 2700.

IN THE PRESS:

As our two year government grant draws to a close in April 2013, Camila talks candidly to the Guardian in which she reveals how we are still desperately struggling to raise enough money to keep our front line service open. Read it here.

Buy your copy of our new book, “Mind the Child” now.

To celebrate 150 years of the London Underground, Penguin Books have published a series of twelve books, each one inspired by a London Underground line. Kids Company has been given the honour of writing the edition on the Victoria Line which runs through the heart of our front line service.

Mind The Child is on sale now in all book shops at £4.99. Ebook also available.

Thank you for your wonderful support this winter. We had just over 4,000 kids and their families with us on Christmas day. So many of the kids thanked us for being open on Christmas day and expressed gratitude for their presents. Some said that it was the only gift they were getting.

We’d like to say a special thanks to Restaurant Associates and Compass Food, for providing all the food for Christmas Day as well as thousands of food parcels; Douglas & Gordon, who pounded the streets of London for the third year to collect vital food, gifts and donations; and Mars, who overwhelmed us with their generosity.

Christmas is the hardest time of year for these families and, given the choice, none of them would rely on Kids Company to provide Christmas for them. It is always a humbling and poignant event to take part in. I occupied a unique position as a witness to the young people’s joy but also to the extraordinary kindness of donors and thousands of volunteers who came out to help.

Thank you again for making our children’s lives so special with your loving kindness. You are all absolute treasures and I wish you the best of the best for 2013!

Camila.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Why not take part in an exciting sporting or overseas challenge for Kids Company in 2013 and make it a year to remember, whilst losing pounds for you and gaining £’s for us!

UK CHALLENGES

From Superhero Fun Runs to 10ks perfect for beginners, right up to half marathons for the more serious fitness fans amongst you, we’re sure to have the perfect race for you to take part in! You could even enter as teams, giving you training partners, fundraising companions and most importantly, mates to race with!

ADIDAS SILVERSTONE HALF MARATHON, Sunday 3 March 2013

Registration Fee: £15.00 – Suggested sponsorship: £150.00

DIFC SUPERHERO FUN RUN – REGENT’S PARK Sunday 19 May

Registration Fee: £20.00 – Suggested sponsorship: £100.00  (all runners receive a FREE superhero outfit!)

BUPA 10K, Monday 27 May 2013

Registration deadline: 26 March 2013. Registration fee £25.00- Suggested sponsorship: £200.00.

ROYAL PARKS HALF MARATHON – LONDON Sunday 6 October

Registration Fee: £35.00 – Suggested sponsorship: £320.00.

For more information about any of these races, training or fundraising advice, and to find out how to sign up, please contact your account manager or Suzie Curran (suzie.curran@kidsco.org.uk).

OVERSEAS CHALLENGES

This year we are running two brand new overseas challenge events – trekking the World War II Escape route from France, through the Ariege mountains into Spain, and our very first cycle challenge, from Vietnam into Cambodia! Due its continual popularity, we are also running the Arctic Biathlon for an unprecedented sixth year.

LE CHEMIN DE LA LIBERTE (WWII ESCAPE ROUTE): 03 – 08 October 2013

Trek the World War 2 Escape route that so many walked in their desperate attempts to escape the Nazis in occupied Europe. Starting in the foothills of the Pyrenees, trekkers will climb 4,570m into the high mountains of the Ariege before a spectacular 3,350m descent into Spain on this tough and inspiring 60km 4 day trek.

Length of trip: 5 days – leaving Thursday afternoon and returning Tuesday 9am; Registration Fee: £250.00; Suggested sponsorship: £975

(Costs NOT included: flights, insurance (circa £30) and any kit that needs to be purchased.)

CYCLE SAIGON TO SIEM REAP: 08 November – 17 November 2013

This unusual and challenging cycling challenge – 350km from Vietnam to Cambodia, will take you from the bustling city life of Saigon to the magnificent Angkor Wat giving you the chance to discover the backwaters of the Mekong Delta, Cambodian village life  - and many dirt tracks!

Length of trip – 10 days – leaving Friday afternoon and returning Sunday morning; Registration Fee: £300.00; Sponsorship: £2000

(Costs NOT included: flights, insurance (circa £30) and any kit that needs to be purchased.)

