S6E5 Action for Children: How AXREM Stepped Up for a Brighter Future

This episode of AXREM Insights spotlights Action for Children, AXREM’s Charity of the Year for 2025. Sally Edgington speaks with Sophie Creswell and Ally McLaren, who outline the charity’s mission to ensure every child in the UK has a safe, happy childhood. They discuss Action for Children’s four key service areas: family support, care for children entering the care system, support for disabled children, and mental health interventions such as the Blues Programme. The conversation highlights the staggering number of children living in poverty and the essential role early intervention plays in preventing long-term harm.

The episode also celebrates the success of AXREM’s Million Steps Challenge and other inspiring fundraising efforts by members and partners. Through stories from participants including Evie Eccles, Aidan Pearce and Dan Snape, listeners hear how the challenge not only raised vital funds but also showcased community spirit, creativity and determination. The episode closes by emphasising the impact of Action for Children’s work, promoting upcoming fundraising opportunities such as Secret Santa, and offering a warm, personal reflection on why supporting vulnerable families matters now more than ever

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Transcript

This Transcript is AI generated some spellings may be in accurate or misinterpreted by the AI therefore the transcript is a guide to use alongside the Audio and not intended to be used instead of the audio.

[00:11.000 --> 00:14.000]  Hello and welcome back to AXREM Insights.
[00:14.000 --> 00:19.000]  I'm Sally Edgington and today we have the pleasure to be speaking to Sophie Creswell,
[00:19.000 --> 00:27.000]  Regional Corporate Partnerships Executive and Ali McLaren, Media Officer, both from Action for Children.
[00:27.000 --> 00:34.000]  Action for Children are Axrem's nominated charity for 2025 as voted for by the Axrem Executive Committee.
[00:34.000 --> 00:39.000]  So welcome Sophie and Ally and thank you for being on our show today.
[00:39.000 --> 00:44.000]  Let's start by handing over to you guys to tell us a bit about yourself. So over to Sophie.
[00:44.000 --> 00:47.000]  Thank you so much, Sally. It's so lovely to be here.
[00:47.000 --> 00:53.000]  Yes, so a little bit about Action for Children. So we really are driven by love
[00:53.000 --> 00:58.000]  and we really want to take action for every child and young person in the UK
[00:58.000 --> 01:04.000]  to make sure that they have safe and happy childhoods and the foundations that they need to really thrive.
[01:04.000 --> 01:10.000]  So we protect children and young people by providing practical and also emotional support.
[01:10.000 --> 01:16.000]  And we really try to make sure that their voices are heard and that we campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.
[01:17.000 --> 01:23.000]  So Action for Children was founded in 1869. We used to be known as the National Children's Home.
[01:23.000 --> 01:26.000]  And since then, we've just grown and grown really.
[01:26.000 --> 01:32.000]  We've now got 372 services at the heart of lots of local communities across the UK.
[01:32.000 --> 01:36.000]  So we are a national charity, but we really have that local feel.
[01:36.000 --> 01:44.000]  And last year we managed to support over 550,000 children, young people and their families across the UK.
[01:45.000 --> 01:49.000]  So our work is split into four core service areas.
[01:49.000 --> 01:54.000]  The first of those is family support. So we work with families through all stages of their lives,
[01:54.000 --> 01:58.000]  but we know how important those first five years are. It's really fundamental.
[01:58.000 --> 02:03.000]  And we help families that are facing really huge challenges. So whether that's poverty,
[02:03.000 --> 02:09.000]  they don't have enough money to pay their bills or feed the children or even have a safe space to live.
[02:09.000 --> 02:11.000]  That's where we like to step in.
[02:11.000 --> 02:16.000]  So we support each child and their parents or their carers to make sure that they have the support that they need,
[02:16.000 --> 02:22.000]  whether that's through our children's centres, our family hubs, early years support,
[02:22.000 --> 02:27.000]  or we have a digital support service called Parent Talk, which can also help there as well.
[02:27.000 --> 02:30.000]  So then one of the next pillars is children and care.
[02:30.000 --> 02:36.000]  So it's quite a shocking statistic, but every 15 minutes a child goes into the care within the UK.
[02:37.000 --> 02:42.000]  So while we're speaking about two children will go into the care system right now,
[02:42.000 --> 02:47.000]  and this is just because they're not safe at home. They're facing huge challenges in their early years.
[02:47.000 --> 02:51.000]  They might have suffered neglect or abuse. And that's where we step in, really.
[02:51.000 --> 02:56.000]  We want to make sure that we can keep families together where it is appropriate and where it is safe for them.
[02:56.000 --> 02:58.000]  But that's not always the case.
[02:58.000 --> 03:05.000]  And that's where we step in with residential homes or foster carers and or transition workers as well.
[03:05.000 --> 03:08.000]  So then the third is disabled children.
[03:08.000 --> 03:12.000]  So we support disabled children through our short break services.
[03:12.000 --> 03:19.000]  So this is where disabled children can go for sort of a day or a few hours and really enrich their development,
[03:19.000 --> 03:26.000]  have some fun and also give their carers or their primary caregivers a little bit of a break from what can be quite a hard,
[03:26.000 --> 03:33.000]  quite a hard task. And we're actually the largest non-profit provider of these services in the UK.
[03:33.000 --> 03:38.000]  And then we also have residential homes where disabled children can go and stay for longer periods.
[03:38.000 --> 03:44.000]  And that's where we provide that really tailored and bespoke support to those children and young people.
[03:44.000 --> 03:49.000]  And then the last of those four pillars is supporting children's mental health and well-being.
[03:49.000 --> 03:54.000]  So one in six children have a diagnosable mental health condition,
[03:54.000 --> 04:01.000]  and 50 percent of those with lifetime mental health conditions will experience those symptoms before the age of 14.
[04:01.000 --> 04:07.000]  So it's really important that we can intervene where we can and help to provide that sort of long term support
[04:07.000 --> 04:10.000]  to prevent longer term challenges from developing.
[04:10.000 --> 04:13.000]  So that's where we will step in with our Blues programme.
[04:13.000 --> 04:19.000]  So we go into schools and communities across the UK and we deliver it to children that have been identified
[04:19.000 --> 04:22.000]  as developing a serious risk of a mental health condition.
