Chloe's and Sophie's Special Ears Fund

Registered charity 1151263 · since 2013cssef.org.uk·Berkshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Hampshire, London, Surrey, Wrexham·Updated 31 October 2026

At a glance

4 weeks

Typical decision time

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The fund supports Deaf children, mainly through classroom acoustics, Deaf awareness, BSL courses and wellbeing resources, so a school or group whose work fits those themes should consider applying.
No typical grant size or grant range is stated, so set the request from a real quotation for specific equipment or a service.
Applications go on the Wishes Application Form with a quotation and the child's most recent audiogram, emailed to wishes@cssef.org; schools must explain how they will use the resources, and can receive Deaf-specific equipment only where the Local Authority does not fund it.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the charity says a response can take up to 4 weeks.
Do not apply for Wishes support if the child lives outside Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire or the London areas formerly in Surrey, if the group works with people over 18, or if the request would not directly benefit a deaf child.

Overview

Chloe's and Sophie's Special Ears Fund is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1151263).

Chloe's and Sophie's Special Ears Fund exists to brighten the lives of Deaf children and to have a lasting impact on their wellbeing and mental health. It raises Deaf awareness in the local community and works to improve the education of Deaf children in mainstream schools, including by improving sound acoustics in classrooms. The fund began as a community fund raising pennies to put hessian and thick pile rugs into Chloe's classroom. Through Wishes Applications, schools can request equipment, acoustic enhancement materials, captioning technology, BSL resources and educational resources.

What they fund

Priority Areas

Chloe's and Sophie's Special Ears Fund supports Deaf children by raising Deaf awareness in local communities and improving their learning environments. It provides specialist equipment and materials to improve sound acoustics in mainstream classrooms and school halls, as well as resources and equipment to support children's emotional wellbeing. Its school support also includes British Sign Language courses, life-skills programmes, and adventure and enrichment activities for schools with Deaf Units or Deaf provisions. Through Wishes Applications, schools and non-profit groups working with deaf children can seek support for specific products, equipment or services that directly benefit a child or children. Schools can also request resources to raise Deaf awareness and work with the charity to develop the resources they need.

Themes

Deaf awareness
Classroom acoustics
Deaf children's wellbeing
BSL courses
Life skills
Adventure and enrichment

Geographic Focus

Surrey; Hampshire; Berkshire; London; Wrexham; Flintshire; Denbighshire.

What they don't fund

Wishes Applications only:
- Applications can only be filled out where the child is a resident within Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire and areas of London that were previously Surrey
- Applications can be made on behalf of individual deaf children, or from non-profit making groups and organisations working with deaf children up to, and including, the age of 18 years
- Requests for funding must be of clear and direct benefit to a deaf child or deaf children
- Schools located within our geographical focus can receive funding for Deaf-specific equipment only where funding for it is not available from the Local Authority

How to apply

Schools and non-profit groups working with deaf children can apply through the Wishes Application Form. Include a quotation for the equipment, product or service and the child's most recent audiogram, then email the completed form to wishes@cssef.org.

Who can apply:

Wishes Applications: Applications can be made on behalf of individual deaf children. Applications can also be made from non-profit making groups and organisations working with deaf children up to, and including, the age of 18 years.

What to send:

Wishes Applications
- A copy of the quotation for the equipment, product or services.
- A copy of the child’s most recent Audiogram.

Application success factors

What the charity says:

Requests should show a clear and direct benefit to a deaf child or children.
Applicants should include a quotation and the child’s most recent audiogram with the application.
Schools are asked to explain how they will use requested resources.
Schools can receive equipment support where Local Authority funding for Deaf-specific equipment is unavailable.

Where they fund

Where it says it funds

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to Chloe's and Sophie's Special Ears Fund.

Bernard Piggott Charitable TrustFixed deadlines Burbo Bank Extension Community FundFixed deadlinesGave £225k Chapman Charitable TrustFixed deadlinesGave £430k Earl of Chester's FundNo public processGave £370k North West Cancer ResearchFixed deadlinesGave £2M Sir Donald and Lady Edna Wilson Charitable TrustNo public processGave £364k The Arnold Lee Charitable TrustRollingGave £617k The Baptist Union of Great BritainNo public processGave £3.9M The Doreen Greenlees Discretionary Will TrustInvitation onlyGave £190k The Innholders’ Charitable FoundationMixed deadlinesGave £518k

Five years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 30 November 2021	£254,339	£180,604	—	Accounts for year to 30 November 2021
year to 30 November 2022	£310,601	£290,670	—	Accounts for year to 30 November 2022
year to 30 November 2023	£278,361	£391,128	—	Accounts for year to 30 November 2023
year to 30 November 2024	£306,842	£353,198	—	Accounts for year to 30 November 2024
year to 30 November 2025	£342,270	£329,063	—	Accounts for year to 30 November 2025

Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.