Baptist founder at heart of charity identity 

Spurgeons children’s charity is putting Christ, and its founder Charles Spurgeon, at the heart of its identity and mission as it undergoes a rebrand as part of its 150th anniversary

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a Baptist minister, founded the charity in 1867 as a compassionate and distinctively Christian response to the plight of orphaned and vulnerable children in London.

Today it is one of the UK's leading children's charities, supporting children and families affected by social disadvantage. In the last year, it delivered over 80 services, reaching over 37,000 children and 64,000 parents or carers.

It is marking its anniversary year with a rebrand, including new logo (pictured) and website, which were unveiled on Monday (13 March). The work draws on the legacy of the charity's founder. 

The ‘S’ from Spurgeon's signature has been incorporated into the new logo to illustrate an embrace between parent and child, and the cared for and the carer.

The charity's new strapline; ‘Hope for every child’, springs from Spurgeon’s values of hope, compassion and inclusivity and is inspired by his teachings: “Faith goes up the stairs that love has built and looks out the windows which hope has opened.”
 
'Spurgeons is rooted in the story of our founder Charles Haddon Spurgeon,' said the charity's chief executive Ross Hendry. 'A remarkable man of God, Spurgeon’s work was built on the rock of God’s word and the power of prayer.

'The Holy Spirit softened Spurgeon’s heart to the needs of vulnerable children. The vision he and his supporters were given was realised through the Holy Spirit’s power to transform lives – both those who backed the mission to build an orphanage and the lives of the children who went on to receive care.

'Today, Spurgeons seeks to honour this legacy through our work and by reaching out to the wider church community. The need now is as great as it was then. The work we do with vulnerable children and families is even more complex, but still seeking to be faithful to our calling.'



 
The charity’s church work includes its ‘Together for Families’ project, funded by Spurgeons, and one-off funding via ‘Working with People in Need,’ distributed by the Diocese of Peterborough.

The charity plans to use the anniversary year to build on its partnership work with churches involved in community outreach.
 
It has three staff building up relationships with churches involved in community outreach based in the Peterborough area, East Northants and West Wiltshire. They help to get groups off the ground in socially isolated areas, as well as offering support to existing groups through extra parenting or child development sessions, plus activities and training for volunteers.
 
Mr Hendry said, 'For over 150 years children, parents, communities, supporters and statutory agencies have trusted us to be consistently led by our values that are rooted in the Christian faith.

'As part of our desire to honour our calling to serve Jesus faithfully, we want the values that are core to who we are to be reflected in all that we do. We warmly invite churches to share our vision, to partner us and join in the work Spurgeon began 150 years ago.'

To see how your church can get involved visit: www.spurgeons.org