[04:22.000 --> 04:27.000]  And we help them sort of understand their thoughts, provide them with coping mechanisms
[04:27.000 --> 04:34.000]  and support their development and their well-being sort of from that moment in time and also into the future as well.
[04:34.000 --> 04:40.000]  So, yeah, that's a bit of a whistle-stop tour. I could go on for a lot longer, but I'll stop there.
[04:40.000 --> 04:45.000]  Thanks, Sophie. And just a bit about you. So have you always worked for charities?
[04:45.000 --> 04:50.000]  Yes, I have, actually. I've always been very charity minded, I think.
[04:50.000 --> 04:52.000]  So I've been at Action for Children for a year now.
[04:52.000 --> 04:57.000]  And before that, I was fundraising for bursary places at an independent school.
[04:57.000 --> 05:02.000]  So they are a registered charity and I was doing charity work there,
[05:02.000 --> 05:06.000]  just making sure I could sort of widen access to children and young people.
[05:06.000 --> 05:12.000]  I guess I've got a real focus on children and children's well-being. That's a real, it's a passion of mine, definitely.
[05:12.000 --> 05:17.000]  Fabulous. Thank you. And Ally, your hand over to you. Just tell us a bit about yourself.
[05:18.000 --> 05:24.000]  Yes, I have a similar background to Sophie, where I have worked in children's charities as well.
[05:24.000 --> 05:32.000]  So I worked for a charity that supports disabled children with specialist disability equipment and sort of respite and residential services as well.
[05:32.000 --> 05:36.000]  So it's a background I've worked in before. And again, it's just something I'm really passionate about.
[05:36.000 --> 05:44.000]  So I've been with Action for Children since January. So it'll soon be coming up to a year. And that's really exciting.
[05:44.000 --> 05:49.000]  Thanks, Ally. And it's a it's a subject very close to my heart, because in my previous organisation,
[05:49.000 --> 05:59.000]  I used to work for a trade association, the BHTA, that provided independent living aids and we had a specialist children's equipment sector.
[05:59.000 --> 06:06.000]  So we were part of the disability children's partnership and did a lot of lobbying in government and stuff. So it is very close to me.
[06:06.000 --> 06:11.000]  So AXREM's Charity of the Year initiative was born from a collective desire to give back,
[06:11.000 --> 06:17.000]  to channel the energy, innovation and compassion of our sector into causes that truly matter.
[06:17.000 --> 06:25.000]  By nominating a charity each year, AXREM and its members unite behind organisations making a tangible difference in people's lives,
[06:25.000 --> 06:30.000]  amplifying their impact through fundraising, awareness and collaboration.
[06:30.000 --> 06:35.000]  It's a powerful reminder that beyond advancing health care technology,
[06:35.000 --> 06:44.000]  our industry has the heart and capacity to support vulnerable communities, champion social change and build a legacy of generosity and hope.
[06:44.000 --> 06:50.000]  So with this in mind, tell us a bit more about Action for Children and what are your missions and goals, Ally?
[06:50.000 --> 06:57.000]  Yes, so our mission is to give vulnerable children and young people the protection and practical help that they need.
[06:57.000 --> 07:03.000]  So we have lots of campaigns for lasting change and our four key values that we have are that we're passionate,
[07:03.000 --> 07:10.000]  ambitious, collaborative and inclusive in our team and everyone who works here as well as the families that we help.
[07:10.000 --> 07:18.000]  So in our areas of work, we take action in three ways, which is intervention, prevention and advocacy.
[07:18.000 --> 07:27.000]  So we want to spot problems early and take action as early as possible to help children and their families before things get any worse.
[07:27.000 --> 07:30.000]  We also want to prevent things from happening in the first place.
[07:30.000 --> 07:37.000]  That's why we have projects like our Blues program to help teach children important life skills and build resilience towards their mental health.
[07:37.000 --> 07:42.000]  And then we also have advocacy, whereas children don't have a say in a lot that happens to them.
[07:42.000 --> 07:45.000]  There's not much that they can personally do to affect change.
[07:45.000 --> 07:50.000]  So that's why we campaign on their behalf and we want to get better support and resources for them.
[07:50.000 --> 07:54.000]  So we take those concerns directly to the government to call for change.
[07:54.000 --> 08:02.000]  Fantastic. And do you know what, when you were talking then about inclusivity, collaboration, passionate, ambitious,
[08:02.000 --> 08:09.000]  I feel like that is very much like Axrem members and I think that's why they've got on board with the charity of the year so much.
[08:10.000 --> 08:16.000]  And obviously with diagnostics, there's a lot around prevention, you know, catching things early.
[08:16.000 --> 08:30.000]  And I think it's the same, you know, if a child is in need, being able to identify that at an early stage and offer the support that they or their families need is absolutely critical.
[08:30.000 --> 08:32.000]  Yeah, absolutely. I completely agree.
[08:32.000 --> 08:38.000]  I think what we said there about the family support that we give, we try to get there in the first five years,
[08:38.000 --> 08:45.000]  because that is when developmentally it's so important for children and families to sort of get the right first step.
[08:45.000 --> 08:50.000]  And so, yeah, I completely agree. Intervention early is a great way to start, for sure.
[08:51.000 --> 08:57.000]  Fantastic. So on to our next question. Reflecting on our partnership over the year, we have achieved so much.
[08:57.000 --> 09:05.000]  The million steps challenge was a huge success. Can you tell us more about this and how that's helped Action for Children?
[09:06.000 --> 09:13.000]  Yeah, of course. So, I mean, our partnership has been so amazing. I've been lucky enough to sort of be there from the start.
[09:13.000 --> 09:21.000]  And it kicked off incredibly with that amazing £2,000 donation right at the beginning, which was just a brilliant way to start things off.
[09:21.000 --> 09:27.000]  Lots of passion, lots of energy. And from there, I feel like we've just gone from strength to strength, really.
[09:27.000 --> 09:32.000]  So I remember sort of like the initial planning stages of that million steps challenge.
[09:32.000 --> 09:39.000]  It was just really tangible, that sort of the real excitement that you had to build that challenge from the ground up.
[09:39.000 --> 09:43.000]  And it's just been I'm grateful to be a part of it, to be honest.
[09:43.000 --> 09:50.000]  So the million steps challenge, when it came to that day, it was amazing to see how many people took part.
[09:50.000 --> 09:57.000]  So I think in total, it was 152 people signed up for the million steps challenge itself.
