In 1876, the same year Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and Tchaikovsky completed Swan Lake, a group of people gathered in Leicester City Centre to establish what would become Charity Link. On 29 May of that year, the first meeting of the Leicester Charity Organisation Society was held, chaired by Mayor Alderman Barfoot. One hundred and fifty years later, the charity is still operating and still supporting people in financial hardship and crisis.
The Charity Organisation Society movement began in London in 1869, responding to poverty created by rapid urbanisation and the Poor Laws. Its founding principle was to give people enough support, financially or in kind, to help themselves. Charity Link has carried that approach forward for 150 years.
In 1975 the charity expanded its work across Leicestershire and Rutland. In 2012 it extended further to support people in Northamptonshire.
Charity Link supplies essential items including clothing, beds, white goods and medical and mobility equipment to individuals and families across Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire. Each year it supports around 5,000 people, a third of whom are children and young people. The charity receives referrals from 250 charities and community organisations, ensuring support reaches people when they need it.
Charity Link has provided support through the Spanish Flu epidemic, two World Wars, the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis. During the pandemic the charity launched the There With You Fund in partnership with Leicestershire Live and The Randal Charitable Foundation, distributing £850,000 of essential items between March 2020 and March 2021.
Charity Link also runs a Trust Administration Service, providing governance and clerkship support to other not-for-profit organisations, and a social enterprise, The Goods Depot, which offers beds, white goods and household items to businesses and organisations. Profits from both feed back into the charity’s core work.
In 2024 George Oliver became Chair of the organisation. That same year, George and CEO Sue McEniff welcomed HRH The Duke of Gloucester to Charity Link’s Leicester City Centre office.
Throughout 2026, Charity Link is marking its 150th anniversary with a range of activities. A Birthday Ball in May brought together staff, trustees, supporters and partners, raising over £8,000. A history timeline has been produced charting the charity’s journey, and stakeholders have been invited to contribute birthday messages to a 150th anniversary archive.
Coming up: the Leicestershire 3 Peaks 16-mile Challenge in September and a Supporter Thank You event in November. The charity is also inviting individuals and organisations to join its 150 Club by pledging to raise £150 during the year.
CEO Sue McEniff says: “I am honoured to be leading this organisation during this milestone year in its history. Whilst Charity Link has made and continues to make a massive impact, like most in the voluntary sector, we are facing extremely challenging times with rising overheads and a drop in donations. We hope our special birthday year will encourage interest in our work and support to ensure we can continue our vital work for many years to come. The huge difference we make is only possible thanks to the support of our referral partners and the wider community, and we are as passionate as ever about working together to improve lives in need.”
To find out more about Charity Link’s 150th anniversary, visit www.charity-link.org/150 or email hello@charity-link.org.