ARCTIC BIATHLON – SWEDEN: 29 November – 2 December

Following its continued popularity, we are running this ultimate team wilderness endurance challenge for the 6th consecutive year. By day, teams will compete against one another on sleds and Nordic skis in temperatures as low as -30°C. By night, they will enjoy dinners in the wilderness in the land of the Northern Lights.

Length of trip: 4 days – leaving Friday AM and returning Monday PM; Registration Fee: £300.00 – Sponsorship: £1200

(Costs NOT included: flights, insurance and kit that needs to be purchased)

For more information about any of these events and how to register, please email your account manager or chloe.hill@kidsco.org.uk

IN THE PRESS

We’re excited to announce that Kids Company has begun providing services in Bristol, our first replication of our model of youth work outside of Greater London. We have replicated our street level centre, as well as our alternative education provision and schools services – BBC Bristol made this short film about our work in the city.

This month, Tfl celebrates 150 years of the Tube with Penguin and they are launching a series of twelve books linked to the twelve lines of the London Underground. Twelve writers tell their tales of London life, each inspired by a different Underground line. Some are personal, some are polemical; every one is unique.

The children of Kids Company in partnership with Camila have written “Mind The Child” which will bring voices to light from the hidden parts of the city, the parts not usually heard from in our media, the parts least served by investment, and by public transport. The stations of the Victoria Line are some of the few on the Underground to weave into the capital’s most neglected areas – south and east London – but even they stop abruptly at the relatively central points of Brixton at one end, Walthamstow at the other. Here, the children bring us beyond these arbitrary cut-offs, into the vast stretches of the metropolis they call home.

The book will be available in the London Transport Museum on 15th Feb and nationally from the 7th March.  Pre-order here

There are lots of different ways you can help make a Christmas to remember for our vulnerable children and young people… 

MAKE A DONATION:

This year we are having to cope with the increasing number of children who live in such abject poverty that without us they would have no warm clothes, and no food or presents at Christmas.  Any contribution you can make to our Christmas Appeal will help our desperate race to raise enough money to keep our emergency safeguarding helpline open for 24 hours a day over the Christmas period. We need to provide 24 hour support to cope with the high level of distress calls we receive from the most vulnerable of our children and you can help us to make sure no one feels abandoned.

TAKE PART IN ICAP’s CHARITY DAY:

Kids Company is thrilled to announce that we have been selected to be part of ICAP’s Charity Day on Wednesday 5th December 2012.

On this one day, ICAP, the world’s largest inter dealer broker, gives away 100% of its revenues and commissions to its chosen charities. The money raised on the day will generate desperately needed funds to support the critical work of our safeguarding department and our ‘Colour a Child’s Life’ programme.

We are hoping that together we can help make ICAP Charity Day’s 20th year the best yet!

DO YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING:

If you like your Christmas gifts with a side of good deed, our partnerships with some fantastic brands such as Selfridges, Folli Follie, Liberty, eBay and Rococo could be just the thing you’re looking for.

At SELFRIDGES you can buy a Kids Company t-shirt designed by iconic fashion photographer Bruce Weber, which is featured in their Christmas window display as well as the Selfridges Christmas campaign directed by Weber himself.  All proceeds will come to Kids Company.

You can also pick up our limited edition sterling silver bracelets bearing Kids Company’s motto “Love is all it takes”, available exclusively in Selfridges, and read more about the store’s wonderful support here.

The global luxury jewellery brand FOLLI FOLLIE have reworked their flagship Heart4Heart range with a selection of pieces, from watches to necklaces, now being sold in Kids Company pink. 25% of all sales will come directly to Kids Company and further items will be added to the collection in coming weeks.

LIBERTY LONDON is now stocking Kids Company’s “Hoods That Hug”, designed by our in-house fashion label Bare Thread. The hoods, specially designed for the babies and children in your lives, are £45 and 50% of the proceeds come to Kids Company.

You can purchase exclusive Kids Company Christmas cards in the Liberty store, designed by our young people using Liberty Print off-cuts. Liberty are also selling a Kids Company charity t-shirt designed by one of our young people, for £19.95, with 100% of sales going towards our vital work. You can read more about our partnership here.

eBay are generously supporting us through their “Checkout for Charity” initiative. When you’re filling up your shopping basket and ticking items off your Christmas list, just type in ‘Kids Company’ to add a little extra for our children. Click on the “Donate Now” tab here to make sure you end up on Santa’s Nice list and spread some Christmas cheer to those who need it most. The money donated will come directly to our Christmas campaign.