[09:57.000 --> 10:05.000]  And that made up 24 of your companies, which is just incredible, huge amount of people.
[10:05.000 --> 10:13.000]  And obviously, the target was to reach a million steps, but we reached 2.2 million steps, which is unbelievable.
[10:13.000 --> 10:16.000]  So over doubling that target in just one day.
[10:16.000 --> 10:24.000]  And I think a highlight for me was watching Irina from Cure AI doing her steps actually on a plane.
[10:24.000 --> 10:29.000]  She was so dedicated. So she deserved that first place 100%.
[10:29.000 --> 10:37.000]  And yeah, it was just brilliant. And actually as well, our Managing Director of Income Engagement, she joined as well on the day.
[10:37.000 --> 10:42.000]  And I know that she had a brilliant time. I've heard nothing but glowing reviews. So it was really great.
[10:42.000 --> 10:52.000]  And obviously, I know you're sort of speaking to everyone individually, but I did also want to just take a moment to thank the people that took on those challenges on top of the million steps.
[10:52.000 --> 11:08.000]  So obviously, there was Jack that we've spoken to running 74 kilometres, I think, and summiting or virtually summiting Mount Fuji and then Evie from Blackford Analysis with her three open water swims.
[11:08.000 --> 11:15.000]  And we had Aidan from LU who ran that ultramarathon, which is incredible, 50 kilometres for his 50th birthday.
[11:15.000 --> 11:23.000]  So impressive. And also Dan from Convenzus doing his three peaks challenge.
[11:23.000 --> 11:30.000]  But I think he did it in the Peak District and then decided that that was too easy. And so he also did Yorkshire as well.
[11:30.000 --> 11:39.000]  So just really heartwarming, to be honest, to watch all of that and to see how your passion, Sally, has sort of bled through into everybody.
[11:39.000 --> 11:50.000]  And it's just been such a great community effort. So from that million steps challenge alone, you raised more than £3,700, which is absolutely amazing.
[11:50.000 --> 11:59.000]  And that took the partnership up to just shy of £10,000, which I'm sure by the end of our partnership in December, 100%, you will have absolutely smashed.
[11:59.000 --> 12:05.000]  So just yeah, you will. We have to hit the £10,000. We do.
[12:05.000 --> 12:13.000]  We do. And you mentioned some of those individuals and just some of the things that stick out as highlights in my mind was the day that we did the million steps challenge.
[12:13.000 --> 12:21.000]  Jack Bond got up at 4am to complete his Mount Fuji run and did a run.
[12:21.000 --> 12:31.000]  And he's got small babies and children at home and then drove straight up to the Cotswolds and then walked another 10 to 15,000 steps that day.
[12:31.000 --> 12:34.000]  In fact, I think he ended up doing more than that.
[12:34.000 --> 12:52.000]  So I think the sheer dedication and like you say, Irina, sending me a video of her on a plane to America, basically running around the kind of crew area that they'd given her to do her steps was just absolutely amazing.
[12:52.000 --> 12:56.000]  And we are so lucky to have such fabulous members.
[12:56.000 --> 13:02.000]  And I think hopefully you've seen from our interaction is I've got a real passion for fundraising.
[13:02.000 --> 13:13.000]  I've been doing it since I was a teenager following an accident I had and I started fundraising and I've raised quite a lot of money for various different charities.
[13:13.000 --> 13:20.000]  And it's brilliant to be able to bring that into the workplace now because I don't get so much time away from work.
[13:20.000 --> 13:26.000]  So it's brilliant. And this year we've actually two and a half times what we raised last year.
[13:26.000 --> 13:30.000]  So I hope that year on year we can build on this and our members will get on board.
[13:30.000 --> 13:37.000]  And I certainly think the million steps challenge will become an annual event that we do for each charity each year.
[13:37.000 --> 13:41.000]  So it's been a fantastic experience.
[13:41.000 --> 13:45.000]  Oh, good. I do hope that you do it again because it was so fun for us to do as well.
[13:45.000 --> 13:48.000]  It's so fun to sort of do something that's a little bit different.
[13:48.000 --> 13:56.000]  And like I said, like your your passion and your drive to really to build that and get it going from the start is what makes our job so fun as well.
[13:56.000 --> 14:00.000]  So, yeah, a huge success around really great for everybody.
[14:00.000 --> 14:06.000]  Yeah. And I think being for one day is what makes it more workable for companies.
[14:06.000 --> 14:13.000]  When we were sort of looking at an event we could do, we didn't want it to be too bigger ask of companies because they're obviously all very busy people anyway.
[14:13.000 --> 14:19.000]  So it was just a perfect event. And it really we felt that sense of community and as an organization, it was good.
[14:19.000 --> 14:24.000]  It's good. It plays into people's health and well-being, mental health.
[14:24.000 --> 14:29.000]  You know, all of these things are good to bring teams together and also to get people moving.
[14:29.000 --> 14:34.000]  And I know I sit at my desk for eight to ten hours every day and it's difficult to get away and move.
[14:34.000 --> 14:39.000]  So it was an excuse for me and my team to get away from our desks and move as well.
[14:39.000 --> 14:42.000]  So, you know, it was it was a fantastic event.
[14:42.000 --> 14:53.000]  So before I get into my next question, let's hear from Evie Eccles, our only fundraiser not to be counting steps and Aidan Pearce, who had a celebratory reason for his contribution.
[14:53.000 --> 14:57.000]  I'm really pleased to now be joined by Evie Eccles.
[14:57.000 --> 15:04.000]  Evie, you're part of our Future Leaders Council and work for one of our member companies, Blackford.
[15:04.000 --> 15:09.000]  So I just want to ask you, what was your challenge and what did you do for Action for Children?
[15:09.000 --> 15:22.000]  OK, it was swimming, which sounds nice and easy, except I was swimming in three of our beautiful Scottish locks up here in the north in Scotland because I live in Edinburgh.
[15:22.000 --> 15:35.000]  So I swam in Lock T in Perthshire, Lock Lomond, obviously very famous Lock Lomond near Glasgow and then in Lock Moorlick, which is the furthest north up near Avimo.
[15:35.000 --> 15:43.000]  Beautiful, beautiful locations, freshwater locks, but have their own challenges, as I'm sure you understand.
