Premier’s Charity of the Year
Across the UK, there is an escalating crisis affecting children and young people. An epidemic of loneliness, isolation and anxiety. A world of unseen hurt behind the words “I’m OK”.
One in five children - around 2.8 million - are currently experiencing mental health difficulties. And the need is closer than we think: in our families, our churches and our communities.
No child should have to struggle alone or wait for help - especially when there’s a local church.
Our belief is that no child should struggle alone.
Our hope is that every church is equipped to help.
Thank you for finding out more about how you can make hope real for children struggling with their emotional and mental wellbeing. We’re thrilled to be Premier’s Charity of the Year and to have you join us on the journey.
Make hope real for children like Joe
For 8-year-old Joe and his mum, Davinia, TLG Make Lunch has been a much-needed lifeline as the costs of living continues to rise.
“When we go shopping we can’t afford to have all the stuff that we want so it makes my mum and dad feel very anxious. It makes me worried seeing mum and dad worried."
Thankfully, Davinia, Joe and the rest of their family receive regular support through TLG Make Lunch at Cleveley’s Baptist Church. Make Lunch, while providing essential hot meals and a warm space, also gives families the chance to connect into a loving church community.
Davinia smiles, “Make Lunch has lifted a massive burden. I love that there’s a community here and a church that just give to people, they don’t necessarily want a single thing back, apart from you to smile, it’s absolutely amazing!”
“I feel happier now that I come to Make Lunch. My mum and dad don’t have to worry about looking after us or what we’re going to do. They do feel less worried now. It’s just a joyful experience really!”
In the past year, over 900,000 children and young people were referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). TLG's training equips church-based volunteers to provide one-to-one, trauma-informed coaching to children experiencing adverse childhood experiences, intensive help to those who have been excluded from school, and provide food, community and belonging to children reliant on free school meals.
Will you help more children like Ollie receive the support they need?
Our impact through the local church
In 2025, through our partnership with local churches and missionally minded volunteers, thousands of children and their families we’re able to journey out of crisis and into hope.
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10,362 coaching sessions have been given to children
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1,059 children and families have been connected into the wider support of the local church
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120,052 meals have been provided to children & their families
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Over 220 churches are now in partnership with TLG
This impact is only possible because of the local churches that partner with us and the volunteers and donors that choose to stand with children and families.
"We want to be a church where the local community would feel a sense of loss if we ceased to exist. TLG helps us achieve that vision by making it so easy for volunteers in our church to help some of the most vulnerable children in our community."
- Simon Benham, Senior Pastor at Kerith Community Church
Bring hope to children like Ollie
Before Ollie started TLG Early Intervention coaching, he found life at school stressful and hard to cope with.
He had resorted to self-harming, scratching his hands to the point where they became scabbed over.
“I was pretty worried about my mental condition.”
Ollie describes that he thought his actions down to his overwhelming emotions, until two years ago when he received an Autism diagnosis. From there he realised that certain things about the school day would cause him stress which often meant he struggled to sleep at night worrying about the next day.
“Through coaching, I started to feel differently. I would feel happier and just generally being able to talk about my feelings felt really good, and then was improving my mental state.”
Your church can become a partner!
Everything at TLG begins with local churches. When TLG first began in 1999, we were just one church responding to the needs of children who were struggling.
Now we’re a nationwide Christian charity of over 220 churches are making hope real for children and young people, believing that the difference made in the life of just one child can echo into eternity.
“At a time when it is challenging to get children the help they need, TLG is an incredible provision. Coaching is improving the life chances of a substantial number of our children.”
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We’d love to keep you updated about the transformation we’re seeing in children’s lives, as well the latest ways you can help make hope real.
