The Raft
Who We Are
A Brief History of The Raft
Why Do We Exist?
The history of The Raft starts in 2004 when a lady called Ruth (founding trustee of The Raft) had an idea of a country house or place where care experienced families could receive care, training, support and preparation for life.
A group of us started to meet together in 2016, representing different charities and churches from across Leicester, to chat, pray, share ideas and encourage each other in our roles supporting children and families impacted by trauma. We decided to called ourselves “The Raft”, for two main reasons:
1. As a symbol of a life raft, going out in the storm, offering support when its needed most, and
2. Because a raft is a collective noun for a group of penguins. In an Antarctic winter, the Emperor Penguins huddle together for warmth and to protect their young. They do this in community – aware of each other’s needs.
The Raft became a charity in 2021. We now have a growing team of volunteers, still committed to that original idea of 20 years ago – a place in Leicestershire, The Raft Centre, for care-experienced children and their families.
There’s a huge need for services to support care-experienced families In Leicestershire:
- Over 1000 local children are in contact with the foster care system.
- 31% of care leavers at age 16+ are not in any form of education, employment or training (December 2023 figures).
- Covid-19 lockdown restrictions have exacerbated the need for Leicestershire- based families.
If you have a heart for Leicestershire’s care-experienced families, please get in touch or donate here.
GET INVOLVED AT THE RAFT
The Raft has a Christian ethos and all our trustees
have a Christian faith. We are also all deeply committed to pulling together with volunteers and partner agencies from any or no faith background to strengthen the lives of care-experienced families.
If you’d like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you!
Meet The Team
Our Volunteers
Paul
Paul has experience of fostering and attends Knighton Church in Leicester. He became a Raft trustee and volunteer in 2023 and is our safeguarding lead.
Paul is a trained Lego Serious Play facilitator and delivers our Brain Builder project.
Debbie
Debbie is a foster carer and adopter and attends Hope Church in Wigston. She is
a passionate advocate for foster and adoptive families, and represents foster carers on
her local Corporate Parenting Forum. Aside from family and work commitments, Debbie
is a massive adrenalin junkie and has done parasailing, bungee jumping, gliding, white
water rafting and a sky dive. She is always on the look out for her next adventure!
Chris
Chris is an adopter and joined The Raft in 2023 as a trustee and treasurer. His passion lies in supporting adopted and fostered children and their families, ensuring they thrive and achieve the best possible outcomes in life.
Chris is trained as a Kintsugi Wellbeing Course group leader.
Julia
Julia’s strong Christian faith has helped her to be a kinship carer, foster carer and adopter. Since 2020 she’s gone through several challenges, including breast cancer during lockdown, 4 operations and two sudden family bereavements… and she’s still here to tell the tale with a smile! Julia loves trampolining and is living proof that we can bounce back, and bounce forward together from life’s struggles.
Leah
Leah is a parent and has extensive experience working with children, both in schools (as a teacher and teaching assistant) and through the charity TLG, providing targeted interventions for children needing extra support at school.
Leah is a trained Lego Serious Play facilitator and delivers our Brain Builder project.
carys
Carys joined our trustee board in 2025. She is a youth worker with over 15 years experience of working with children, young people and their families. She has extensive experience working with families who have walked through complex trauma, specifically domestic abuse. Carys is trained in the Non-Violent Resistant parenting approach. She also has a Diploma in Counselling. In her free time, Carys enjoys spending time with family, enjoying a chai latte and running.
