SOS Children's Villages UK, is an international children's

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * C ...

based in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...

in the United Kingdom. It is part of the international federation

SOS Children's Villages SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-governmental, nonprofit international development organization headquartered in Innsbruck, Austria. The organization provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children in need and protect ...

– the largest international charity dedicated to the care of children who have lost parental care. Internationally, SOS Children's Villages works in 136 countries and territories, of which it provides services in 125. Its goal is to ensure that no child grows up alone. Programmes include Children's Villages where a child who has nobody to care for them, SOS Children's Villages offers them a family-like home in 550 SOS village communities around the world with dedicated SOS parents who give the children the individual care and attention they need, and SOS siblings to grow up with. Family strengthening programmes where SOS Children's Villages works directly with families to provide practical and emotional support to help parents and caregivers look after their children. Youth employability and vocational training programmes to provide young people with the skills and confidence to build fulfilling careers and independent lives. In conflict zones and disaster-hit areas SOS Children's Villages provide children with specific protection and care utilising their global infrastructure. The charity is non-denominational and works in the spirit of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

Convention on the Rights of the Child The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC or UNCRC) is an international human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children. The Co ...

. Since 1995, SOS Children's Villages has worked with the United Nations to help governments and organisations support children who have lost or are at risk of losing parental care. In 2009, the charity worked with other experts to develop the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children. In 1969 chairman of SOS Children's Villages UK,

Dickson Mabon Jesse Dickson Mabon (1 November 1925 – 10 April 2008), sometimes known as Dick Mabon, was a Scottish politician, physician and business executive. He was the founder of The Manifesto Group of Labour MPs, an alliance of moderate MPs who foug ...

attempted to arrange the construction of Children's Villages in Scotland. However, he was refused permission to build the Villages on planning grounds by the local authorities concerned.

Supporters and Ambassadors

Supporters include Stephen Hawking,

Alexander McCall Smith Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE (born 24 August 1948), is a British writer. He was raised in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and formerly Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. He became an expert on medical law an ...

Anyika Onuora Anyika Onuora (born 28 October 1984) is a retired British sprint track and field athlete who competed in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres, and also the 4×100 metres relay and 4x400 metres relay. Specialising in the short sprints a ...

, Richard Attenborough,

Kate Humble Katherine Mary Humble (born 12 December 1968) is an English television presenter and narrator, mainly working for the BBC, specialising in wildlife and science programmes. Humble served as President of the Royal Society for the Protection of Bi ...

and

Wayne Rooney Wayne Mark Rooney (born 24 October 1985) is an English professional football manager and former player, who is the manager of Major League Soccer club D.C. United in the United States. He spent much of his playing career as a forward while ...

. International Ambassador, as of April 2014, is Belgian footballer

Vincent Kompany Vincent Jean Mpoy Kompany (; ; born 10 April 1986) is a Belgian professional football manager and former player who played as a centre-back and is the current manager of EFL Championship club Burnley. He most notably played for Manchester Ci ...

Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...

is a long-term supporter and has visited SOS Children's Villages in Haiti, Ethiopia and Jordan. Nelson Mandela was a supporter of SOS Children's Villages work in South Africa and officially opened the SOS Children's Village in Cape Town. Upon his death in December 2013, SOS Children's Villages joined in memorials to celebrate his life. The Dalai Lama supports SOS Children, particularly the SOS Children's Villages in North India, which provide a home for child refugees from Tibet.

Trustees

Current trustees are Michael Brewer (Interim Chair of Trustees), Graham Budd, Matthew de Villiers, Nicola Robert, Ian Briggs, Susie Hargreaves and Solava Ibrahim. Previous Trustees have included George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews. Dame Mary Richardson is their President.

References

{{Authority control Development charities based in the United Kingdom Charities based in Cambridgeshire Children's charities based in the United Kingdom SOS Children's Villages