If you’re stuck on inspiration for stocking fillers, luxury chocolatier ROCOCO is selling their specially created Love Bug Bar in aid of Kids Company. The bar comes in five designs, all produced by one of our young people, and are available at any of the Rococo stores.

IN THE PRESS:

Paul Hood, digital director of London24, will be taking part in next week’s Lisbon Marathon in aid of Kids Company. The race takes place on December 9^th and Paul is hoping to raise £2,000 for our Christmas campaign. You can read more about his challenge here – good luck Paul!

We were so excited this month when Coldplay and Paris announced an exhibition of original Mylo Xyloto artwork to raise funds for Kids Company. The sale of posters, prints and original paintings has provided a vital lifeline for our children as the economic crisis continues to bite. You can read more about the fantastic exhibition here.

AND FINALLY:

After her amazing performance at the SAMSUNG Olympic Gala Dinner in aid of Kids Company, Natalie Mitchell, a young mother of two supported by Kids Company, has been asked to perform at Samsung House. Samsung employees and their families have been collecting presents to donate to the Kids Company Christmas Day and Natalie will be singing as part of the company’s present wrapping day. Thank you so much to everyone at Samsung for continuing to give our young people these fantastic opportunities to showcase their talents!

GLADRAGS & HANDBAGS

Friday 16^th (9am-7pm) & Saturday 17^th (10am – 6pm) November 2012

15 Welbeck Street, Marylebone, W1G 9XT

Nearest tube: Bond Street or Oxford Circus.

We are extremely excited to announce that our designer fashion sale, Gladrags & Handbags is back! Sponsored by fashion weekly, GRAZIA you can bag yourself a bargain from one of fashion and beauty’s hottest names. Featuring womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, accessories and gifts you could even do all your Christmas shopping in one hit, all while raising money for Kids Company! Every penny spent goes directly to support vulnerable children this winter. Come along and help provide a magical Christmas day for over 3,000 children and young people who would otherwise be without food, warmth and most importantly love and care.

DATE FOR THE DIARY:

CHRISTMAS AT KIDS COMPANY

For many of the children and families we support, Christmas can be a very sad time of loneliness, shame and hunger. A family struggling to cope with day to day existence is unable to provide a Christmas meal, let alone presents and party games.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

With your support we can provide a memorable day for our young people so they can feel the joy of being a child at Christmas. This year we are expecting to support 7,500 children and young people who would otherwise be unable to celebrate over the Christmas period.

Please help us to do this by buying a gift for a child from our gift list.

Gift List number 525473

Read More:

You can also help by making a donation through the Big Give Christmas campaign. Each donation made through this could potentially be doubled, enabling us to reach even more children through your support. Please contact lucycrisp@kidsco.org.uk for more details.

COMING UP:

DIFC Santa Run 2012

10am, 9^th December 2012, Greenwich Park

Following on from the success of last year, we are delighted to be taking part in the DoItForCharity Santa Run 2012. It’s your chance to take part in a 5km or 10km race with over 2,000 other Santas  (Santa suits are provided!). We’d love you to take part with friends, colleagues or family, and no previous running experience is needed to take part – you can run, jog or walk the race.

Registration is £20 and we’re asking everyone to raise at least £100 in sponsorship. Please contact your Account Manager for more details, online here.

IN THE PRESS:

Iconic fashion photographer Bruce Weber has designed an exclusive t-shirt to support Kids Company this Christmas.  It is available to purchase in Selfridges stores now, and 100% of proceeds will come to Kids Company to help us support exceptionally vulnerable children and young people this Christmas.  You can catch a glimpse of the t-shirt in the Selfridges Christmas campaign directed by Weber himself here.  There are also limited edition sterling silver bracelets bearing Kids Company’s motto of “love is all it takes”, available exclusively in Selfridges.

