Here at Police Children’s Fund we are constantly looking forward, planning for the future of the charity and our beneficiaries. A consequence of this is the impression that 2025 has flashed by quicker than any preceding year and here we are again, in the season of goodwill, celebrating another wonderful year for the Fund.
It’s been a bumper year for fundraising and donations, so I’d like to start with a genuine ‘Thank You’ to our donors, fundraisers and supporters whose generosity, kindness and tireless efforts help us to continue supporting our police children when they need it most. This steadfast support has helped the Fund welcome over 30 new beneficiaries this year and the trustees have awarded an amazing £450k in weekly allowances, educational grants, mental health support and celebratory payments since January.
Our Board has remained steady throughout the year and I’d like to extend thanks to my fellow trustees for their commitment to the Fund in 2025. Their experience, knowledge and collective decision-making allowed us to consider some positive changes to the work we do and I am happy to announce that we are now introducing enhanced support for our beneficiaries in 2026. We’ll be keeping you updated on the changes and the support available so please keep in touch.
The Board couldn’t function as effectively without the dedication and hard work of Sherral and Nikki behind the scenes, so I offer a festive ‘thank you’ to them both for their continued professionalism and genuine care for our beneficiaries.
We ventured into new territory this year by becoming a charity partner for the London Landmarks Half Marathon and it proved to be a great success, with our five runners raising just under £3k for our charity. I’m mindful of the time, energy and dedication required to participate in challenge events so let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all the fundraisers who support us in this way. Delighted to say we’ll be doing it all again April 2026.
Christmas is a time for coming together and entering into the spirit of ‘giving’ in its many forms; it is also a time for thinking of those who face challenges, loss and hardship; I was reminded of this when I attended the National Police Memorial Day at Coventry Cathedral back in September. I joined many others in remembering the fallen police officers who have sacrificed everything to protect people and their communities. Many of our beneficiaries are the children of those we remembered, and we are thinking of them and their families at this time of year.
It is important for the Fund to seize every opportunity to raise awareness of our cause so, last month, we attended this year’s APCC NPCC Partnership Summit at the QE II Conference Centre in Westminster in response to an invitation to join other police charities in the exhibitors’ area. As a proud member of Police Charities UK, we feel privileged to have been able to meet fellow charities, learning more about the work they do to support our police community and also identifying potential collaborative projects.
My heartfelt thanks to those who have supported us throughout 2025, I believe we can look forward to a positive 2026 for the Fund and our beneficiaries, who remain at the heart of all we do.
I wish you and your families a peaceful Christmas and a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.
Tim Packham
Chair