[15:43.000 --> 15:53.000]  And there is a event called Go Swim that runs every summer that you can swim your own distance challenges from varying challenges right up.
[15:53.000 --> 15:59.000]  I think some of the guys swim at least ten key, which is crazy amount of swimming.
[15:59.000 --> 16:02.000]  I swim, however, no witsuit.
[16:02.000 --> 16:06.000]  So we call that skins, but we do have swimsuits.
[16:06.000 --> 16:16.000]  So it's all good. And we can, if we if we choose to, we can use neoprene socks and gloves, which are a lifesaver in the water when it's that cold.
[16:16.000 --> 16:27.000]  I swam seven hundred and fifty meters for each of the three swims, because obviously there's a limit to what you can do without a witsuit because of your time in the water.
[16:28.000 --> 16:36.000]  I. As I can't ever remember learning to swim, I just remember getting in the water and figuring it out.
[16:36.000 --> 16:41.000]  And as an adult, I decided that actually it's super healthy getting into cold water.
[16:41.000 --> 16:48.000]  So I started doing a little bit more and I was encouraged by some of my friends to start doing some of these kind of lock challenges.
[16:48.000 --> 16:56.000]  So this year, knowing that Action for Children was the charity for Axrem, I decided, you know what?
[16:56.000 --> 17:07.000]  This is my time to go and support such a fantastic charity and do the three swims and give myself that bit of a challenge to get in the water and actually do a distance.
[17:07.000 --> 17:15.000]  So that's what I did. And I did them over a space of six weeks in the summer here in Scotland.
[17:15.000 --> 17:20.000]  Wow. And it sounds like your Axrem's version of Wim Hof.
[17:20.000 --> 17:26.000]  I watched his show about cold water and the positive effects it can have on you.
[17:26.000 --> 17:32.000]  It's actually changed my perception. I actually moan when I go up baritones and the swimming pool is a bit too cool.
[17:32.000 --> 17:37.000]  So fair play to you, Evie. And we are very grateful.
[17:37.000 --> 17:42.000]  Just to finish off, can you think of what was your kind of biggest challenge in terms of the event?
[17:42.000 --> 17:47.000]  Was it kind of the lead up the training? Was there any challenges on the day?
[17:47.000 --> 17:52.000]  Kind of, you know, what kind of hurdles did you have to overcome?
[17:52.000 --> 17:59.000]  Well, actually, the biggest challenge is the conditions in the water and they can be hugely different from day to day.
[18:00.000 --> 18:08.000]  So the weather plays a huge part. So for Loch Tay, it was an incredibly sunny day and it was super bright,
[18:08.000 --> 18:12.000]  although there is a fair amount of movement in the Loch Tay water.
[18:12.000 --> 18:18.000]  So a little bit of rolling kind of waves and stuff, but wasn't too bad on the day.
[18:18.000 --> 18:27.000]  Loch Lomond was crystal clear, smooth waters, absolutely perfect for swim, so got a personal best in there.
[18:27.000 --> 18:34.000]  The Loch Molec is always a challenge. It is the coldest because it's the most furthest north.
[18:34.000 --> 18:43.000]  It's high up in the hills and so you have a lot of temperature, a lot lower temperature to deal with.
[18:43.000 --> 18:51.000]  But also because of where it is and how it's high up above sea level, you get a lot of wind, which creates waves.
[18:51.000 --> 18:56.000]  And people think, oh, it's a loch, why is it wavy? But it is. And swimming against waves is a huge challenge.
[18:56.000 --> 19:05.000]  So I would say that has always been my nemesis at Loch Molec, but I never gave up on it.
[19:05.000 --> 19:11.000]  And I was so happy when I completed that challenge. It was such a good time for me.
[19:11.000 --> 19:19.000]  We have a saying amongst all of my friends that swim, it is swim your own swim. You are challenging yourself.
[19:19.000 --> 19:24.000]  Absolutely. It was such a good time for me and I do love it.
[19:24.000 --> 19:29.000]  There's a feeling of exhilaration and you mentioned the whole cold water thing.
[19:29.000 --> 19:33.000]  It does give you that real buzz afterwards of being in the water.
[19:33.000 --> 19:37.000]  And yes, I was in the North Sea four times last week.
[19:37.000 --> 19:42.000]  Wow. And did you see Loch Ness?
[19:42.000 --> 19:48.000]  You know, that's the question on everyone's lips here because you said you swam in Loch Lomond.
[19:48.000 --> 19:55.000]  No, no, no monsters. Just a few reeds down there.
[19:55.000 --> 20:03.000]  Thank you so much, Evie, for putting time and effort to support Axfem's charity of the year, Action for Children.
[20:03.000 --> 20:11.000]  It's members like you that make our charity of the year so rewarding. So we really appreciate it.
[20:11.000 --> 20:16.000]  Now I'm pleased to welcome Aidan Pearce from Allu to the podcast.
[20:16.000 --> 20:22.000]  Aidan, thank you so much for joining us. Do you want to tell me a little bit about your challenge and what you did?
[20:22.000 --> 20:30.000]  So I ran a 50k basically because I turned 50 years old and I wanted to do something to mark that occasion, really.
[20:30.000 --> 20:34.000]  Fantastic. And where did you run from and to?
[20:34.000 --> 20:38.000]  Give us a reality of what 50k actually is.
[20:39.000 --> 20:46.000]  So I ran from Mores Valley, which is a country park in Hampshire, took me down.
[20:46.000 --> 20:55.000]  It's all sort of up through the forest and then it takes you through to Poole, which was just bizarre because I saw I ran past this sign which said welcome to Poole.
[20:55.000 --> 21:01.000]  And I just had to take a photo because running to Poole is just a little bit mental, really.
[21:01.000 --> 21:04.000]  And so it was just such a bizarre feeling.
[21:04.000 --> 21:09.000]  And so I ran from there down to Bournemouth and then along the coast back up to a place called Hengisbury Head.
[21:09.000 --> 21:12.000]  But it was hard, you know, the wind was crazy that day.
[21:12.000 --> 21:17.000]  But I really enjoyed it. It was a really, and I'm tempted to do it again, actually.
[21:17.000 --> 21:23.000]  Wow, you must be mad. When I did the London Marathon, it was a once in a lifetime experience for sure.
[21:23.000 --> 21:30.000]  So what drove you to want to do that challenge for Action for Children, Action for Children charity of the year?