Red Bull Studios invited four artists from Kids Company Urban Academy to work on tracks with studio manager Brendon Harding at the incredible Red Bull Studios in London. Having already put in the groundwork for their tracks, David, Natalie, Kamali and Kayann made the most of the studio space using the vocal booth and live room. David and Kayann combined their love of guitar music to create a dreamy jazz number proving a nice contrast to Kamali’s acoustic pop joint. Kamali is an up and coming singer songwriter who goes by the name of Kay Remedy and Natalie Mitchell is working on her debut EP… so look out for her!

CITY SHOWCASE: LONDON 2012 9-13 October, Soho and Central London

This year’s City Showcase: London, the not-for-profit live music festival dedicated to new music, have chosen Kids Company as their charity partner! Since 2003, the growing list of artists who’ve performed their first live gigs on a City Showcase stage include Amy Winehouse, Keane, Gabriella Cilmi, Razorlight, Laura Marling, Ray LaMontagne, Newton Faulkner, Sway, and Hot Chip. Find out more here.

This year Kids Company’s young people will be acting as journalists, taking photos, interviewing artists and uploading blogs about the event. Entry to gigs and workshops will be £5 on the door. Kids Company founder Camila Batmanghelidjh says “We are so excited to be chosen by City Showcase to support the work we do. Not only will they provide our vulnerable children and young people with the opportunity to fulfil their enormous artistic potential and express themselves through music, but they will also raise awareness about our charity through their amazing events.”

ROCOCO LAUNCHES A KIDS COMPANY “LOVE BUG” BAR DURING CHOCOLATE WEEK

Sunday 14 October 2012, Cadogan Hall, SW1X 9DQ

The “Love Bug” Chocolate Bar in aid of Kids Company will be launched at a Chocolate Opera, hosted at Cadogan Hall on Sunday 14 October.

Rococo Chocolates and Cadogan Estates are staging the wibbly wobbly world of improvised opera performed by the brilliant Impropera. It is brought to you by, and for the benefit of the wonderful charity Kids Company!  To be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

The opera will be performed on Sunday 14 October, 3-4pm, and all profits from the event will be donated to Kids Company. Advance tickets available to purchase from the Rococo Store, 5 Motcomb Street, Knightsbridge, London. Alternatively, you can email events@rococochocolates.com or call 020 7245 0993 to purchase tickets. Limited availability on the door, advance purchase recommended.

DATES FOR THE DIARY: 

ARCTIC BIATHLON ONLY SPACE FOR TWO MORE TEAMS – REGISTRATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 15^th!!!!!

Friday 30 November- Monday 3^rd December: One team left

Friday 7 December – Monday 10 December: One team left

There is only space for two more teams on this year’s Arctic Biathlon! This trip of a lifetime will see teams competing against each other on sleds and Nordic skis in the Arctic Circle, before evening meals in the wilderness under the Northern Lights. If you are a team of four who would relish this amazing opportunity, please contact chloe.hill@kidsco.org.uk by October 15^th!

Both trips leave early on Friday morning and return the following Monday afternoon. Registration fee: £300. Minimum sponsorship: £950 (costs NOT included: flights, insurance (circa £30) and kit that needs to be purchased.)

GLADRAGS & HANDBAGS

Friday 16^th (9am-7pm) & Saturday 17^th (10am – 6pm) November 2012

15 Welbeck Street, Marylebone, W1G 9XT Nearest tube: Bond Street or Oxford Circus 

We are extremely excited to announce that our designer fashion sale, Gladrags & Handbags is back! Sponsored by fashion weekly, GRAZIA, you can bag yourself a bargain from one of fashion and beauty’s hottest names. Featuring womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, accessories and gifts you could even do all your Christmas shopping in one hit, all while raising money for Kids Company! Every penny spent goes directly to support vulnerable children this winter. Come along and help provide a magical Christmas for over 3,000 children and young people who would otherwise be without food, warmth and most importantly love and care.

COMING UP:

DIFC Santa Run 2012 9^th December, Greenwich Park

Following on from the success of last year, we are delighted to be announce this winter’s DoItForCharity Santa Run 2012. It’s your chance to take part in a 5km or 10km race with over 2,000 other Santas  (Santa suits are provided!). We’d love you to sign up with friends, colleagues or family, and no previous running experience is needed – you can run, jog or walk the race. Registration is £20 and we’re asking everyone to raise at least £100 in sponsorship. Please contact your Account Manager for more details, or you can register online here.

