Cherry Trees Charity Celebrates £60,000 Children in Need Grant

Published on: 17 Aug, 2026
Updated on: 17 Aug, 2026

One of the children enjoying a recent Cherry Trees activity

The Cherry Trees charity, which provides short break respite care for children and young people with complex disabilities, has been awarded a £60,000 grant from BBC Children in Need.

The charity, which runs homes in East Clandon, Surrey, and Liphook, Hampshire, will receive funding over three years to pay for activities for the children it cares for.

The award follows a competitive application process in which organisations are invited to bid for funding from the prestigious BBC charity, which funds vital, life-changing support for children and young people.

Cherry Trees CEO Sally Davies said she was thrilled the charity had been chosen to receive a BBC Children in Need grant.

“This money will make a huge difference to the children we care for, who might otherwise struggle to access the opportunities we are able to provide,” she said.

“We are incredibly grateful to BBC Children in Need for helping us make a difference to the lives of children and young people with complex disabilities.”

The £60,000 grant will be paid in three annual instalments of £20,000 and will help fund a wide range of activities as well as the cost of a staff member needed to support the children to access them. These activities are fundamental to the care Cherry Trees offers.

As well as looking after children with complex disabilities and providing their families with a meaningful break, the charity has the embedded ethos of Child First, Disability Second. It strives to provide the children with fun, enriching experiences they might find difficult to access without additional expert support.

It also helps them work towards their personal goals, enabling them to gain vital independence skills for their progress into adult life.

Providing activities costs the charity a total of £61,500 per year. Regular activities include visits by entertainers to the homes and trips out and about, both locally and further afield.

The Cherry Trees mascot “Cherry” celebrating with Pudsey and one of the children.

A typical week in the school summer holidays might include a circus skills workshop or creative balloon fun in one of the Cherry Trees houses, as well as a farm visit or boat trip.

Children also enjoy theatre visits and other leisure activities such as bowling and minigolf, as well as outings to venues such as Legoland or Chessington World of Adventures.

Cherry Trees was founded in 1980 by a group of parents and doctors. It provides practical, emotional and financial support through short breaks, wellbeing events and financial grants.

The charity says caring for a child with a complex disability can be “exhausting, isolating and emotionally and physically challenging”. Without a chance to rest and re-energise, families can be at risk of breaking down. Parents say that Cherry Trees is their “lifeline”.

Children come to stay at Cherry Trees for short periods of time, usually overnight or for up to 48 hours, but sometimes for longer periods based on families’ individual needs.