[21:30.000 --> 21:36.000]  It seemed like a really good opportunity to raise money for a charity.
[21:36.000 --> 21:42.000]  And I just, I was really struggling to find, to sort of decide what I was going to run it for.
[21:42.000 --> 21:48.000]  And when I saw the Action for Children charity of the year, it was exactly the sort of charity that I wanted to raise money for.
[21:48.000 --> 21:55.000]  It was a children's charity and it just does so much good for, you know, underprivileged children.
[21:55.000 --> 22:01.000]  And, you know, and it just instantly, I just thought, yes, that's that's what I need to do.
[22:01.000 --> 22:06.000]  And it just supporting Action for Children, which is, you know, as you know, I'm a big fan of Action for Children.
[22:06.000 --> 22:11.000]  I've been a member for a long time, either through Elu or through as an employee.
[22:11.000 --> 22:15.000]  And it's just a great opportunity to get involved.
[22:15.000 --> 22:20.000]  Brilliant. I thought you were going to say at the beginning, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
[22:20.000 --> 22:26.000]  But then I can tell that you were in the right place at the right time and it just kind of all fit together for you.
[22:26.000 --> 22:35.000]  And just to say, as Action, we really appreciate yourself and other members that have gone above and beyond to support the charity of the year.
[22:35.000 --> 22:39.000]  And you said you might have another one in you. We have a different charity next year.
[22:39.000 --> 22:44.000]  So feel free to set yourself some bonkers challenge for that one as well.
[22:44.000 --> 22:49.000]  But thank you so much, Aidan, for talking about your challenge.
[22:49.000 --> 22:53.000]  We really appreciate it. And I know that Action for Children really appreciate it.
[22:53.000 --> 22:57.000]  So we're now going to head back to the studio to continue our chat with Action for Children.
[22:57.000 --> 23:02.000]  So in terms of my next question, where does most of your fundraising come from?
[23:02.000 --> 23:10.000]  And what opportunities are there for listeners and members to get involved for the rest of 2025 and in the future?
[23:10.000 --> 23:13.000]  So, yeah, over to you guys.
[23:13.000 --> 23:18.000]  Yes, thank you. So, yeah, thanks to sort of all of our amazing supporters.
[23:18.000 --> 23:24.000]  We can kind of continue to inspire the public to raise those vital funds for Action for Children.
[23:24.000 --> 23:28.000]  So we can continue to create those safe and happy childhoods.
[23:28.000 --> 23:34.000]  Our corporate partners do directly support and expand the voluntary funded areas of our work.
[23:34.000 --> 23:38.000]  So these are the areas that we identify those really urgent needs.
[23:38.000 --> 23:43.000]  So this fundraising comes from a variety of incredible supporters.
[23:44.000 --> 23:48.000]  So we've got obviously our amazing corporate supporters like Axrem.
[23:48.000 --> 23:51.000]  And then we've got our events like Boycott Your Bed.
[23:51.000 --> 23:56.000]  We've got our amazing Starry Night Gala. I'll touch on all of these later as well.
[23:56.000 --> 23:59.000]  And then we've got Legacy. So that's gifts in wills.
[23:59.000 --> 24:03.000]  And also, of course, our incredible community of supporters as well.
[24:03.000 --> 24:06.000]  So that's our Methodists and that sort of thing.
[24:06.000 --> 24:12.000]  So, yeah, the majority of our funding does come from our contracted services from sort of local authorities.
[24:12.000 --> 24:16.000]  And they fund us to help us deliver our short breaks and our residential homes.
[24:16.000 --> 24:22.000]  But that is, of course, sort of ring-fenced around the delivery of that nonprofit basis.
[24:22.000 --> 24:27.000]  So it really is that fundraising that we do of that voluntary income,
[24:27.000 --> 24:32.000]  which is it helps us to deliver so much of the services that we provide.
[24:32.000 --> 24:36.000]  And then just in terms of how everybody can get involved.
[24:36.000 --> 24:38.000]  I mean, there's so many opportunities.
[24:39.000 --> 24:43.000]  I will limit myself because otherwise I will talk for a very long time.
[24:43.000 --> 24:45.000]  But we host lots of amazing events.
[24:45.000 --> 24:49.000]  So there's loads of sort of corporate specific events that you can get involved with.
[24:49.000 --> 24:54.000]  So we've just recently done our Boycott Your Bed, which is our annual sleep out event.
[24:54.000 --> 25:01.000]  We do our amazing Starry Night Gala, which is a really sort of glamorous event that showcases the talent of our young people.
[25:02.000 --> 25:10.000]  We also do Never Mind the Business and the Ultimate News Quiz, which is sort of fun and fast paced quizzes where we have celebrity guests.
[25:10.000 --> 25:15.000]  So we had Gary Lineker one year for our Quizmaster, which was amazing.
[25:15.000 --> 25:19.000]  And then there's the Women of Influence Awards, the Sports Dinner.
[25:19.000 --> 25:21.000]  There's just so much really that you can get involved with.
[25:21.000 --> 25:25.000]  And there's so much that you can pick and choose what's right for you, which is so amazing.
[25:25.000 --> 25:31.000]  And in terms of challenge events, sort of the fun, the active side of things, we have a lot there too.
[25:31.000 --> 25:35.000]  So the summer just gone, we summited Snowden at Sunrise.
[25:35.000 --> 25:48.000]  And actually, we've just launched today that we will be summiting Ben Nevis at Sunrise this coming summer, which is a very exciting one, which I think I'm probably going to get roped into doing, but no complaints there.
[25:48.000 --> 25:52.000]  And then we've also got our marathons, our half marathons.
[25:52.000 --> 25:56.000]  There's the swims, the cycles, skydives, to be honest.
[25:56.000 --> 25:59.000]  If you name it, we can support you on doing that.
[25:59.000 --> 26:06.000]  That's sort of what my role is there is to support you on creating a really bespoke challenge that you're interested in and that you want to get involved with.
[26:06.000 --> 26:08.000]  So, yeah, there's lots there.
[26:08.000 --> 26:15.000]  And just to round this off, I just want to speak specifically about Secret Santa because that is what we're coming up to at the moment.
[26:15.000 --> 26:20.000]  We are launching it now and it is one of our flagship campaigns.