IN THE PRESS:

Cosmetics company Sisley have launched their new campaign “Friend of the Heart Yard”, during which they will donate 10% from the proceeds of sales of their two bestselling products towards Kids Company’s therapy house. YOU Magazine featured an in depth article about the campaign and the children we help at the Heart Yard.

And finally, a huge Kids Company thank you to Marlon and Nadya Abela for hosting a sumptuous fundraising event at Morton’s at the end of September. The evening raised a fabulous £55,000 to provide beds for the most vulnerable of our children, and our glamorous guests were featured in Tatler!

On this one day, ICAP, the worlds largest inter dealer broker, gives away 100% of its revenues and commissions to its chosen charities. The money raised on the day will generate desperately needed funds to support the critical work of our safeguarding department and our ‘colour a child’s life’ programme.

Kids Company’s safeguarding team responds to the needs of exceptionally vulnerable children and young people who have been exposed to high levels of violence, neglect or abuse.  The staff provide practical and emotional support to empower children who have experienced enormous challenges to lead a positive and fulfilling life.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to ICAP for choosing us and cannot wait for what will be a hugely memorable day!

Paradise By Way of Kensal Green
19 Kilburn Lane Kensal Green, London, W10 4AE
Wednesday 12th September – Sunday 16th September 2012

Paradise celebrates its five year anniversary in association with Kids Company.

West London’s favourite Gastropub, Paradise by Way of Kensal Green is turning five years old this September. To mark the anniversary, Paradise has teamed up with Kids Company to offer five days of birthday events which we would love you to join us at!

The party kicks off with a comedy night featuring Russell Kane and Rick Fulcher, there are superstar DJs playing all weekend and with a boutique flea market and Paradise’s famous Sunday Recovery Sessions, there’s something for everyone to look forward to! In addition to the jam-packed programme of events, Paradise’s innovative bar team has even designed a “Kids Company Cocktail”. We hope to see you there!

DATE FOR DIARY:

City vs Wharf
19th September
Victoria Park, London E9

The City and Wharf come head to head for this 5k run challenge!

This could just be the greatest battle between the two key London business districts. Which location will triumph? It’s time to get running for your company, for your profession, and for your location!! This new event for 2012 is all about bringing the 2 major London business districts head to head to see which one will get the most runners, raise the most money and which location has the fastest profession and fastest company! Register Here

Get everyone in your company to join the action. Send out the challenge to your rivals in the City or Wharf and get ready for this fantastic new event! For more information please see City vs Wharf

The Arctic Biathlon

Friday 30 November- Monday 3rd December: One team left!
Friday 7 December – Monday 10 December: Two teams left!

The Arctic challenge is fast approaching and we only have space for three teams left! Join us in the Arctic Circle for a Swedish wilderness endurance challenge. By day, teams will compete against one another on sleds and Nordic skis in temperatures as low as -30°. By night you will enjoy dinners in the wilderness in the land of the Northern Lights. We need teams of four to enter asap so please get in touch!

Leaving from Heathrow early on Friday 30th November and returning late afternoon on Monday 3rd December OR eraly on 7 December and returning late afternoon on Monday 10 December.

Registration fee: £300. Minimum sponsorship: £950 (costs NOT included: flights, insurance (circa £30) and kit that needs to be purchased.)

COMING UP:

Kinabalu, Borneo Challenge
Saturday 16th march – Friday 22nd March 2013

The Borneo challenge is fast approaching and all applications must be in for the beginning of October so please get in touch if you’d like to embark on this thrilling expedition! This is the first year we’re running this exciting Kinabalu Challenge.Teams of 4 are helicoptered into the Borneo jungle to compete against one another in running, mountain biking, white water rafting and kayaking before climbing Mt Kinabalu the highest mountain in South East Asia…and all this in just one incredible week out of the office!

Length of trip: 7 days. Registration fee: £300. Suggested sponsorship: £2300 (costs NOT included: flights and kit that needs to be purchased.)

IN THE PRESS:

Karl Lokko, aged 22 is a former gang member from London who has turned his life around and is now a Community Champion for Kids Company. In this remarkable open letter to the Independent, Karl reflects on gang culture and the riots and highlights the need for support, guidance and love to keep young people on the right path. Read Karl’s article here

Following the astounding success of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Camila has been featured on the Times with her own reflections on these momentous games.  Read Article here.