Police Children's Fund

The Police Children's Fund is a specialist UK charity with roots in the late 19th-century vision of Catherine Gurney, recently renamed in 2023 from The Gurney Fund, dedicated exclusively to supporting the education, development, and wellbeing of children from families affected by the death, serious injury, or early medical retirement of a police officer parent serving in one of 22 subscribing forces across England and Wales. Guided by compassion, care, and understanding, it provides tailored financial stability to help these children thrive amid profound family changes, drawing on a board of police-affiliated trustees, robust governance, and beneficiary feedback for equitable, long-term impact.

It funds individual families—not organisations—with weekly allowances for educational essentials like school uniforms, books, clubs, and sports kits, plus one-off grants (£50–£1,000) for school trips, computers, driving lessons, higher education, holiday programmes, mental health support, counselling, and celebratory gifts. Priorities emphasise enrichment opportunities, mental health resilience, and developmental milestones otherwise out of reach, as seen in cases like grants for triplets' sports activities after a Thames Valley officer's injury.

Eligibility is strictly for parents/guardians of qualifying children/young people from specified forces, requiring proof of police connection, financial details (income, expenditure, savings), and local welfare rep involvement; no geographic limits beyond England/Wales forces, no income thresholds, and no religious restrictions. Applications roll continuously via a financial form, with quarterly trustee decisions and annual reviews; new beneficiary grants start at £1,000. It rejects all organisational, project, or core funding, unsolicited charity applications, and duplicates other police welfare schemes, distinguishing itself as the principal charity laser-focused on this unique police family niche.