Spotlight on: Campden Edge
This week is Small Charity Week (22–29 June 2026) and we’re taking the opportunity to shine a light on the amazing work being done by some of Gloucestershire’s small charities.
Today we’re taking a look at Campden Edge (https://www.campdenedge.org/)
Tell us a bit about Campden Edge
Since 2013, Campden Edge has enabled hundreds of students aged between 8 and 26 in our local area to access regular Arts education, e.g. music or drama lessons, workshops and art supplies, etc. So often, young people from lower income families are excluded from enjoying the same opportunities as others. With the help of donors, we can change this inequality, making a positive difference to their lives.
We are run by 5 volunteers and only use approximately 1% of our income on overheads.
How does your organisation contribute to the local community?
Since raising the issue of rural poverty and the disadvantage experienced by people from low-income families, more members of our community have become involved in giving money to support us - and to other local charities. Consequently, some of those donors are now enjoying having much closer links in the neighbourhood, and experiencing the enormous pleasure of seeing how their financial contribution helps.
Through the work that we, and others do, we have helped to create a much more cohesive town, showing that local charities can have the biggest impact on how lives can be changed for the better.
We feel strongly that an Arts Education is vital in strengthening self-confidence and critical thinking. It also boosts self-esteem, encourages discipline, and helps to develop the creative skills our young people will need for their future. We are not ‘just’ paying for lessons, we are helping to improve students’ outcomes by giving them additional skills to succeed, whether in the Arts or in other areas of their lives.
The young people we support never cease to be amazed that ‘random’ people are supporting them.
We are an active supporter of Pathfinders, Chipping Campden School’s new alternative provision initiative, which helps pupils who are most at risk of permanent exclusion from school, or who are unable to attend mainstream school.
Any recent successes that we should know about?
We have sponsored young people who have gone on to get scholarships at top music and drama schools, and more youngsters are now taking GCSE & A Level music than before; however, the hidden successes are equally important. By that we mean, giving any child the opportunity to explore their creativity and to experience the myriad other benefits that an Arts education can provide.
Ultimately, we hope to see more state school students enjoying successful, fulfilling careers.
What are your main challenges at present?
Our key challenges are being able to reach the most vulnerable families, particularly those who have children who can’t/won’t attend school for a variety of reasons. In order to access these families, we have connected with various organisations and people to promote the work our charity does, including the Gloucestershire Police Vulnerabilities Officer – this latter contact has worked exceptionally well.
We have also been instrumental in setting up a Community Partnership Group with Campden School and through this we, and other local charities, have been able to access and help the most vulnerable families.
Working with Campden School, we plan to organise a meeting with teachers from all the local primary schools, to explore the needs of parents who have children with complex SEN needs. This will be followed by a meeting with those parents who wish to attend. This is a multi-faceted approach, i.e. looking into how we can prevent more school exclusions, and offering more support to children who are being home schooled.
How can the wider community help?
Our charity relies on financial support from our local community on the one hand, and word of mouth promotion of our objectives to those people who would benefit from our support on the other.
What are your plans for the future?
We will continue to evolve as and when necessary; keeping a close eye on changing local need and Government policies.
You can find out more about Campden Edge by visiting their website (https://www.campdenedge.org/) or e-mailing campdenedge@gmail.com
If you’d like to make a donation, visit https://www.campdenedge.org/donate