[26:20.000 --> 26:29.000]  So each year we will ask people to become a Secret Santa for a vulnerable child by donating to our Christmas appeal.
[26:29.000 --> 26:34.000]  It's really unfortunate that Christmas just isn't magical for a lot of children in the UK.
[26:34.000 --> 26:40.000]  So currently we have 4.5 million children living in poverty right now in the UK.
[26:40.000 --> 26:46.000]  So that's 35 percent of all children or nine in a classroom of 30.
[26:46.000 --> 26:51.000]  So it's a huge amount. And obviously for them, that doesn't mean, you know, they won't get presents.
[26:51.000 --> 26:56.000]  They won't get that festive food. They might not even get any food at all.
[26:56.000 --> 26:59.000]  And I just want to illustrate this actually with a story.
[26:59.000 --> 27:04.000]  So Chloe is a composite story of lots of different children and families that we've supported.
[27:04.000 --> 27:07.000]  But I'll just tell Chloe's story now.
[27:07.000 --> 27:13.000]  So last winter, six-year-old Chloe spent most of her days huddled under blankets in the living room,
[27:13.000 --> 27:16.000]  the only room that her mom, Leila, could afford to heat.
[27:16.000 --> 27:23.000]  Despite working as a care worker, Leila was struggling financially and she often skipped meals so that Chloe could eat.
[27:23.000 --> 27:28.000]  But thanks to supporters like Axrem and all of our amazing corporate supporters,
[27:28.000 --> 27:35.000]  we were able to step in just before Christmas to provide festive food and presents for both Leila and Chloe.
[27:35.000 --> 27:42.000]  And on Christmas morning, Leila was able to watch Chloe's excitement as she opened the football boots that she'd been dreaming of all year.
[27:42.000 --> 27:46.000]  Leila said that watching Chloe's face was just the best feeling ever.
[27:46.000 --> 27:50.000]  The excitement, the pure joy, I will just never forget it.
[27:50.000 --> 27:54.000]  She burst into tears and she just kept saying, Santa came, he really came.
[27:54.000 --> 28:02.000]  So, yeah, just a little illustration there of the real joy that you can bring to the young people that we support and Secret Santa.
[28:02.000 --> 28:09.000]  I think it's so important because it illustrates that, of course, we want to be providing the real important things
[28:09.000 --> 28:12.000]  like putting food on the table and heating the home.
[28:12.000 --> 28:15.000]  But it's also so important to provide that joy for a child.
[28:15.000 --> 28:18.000]  You know, that's not something that should be skipped out on at all.
[28:18.000 --> 28:24.000]  So, yeah, you can go to our website and you can select a virtual gift for a child.
[28:24.000 --> 28:29.000]  It could be five pounds for a teddy bear or it could be a hundred pounds for a whole stocking.
[28:29.000 --> 28:36.000]  And you can write a little e-card and then you become the Secret Santa for a vulnerable child at Christmas time.
[28:36.000 --> 28:41.000]  So that is how you can get involved with Secret Santa this Christmas.
[28:41.000 --> 28:47.000]  And please do have a look on our website to learn more about that because it's a really great initiative to get involved with.
[28:47.000 --> 28:52.000]  Thanks, Sophie. And I'm somebody that is Christmas mad.
[28:52.000 --> 28:58.000]  So thinking that I could make a difference to another child's life, I will definitely be doing the Secret Santa.
[28:58.000 --> 29:02.000]  And also as somebody who's now in a very fortunate position.
[29:02.000 --> 29:10.000]  But 15 years ago, I was homeless, a single parent, and I was very much in the same position where I was feeding my children rather than myself.
[29:10.000 --> 29:13.000]  So I know how it feels.
[29:13.000 --> 29:20.000]  And, you know, sometimes it's difficult to ask for help if there's charities that are proactive like Action for Children that offer that help.
[29:20.000 --> 29:26.000]  Absolutely. That we all go through times where we have a need and we need that support.
[29:27.000 --> 29:35.000]  And just the figure of 4.5 million children are living in poverty, you know, in the UK.
[29:35.000 --> 29:39.000]  We're seen as one of the power rich nations.
[29:39.000 --> 29:45.000]  And to think that there's 4.5 million children that are not going to have the same Christmas that my children are now.
[29:45.000 --> 29:49.000]  I say children, they're adults, but are fortunate enough to experience.
[29:49.000 --> 29:53.000]  I think those sorts of figures really do hit home and make you think.
[29:53.000 --> 30:07.000]  So I would urge anybody listening to this, if you can spare a few pounds for a teddy bear, a stocking or some Christmas food for a child, please, please do donate to Secret Santa, because I think it's a fantastic cause.
[30:07.000 --> 30:09.000]  Thank you so much.
[30:09.000 --> 30:11.000]  Yeah, you're very welcome.
[30:11.000 --> 30:13.000]  Like I say, I really, really am very supportive.
[30:13.000 --> 30:20.000]  So before I get to my final quirky question, I also spoke with Daniel Snape, who is one of our partners at Convencies.
[30:20.000 --> 30:25.000]  It was great to see partners as well as members getting on board to support this great cause.
[30:25.000 --> 30:27.000]  So let's take a listen to Dan.
[30:27.000 --> 30:38.000]  I'm with Dan Snape, who is from Convencies and one of Axrem's partners, and we partner on three fabulous radiology conferences.
[30:38.000 --> 30:45.000]  So, Dan, I want to speak to you about the challenge that you did very kindly for our charity of the year.
[30:45.000 --> 30:48.000]  So can you tell us a bit more about that challenge?
[30:48.000 --> 30:49.000]  Of course, yeah.
[30:49.000 --> 30:50.000]  So thanks for having me.
[30:50.000 --> 30:52.000]  And it was great to be a part of the challenge.
[30:52.000 --> 31:00.000]  A million steps sounded like a lot until I think you got three million in the end or closer to three million, which was absolutely amazing.
[31:00.000 --> 31:06.000]  And so, yeah, so I did Ben Nevis initially, actually, just before the actual challenge.
[31:06.000 --> 31:11.000]  On the day, I was actually really struggling because it was a tough day, but I think I still managed to get a good 25 miles of walking.
[31:11.000 --> 31:14.000]  My dogs were not happy about that by the end of it.
[31:14.000 --> 31:15.000]  You all know.
[31:15.000 --> 31:16.000]  But they were OK.
