Our History

The Caudwell Group of Companies was committed to raising vitally needed funds for children in desperate need since the mid 1990s. In 1999, John Caudwell, Chief Executive of the Caudwell Group, became President of the North Staffordshire Branch of the NSPCC, and the Midland Regional representative for the NSPCC's Full Stop Campaign, reporting directly to HRH The Duke of York.

The Caudwell Group's first fundraising campaign "Raise the Roof" was funded by a weekly jeans day, where company employees donated £1 to come to work in their jeans every Friday. Raffles and sponsored events were organised, and the first ever Caudwell Children Ball was held in the grounds of John Caudwell's home in Staffordshire.

However, with a desire to make a difference to children's lives through direct donations, and frustrated at the amount of hard raised funds that are often spent in administration and management, John Caudwell conceived the idea of The Caudwell Charity, now Caudwell Children.

The Charity was registered in March 2000 to make direct donations to individual child cases of sickness, specialised medical requirements and dying wish holidays and initially gave preference to a "Golden Circle" of 50 miles around Stoke on Trent. In 2004 the Charity went nationwide, resulting in a dramatic increase in the number of applications, which now arrive from all parts of the country from as far a field as Aberdeen, Belfast and Southampton, allowing us to help more and more special children.

The Charity's link to the NSPCC was also cemented with its second aim, by a pledge of half a million pounds, £50,000 each year over 10 years. The Charity's third aim is to provide a building in Stoke on Trent, which will serve the specific needs of disabled and sick children. Although this is still in the planning stage, the Charity is currently researching the needs of the community and the services that could be offered.

In 2006 The Caudwell Group was sold, enabling John Caudwell to dedicate more time to his family and his charity work.

The growth of Caudwell Children has seen the development of parents advice groups, a team of volunteers, research into the needs of the local community, external fundraising and corporate partnerships in addition to the continued and valuable support from the Caudwell Group's former employees and the business community. Only with this continued support from everyone, will the Charity be able to achieve its aims and contribute substantially to the welfare of special children throughout the country.

Nowadays, the Charity’s annual May ball has become a "not to be missed event"; a star-studded night of glitz, glamour and out-of-this-world entertainment, 2007 being the first year the ball is staged in London. Every autumn the Charity hosts a sportsman's evening with legendary guest speakers from the sporting world. Jeans' day has now been superseded with a payroll giving scheme. Other events such as "Wear it with Pride" are run in partnership with other charities and John Caudwell continues his hands on approach by completing an annual sponsored bicycle ride with destinations so far including Spain, France and Greece!