Helping Herts

Charity Number: 284482

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M
Geographic Focus: Hertfordshire

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ~£318,000 (2024); over £1 million since 2021
  • Success Rate: Limited (12 charities selected annually from applicants)
  • Decision Time: ~4 weeks (applications typically due October, decisions November)
  • Grant Range: Variable based on charity engagement (2024 examples: £31,381 - £45,732)
  • Geographic Focus: Hertfordshire

Contact Details

  • Website: www.helpingherts.com
  • Email: hello@helpingherts.com
  • Phone: 01279 888491
  • Address: The Old Grain Store, Bromley Lane, Much Hadham, Hertfordshire SG10 6HU

Overview

Helping Herts (charity number 284482) was originally registered in 1982 as the Rotary Club of Stansted Stort Valley Trust Fund before being relaunched in 2021 by Gordon Morrison BEM and Jim Tatchell. The charity operates as a fundraising intermediary that supports 12 children and young people's charities across Hertfordshire each year. Since 2021, Helping Herts has raised over £1 million for local charities, with £318,639 distributed in 2024 alone benefiting over 50,000 children and young people. For the 2024 financial year, the charity reported total income of £414,936 and expenditure of £332,269. Founder Gordon Morrison, who sold his construction company for £262 million in 2000, brings significant business expertise to the charity sector. As he states: "Charity is a business, and if you put non-business people into business, it won't succeed." Gordon Morrison was honoured at the High Sheriff Awards 2023 for his work with Helping Herts.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Helping Herts operates an annual charity partnership programme selecting 12 charities across three tiers:

  • Large charities (2 partners): £1m+ annual turnover
  • Medium charities (4 partners): £500,000 - £1m annual turnover
  • Small charities (6 partners): Under £500,000 annual turnover

Funding is distributed based on charity engagement and fundraising participation. In 2024, individual grants ranged from approximately £31,000 to £46,000, with top recipients including Playskill (£45,732), Herts Young Homeless (£38,856), and SPACE (£31,381).

Priority Areas

  • Children and young people's welfare
  • Mental health support
  • Learning disabilities
  • Youth mentoring
  • Family hardship
  • Domestic abuse support
  • Homelessness prevention for young people
  • Neurodivergent children and families

What They Don't Fund

  • Charities operating outside Hertfordshire (unless national with local presence)
  • Adult-only services (primary focus is children and young people)
  • Organisations unable to commit to partnership requirements
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Gordon Morrison BEM (Appointed January 2020) - Founder
  • Susan Mary Haddock (Appointed July 2017)
  • James Robert Sutton Tatchell (Appointed April 2024) - Co-founder
  • Richard Gilkes (Appointed April 2024)

Operational Team:

  • Josh Danbury-Nolan - Chief Operating Officer
  • Marie Pate - Charity Liaison Lead
  • Sarah Clancy - Digital Marketing Lead
  • Amana Ahmed - Social Media Lead
  • Sarah Jenkinson - PR Manager
  • Sally Bond - Project Coordinator
  • Richard Gilkes - Finance

The charity operates with 4 trustees and 15 volunteers. No trustees receive remuneration.

Gordon Morrison on his approach: “If you can do something, you should do it...helping others motivates me more than leisure. I would feel unproductive otherwise.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications for the annual charity partnership are made via Google Form, typically opening in autumn each year. All applications are assessed by the six-member Helping Herts team.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must provide services in Hertfordshire
  • National charities considered if they have local presence
  • Size categorisation based on annual turnover

Partnership Requirements

Selected charities must commit to:

  • Participate in four major annual events (February challenge, Spring Founders challenge, Great Big Walk, October challenge)
  • Organise an event during Helping Herts Week (late June/early July)
  • Participate in at least one partnership event
  • Attend Helping Herts networking meetings
  • Support social media campaigns and provide promotional content

Decision Timeline

  • Application Deadline: Typically mid-October (2024: October 18th)
  • Decision Notification: Typically mid-November (2024: week of November 18th)
  • Partnership Duration: One calendar year

What Partners Receive

  • Monthly social media focus promoting their charity
  • Coverage in newsletters and blogs
  • Quarterly networking meetings and training
  • Monthly net-walking events
  • CEO networking opportunities
  • Four organised fundraising events annually
  • Match-funding opportunities for pre-agreed events

Application Success Factors

Evaluation Criteria (from Helping Herts):

  • Quality and quantity of engagement potential
  • Social media support capability
  • Expected partnership impact
  • Volunteering opportunities offered
  • Alignment with other charity partners in the cohort

What Makes Strong Applicants:

  • Clear focus on children and young people in Hertfordshire
  • Demonstrated capacity to actively participate in fundraising events
  • Strong social media presence and engagement capability
  • Willingness to collaborate with other partner charities
  • Alignment with Helping Herts' community-building approach

Recent Partner Examples (2024-2025):

  • Grove Cottage (learning disabilities)
  • Hertfordshire Mind Network (mental health)
  • Home-Start Herts (early childhood support)
  • Herts Young Homeless (16-24 homelessness)
  • Playskill (paediatric therapy)
  • Coram Life Education (health education)
  • SPACE Hertfordshire (neurodivergent support)
  • CHEXS (family mental health)
  • Future Living Hertford (domestic abuse)
  • GRIT (teen mental health)
  • Watford Mencap (learning disabilities)
  • Herts Inclusive Theatre (arts programmes)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Partnership model, not traditional grants: Helping Herts operates an annual partnership selecting 12 charities rather than funding individual projects. Funds are distributed based on engagement and participation in fundraising activities.
  • Active participation required: Partner charities must commit to significant engagement including four major events, an event during Helping Herts Week, networking meetings, and social media support.
  • Hertfordshire focus essential: Services must be delivered in Hertfordshire. National charities need demonstrable local presence.
  • Size matters for categorisation: Applications are evaluated against other charities of similar size (large, medium, small tiers), so understand where your organisation fits.
  • Collaborative mindset valued: The partnership creates a community of shared ideas and events. Charities that can work well with others in the cohort are preferred.
  • Match-funding opportunity: Helping Herts provides match-funding for pre-agreed events, potentially doubling fundraising impact.
  • Application timing critical: Partnership applications typically open in autumn with October deadlines. Plan ahead to prepare a strong submission.

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References

Information

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Helping Herts fund?

Grant Programs Helping Herts operates an annual charity partnership programme selecting 12 charities across three tiers: Large charities (2 partners): £1m+ annual turnover Medium charities (4 partners): £500,000 - £1m annual turnover Small charities (6 partners): Under £500,000 annual turnover Funding is distributed based on charity engagement and fundraising participation. In 2024, individual grants ranged from approximately £31,000 to £46,000, with top recipients including Playskill (£45,732), Herts Young Homeless (£38,856), and SPACE (£31,381).

How much funding does Helping Herts provide?

Helping Herts provides grants ranging from Variable based on charity engagement (2024 examples: £31,381 - £45,732), with total annual giving of approximately ~£318,000 (2024); over £1 million since 2021.

How do I contact Helping Herts?

Website: www. helpingherts.

Is Helping Herts a registered charity?

Yes, Helping Herts is a registered charity with the Charity Commission (charity number 284482). They primarily serve organisations in Hertfordshire.

How do I apply to Helping Herts?

How to Apply Applications for the annual charity partnership are made via Google Form, typically opening in autumn each year. All applications are assessed by the six-member Helping Herts team.

Where is Helping Herts based?

Helping Herts is based in Much Hadham. They fund organisations in Hertfordshire.