[31:16.000 --> 31:17.000]  No dogs were hurting.
[31:17.000 --> 31:19.000]  That's that challenge.
[31:19.000 --> 31:24.000]  And then I actually also did it was meant to be on the weekend, but we had to cut off because of the weather.
[31:24.000 --> 31:32.000]  We did the Yorkshire Free Peaks as well as an additional one, again, just to raise more awareness for the amazing action for children.
[31:32.000 --> 31:38.000]  And I do a lot of exercise, so it's nice to put some use sometimes for an amazing charity.
[31:38.000 --> 31:43.000]  And obviously, I've had the pleasure to engage with Sophie and the team action for children as well since.
[31:43.000 --> 31:49.000]  And we're really looking to see what more we can do for them because they very kindly sent me a T-shirt, which was nice of them.
[31:49.000 --> 31:55.000]  But really, a little bit further just to push the work out there, because I just love what they're doing.
[31:55.000 --> 32:01.000]  But I'll be honest, it's mainly for me what they do for the actual parents around it, because, yes, it's for the children.
[32:01.000 --> 32:05.000]  But it's the support of the parents is just a challenging sometimes.
[32:05.000 --> 32:11.000]  And obviously, everything they do around the mental health side for the children, for the parents.
[32:11.000 --> 32:15.000]  I just think it's amazing because mental health is the biggest issue that we face.
[32:15.000 --> 32:21.000]  And I think, actually, we have to take into account that the parents need just as much support as the children.
[32:21.000 --> 32:26.000]  And when you combine the two together, you can actually be successful in that support as well.
[32:26.000 --> 32:28.000]  But, yes, the challenges themselves were fun.
[32:28.000 --> 32:31.000]  I've managed to get them on non-rainy days, which was actually great.
[32:31.000 --> 32:33.000]  I'm from Manchester, so I'm used to it raining.
[32:33.000 --> 32:35.000]  So that was a bonus.
[32:35.000 --> 32:40.000]  And I actually got to climb Ben Nevis at the same time, which was amazing because I've wanted to do that for a long time.
[32:40.000 --> 32:45.000]  So there's a reason why I managed to tie it in when Sally mentioned about joining.
[32:45.000 --> 32:49.000]  Wow. Well, you're definitely a lot fitter than me.
[32:49.000 --> 32:52.000]  Yeah, I absolutely agree with you about action for children.
[32:52.000 --> 32:55.000]  At the end of the day, you never know what's going to happen in your life.
[32:55.000 --> 32:57.000]  And I've been a single parent.
[32:57.000 --> 33:02.000]  I've been, I hate the word victim, but a victim of domestic abuse.
[33:02.000 --> 33:09.000]  And I just think that, you know, I wish that there was more charities out there years ago when I was going through some of that stuff.
[33:09.000 --> 33:16.000]  So and I think, you know, this podcast is coinciding with their Secret Santa campaign.
[33:16.000 --> 33:24.000]  And when I was hearing some of the facts in this podcast about how many children, you know, are living in hardship in the UK,
[33:24.000 --> 33:29.000]  it makes the challenge and I'm sure the aches and pains well worth it.
[33:29.000 --> 33:37.000]  So during the challenges, were there any, was there kind of any challenges for you that you had to overcome other than the weather?
[33:38.000 --> 33:40.000]  A little bit on the on the three peaks, funnily enough.
[33:40.000 --> 33:46.000]  So we had we extended it a little bit just to be a touch longer around the 30 mile mark.
[33:46.000 --> 33:49.000]  I think it's normally 25, I think it is.
[33:49.000 --> 33:55.000]  And I'll be honest, it was just the length of it, because actually they didn't realize that one of the one of the mountains,
[33:55.000 --> 34:01.000]  I think it was like a 25 K in between the two mount to the first to the second mountain that we did.
[34:01.000 --> 34:04.000]  And that was a long, long, long walk.
[34:04.000 --> 34:06.000]  It was actually great. It was really busy.
[34:06.000 --> 34:11.000]  There were so many people doing I think we just chose a good time of year and it was a dry day.
[34:11.000 --> 34:17.000]  But yeah, there was one of them where you were coming up on the mountain and you could see the end.
[34:17.000 --> 34:23.000]  And I was walking up on a steep incline and I walked for probably an hour and I was walking the wrong direction to the mountain
[34:23.000 --> 34:26.000]  till it looped round to get to the peak of it.
[34:26.000 --> 34:29.000]  I've never been so demoralized in my life.
[34:29.000 --> 34:33.000]  Yeah, I'm going up and walking in the wrong direction.
[34:33.000 --> 34:36.000]  Anyone who's not on the wall will know what route I'm talking about.
[34:36.000 --> 34:40.000]  That's the second mountain that we did near the pub and the viaduct.
[34:40.000 --> 34:43.000]  But yeah, that was very, very tough.
[34:43.000 --> 34:47.000]  Luckily, I was with one of my good friends who's very fit and healthy as well.
[34:47.000 --> 34:49.000]  We managed to get ourselves up through it.
[34:49.000 --> 34:57.000]  But we were going to add one of the fourth mountains, not mountains, I keep calling mountains, but peaks actually into it.
[34:57.000 --> 34:59.000]  But I'll be honest, we just couldn't do it at that point.
[34:59.000 --> 35:02.000]  We decided to get back in my van and come home.
[35:02.000 --> 35:04.000]  You were you quit whilst you were ahead.
[35:04.000 --> 35:09.000]  And I know what it's like about hitting a brick wall, because when I did the London Marathon years ago,
[35:09.000 --> 35:19.000]  I remember coming across Tower Bridge and the people running the other side of the fence were about eight miles ahead of me.
[35:19.000 --> 35:22.000]  And I was like, oh, my God, how am I going to do this?
[35:22.000 --> 35:29.000]  And I think I started to get a bit concerned when the guy with the washing machine on his back ran past me and I thought I need to speed up now.
[35:29.000 --> 35:30.000]  I would have been insane.
[35:30.000 --> 35:35.000]  I'd probably give up at that point. I must be honest, Sally.
[35:35.000 --> 35:41.000]  And I'm going to finish the interview by asking you, what's the next big challenge for you, Dan?
[35:41.000 --> 35:45.000]  Because you're quite clearly into these kind of endurance challenges.
