The Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust (FTCT) has launched its 2026–2031 strategy, calling on UK fashion and textile retailers and brands to help extend financial support to children whose families are facing hardship. Over the five years, the charity aims to award £2.4m in grants, an increase of 32%, and support 4,600 children, up 21%. Stronger partnerships with retailers and brands, alongside increased external fundraising, will underpin the plans.
Using Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, FTCT estimates that around 8% of the industry’s 1.4 million workforce are parents or carers experiencing significant financial hardship. It also estimates that approximately 221,000 children in fashion and textile families are facing hardship. The new target builds on the 3,800 children supported during FTCT’s 2021–2026 strategic period, when the charity responded to 13,838 enquiries and awarded £1.82m in direct grant funding.
FTCT is encouraging more businesses to join existing industry partners, including Marks & Spencer, John Lewis Partnership, John Smedley, Charles Tyrwhitt, Boden and NEXT, to help reach families in need.
Commenting on the strategy is Anna Pangbourne, chief executive of the Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust. “As FTCT approaches its 175th anniversary, this strategy sets out the ambition to extend our financial safety-net to more families than ever before due to increasing demand. We know that families continue to face financial pressures and parents often tell us about the difficulties they face with rising household costs and the economic uncertainty caused by both global and national issues.
“In order to support more families we are driving a step-change in employer engagement over the next five years. Our goal is to deepen our engagement with employers and significantly widen our community of industry partners to mobilise our industry network and establish FTCT as the primary champion for families across our sector.”
FTCT is the only UK charity focused exclusively on supporting the children of people working in the UK fashion and textile industry.
Its grants, which have a three-week turnaround, help families cover essentials including school uniform, beds and bedding, mobility equipment and therapies for specialist needs. Employer partnerships play a key role in connecting eligible families with support. Over the last three years, 37% of grants resulted directly from FTCT’s partnerships with industry employers, helping facilitate £429,000 in practical financial support.
Highlighting the value of the partnership, Charmaine Higgins, Boden’s people operations manager and charity lead, says, “The decade-long partnership strengthens Boden’s commitment to being a family-friendly employer, particularly at a time when many parents are balancing rising childcare costs with increasing financial pressures.”
Brand partners receive a tailored promotional plan, year-round support and bespoke annual reports offering insights into the financial pressures facing parents in their workforce. The partnership complements employee wellbeing provision by raising awareness of the discreet financial support available.
In developing its 2026-2031 strategy, FTCT spoke directly with more than 200 parents working across the UK fashion and textile industry. It found the scale of need significantly exceeds the Trust’s current reach, making wider industry engagement and external fundraising central to FTCT’s success in supporting the vulnerable. To view the full FTCT 2026-2031 strategy, please click here.