Our vision is simple. We want to see every child in need raised in a strong family, where no child is written off simply because of the circumstances they were born into.

We exist because parenting is hard, and exponentially more so for mums, dads and carers who are facing disadvantages. Poverty has an impact on parents’ ability to manage stressful situations and can make good family functioning and strong parent-child relationships difficult, thus affecting child wellbeing. Research tells us that the most effective early intervention to help children is group-based parenting programmes. These provide parents/carers with the opportunity to increase their own wellbeing and confidence in their parenting skills, which in turn strengthens their relationship with their children.

Our community-based parenting programmes, developed by a team of clinical psychologists and family workers, are accessible to families in lower income brackets. Programmes run in the heart of the local community – in primary schools, nurseries, community centres, church halls, prisons and other community settings. Facilitators come alongside parents in small friendly groups to equip them with the competence, confidence and community needed to enable their children to thrive.

The actual route of The Great River Race is special for us as Richmond is where Kids Matter was founded and Millwall is where our first and longest standing partnership is. So we have put together a crew and we are excited to raise money in such a meaningful and fun way.

Any donation you can make would be hugely appreciated, and really will make a difference to the lives of children living in poverty. Your giving will help see every child in need raised in a strong family.