[35:45.000 --> 35:50.000]  So have you got any future plans or what would be your bucket list challenge that you'd love to do?
[35:50.000 --> 35:56.000]  So the next challenge is just do all the five peaks of the UK and Ireland.
[35:56.000 --> 36:00.000]  And so we're going to I'm going to be doing that to the two island peaks next year.
[36:00.000 --> 36:07.000]  But actually, what I was aiming to do, if we can make it work time wise, is do the actual national three peaks.
[36:07.000 --> 36:14.000]  So Snowden, Scafell and Ben Nevis in the same day or the same journey would you probably call it.
[36:14.000 --> 36:16.000]  I think it's just a bit longer than a day.
[36:16.000 --> 36:24.000]  And do that for the challenge for next year for the Axelrum charity, just because we want to do it.
[36:24.000 --> 36:27.000]  And I'm honest, but that's actually a different kind of challenge.
[36:27.000 --> 36:30.000]  It's the driving in between is like six. Yeah.
[36:30.000 --> 36:34.000]  So we need six hours to get there as well, because I think you start Ben Nevis.
[36:34.000 --> 36:39.000]  I think that's the right way. And so so, yeah, we're going to be doing that one.
[36:39.000 --> 36:45.000]  But I want to look at the ones abroad just so you can get a bit of sun at the same time would be nice.
[36:45.000 --> 36:49.000]  Literally in the clouds in such a cloudy day, I couldn't see anything on the way down.
[36:50.000 --> 36:59.000]  And but but but yeah, no, no actual one set apart from we are aiming to do an Ironman at some point.
[36:59.000 --> 37:03.000]  And it's the swimming that I don't really want to do, because I've got nowhere to swim.
[37:03.000 --> 37:10.000]  I've got a canal nearby. So I'll have to join a pool, a gym with a pool.
[37:10.000 --> 37:13.000]  So what's this space? I'm sure we do something.
[37:13.000 --> 37:16.000]  Wow. It all sounds fabulous.
[37:16.000 --> 37:18.000]  I was going to say, I'd love to join you on the free peaks.
[37:18.000 --> 37:21.000]  I think the best I could offer is I could be your driver between the peaks.
[37:21.000 --> 37:25.000]  There you go. I probably wouldn't be able to manage the peaks, but I'm happy to be your driver.
[37:25.000 --> 37:28.000]  So there you go. If you need a driver, just let me know.
[37:28.000 --> 37:32.000]  There's no recorded lines, Sally. I've got you.
[37:32.000 --> 37:35.000]  Thank you so much for joining me today.
[37:35.000 --> 37:41.000]  So Dan Snape from Convent Seas, and I look forward to hearing more about your future challenges.
[37:41.000 --> 37:46.000]  I'm now going to have back to the studio for the rest of the Action for Children podcast.
[37:46.000 --> 37:56.000]  So this is the part of the podcast where we mix things up a bit and we get much more informal and we go to our quirky question.
[37:56.000 --> 37:59.000]  So I'm going to ask this to both of you and I'll go to Ally first.
[37:59.000 --> 38:05.000]  So if you had a time machine, would you choose to go to the future or the past and why?
[38:05.000 --> 38:08.000]  So over to you, Ally.
[38:08.000 --> 38:11.000]  Oh, that is a great question.
[38:11.000 --> 38:25.000]  I think I would go back to the past just because I'd be so interested to see things like ancient Egypt and how they built the pyramids and all the like, I don't know, like technology they had and how they did things.
[38:25.000 --> 38:27.000]  I find that era like really fascinating.
[38:27.000 --> 38:36.000]  So I think I'd want to go back and see some of those like lost civilizations and just sort of get that knowledge from them and find out what they knew and how we could bring that into today.
[38:36.000 --> 38:38.000]  Fantastic. What a great response.
[38:38.000 --> 38:45.000]  And also as well, I suppose, if you go back to the past, is it what we documented to be these days? Is that what actually happened?
[38:45.000 --> 38:49.000]  So, yeah, I think I agree with you. That would be very interesting.
[38:49.000 --> 38:53.000]  So same quirky question over to Sophie.
[38:53.000 --> 38:56.000]  I think I'm going to agree with Ally here.
[38:56.000 --> 39:03.000]  I think, well, first of all, if I went to the future, it depends how far into the future I was going.
[39:03.000 --> 39:06.000]  But I think I would be scared about what I was going to see.
[39:06.000 --> 39:14.000]  So I would prefer to go back because there's like you said, Ally, like there's so much interesting history.
[39:14.000 --> 39:17.000]  I do love a bit of history. I love my history podcasts.
[39:17.000 --> 39:20.000]  Like I want to learn all about that sort of thing.
[39:20.000 --> 39:32.000]  And I'd be so interested to see things like, you know, like the Inca civilizations and like how they were so well-intuned with the earth and how the moon sort of lined up with all of their
[39:32.000 --> 39:34.000]  the way that they carved their buildings.
[39:34.000 --> 39:40.000]  And I think there's so much lost knowledge that we just we just don't know anymore.
[39:40.000 --> 39:43.000]  And I would love to know. It annoys me that I'll never know.
[39:43.000 --> 39:46.000]  So I'd have to go back for sure.
[39:46.000 --> 39:48.000]  Fantastic. Thank you.
[39:48.000 --> 39:59.000]  And I was just thinking that one of the benefits of going to the future would be that if we could see that that four point five million children was zero,
[39:59.000 --> 40:07.000]  which is what we want it to be, wouldn't it be amazing to go to the future to understand what that looks like and what we would need to do to get to that?
[40:07.000 --> 40:12.000]  You know, I think if I had a time machine, obviously I'd want it to to do some good.
[40:12.000 --> 40:16.000]  And I think that would be really interesting and similar in my job.
[40:16.000 --> 40:28.000]  You know, if we went to the future, what would the NHS look like and how could we get to a more prosperous, you know, future for everybody so that we don't have to wait for GP appointments and diagnosis and all the rest of that?
[40:29.000 --> 40:32.000]  And children are not suffering in poverty.
[40:32.000 --> 40:40.000]  So I think we've all found out a lot more about Sophie and Ally today and the fabulous work that Action for Children do.
[40:40.000 --> 40:43.000]  A big thank you to you both, Sophie and Ally, for joining us.
[40:43.000 --> 40:45.000]  And thank you to our listeners.