Helping Presbyterian children since 1866... HISTORY looking back The Society was founded in 1866 in...

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Helping Presbyterianchildren since 1866


‘You have not lived today until you have done

something for someone who can never repay you.’


HISTORY looking back

The Society was founded in 1866 in Belfast during the Victorian era :

• Belfast was the centre of Irish Presbyterianism, and grew to 349,000 people in 1901 from 19,000 people in 1801;

• Belfast had many social problems including growing numbers of destitute children;

• The Church was challenged by the growing social need in the towns and cities.



During its fi rst year, the Society helped 175 children with total grants amounting to £75 for that year!

Case histories from the early years:

A family of three children had no parents. Two children were supported until they were apprenticed at 14 years of age. One child died of Typhoid aged 11.

A family of four children whose father had died and mother struggled fi nancially were supported until they emigrated to America in 1884.

A father was left to care for his two children when their mother died. One of the children became seriously ill and the Society helped to support the family through this diffi cult time.



“The Society came into existence as a response to the inability of both Church and state to cater properly for the orphan and destitute child.”

“…the Society was a more humane alternative to foundling hospitals and the workhouse.”

Dr Paul Gray, Generations of Generosity


The Society’s founders were:

Rev Dr William Johnston Dr Wilberforce Arnold



Other key fi gures in the Church and civic society gave their support too.

Here’s why Presbyterians responded to the need:

“And what then are the motives urging us to engage in this work? They are the highest possible! Herein consists a part of that ‘pure and undefi led religion’ which the Bible urges us to revere and teaches us to practice.”


The Foundation Document


The Society, founded on Biblical principles, has been used as an instrument of compassion.

• We have a responsibility to each other

• We should give generously to support each other

THE BIBLE looking deeper

(James 1:27)

(Acts 2:44; Gal. 6:2)


• We have a duty to support God’s work fi nancially ‘according to our means’

• We have a duty to ‘share freely with the poor and with others in need’

What God asks of us is clear: “My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don’t do anything to show that you really do have faith? Can that kind of faith save you? If you know someone who doesn’t have any clothes or food, you shouldn’t just say, “I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.” What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help? Faith that doesn’t lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead!”

(James 2:14-17)

THE BIBLE looking deeper

(2 Cor. 8:3,11)

(Deut. 15:11)


SOCIETY looking around



o that we just have ‘Economic Pressures’ and ‘Social Pressures’ in two boxes and keep the image on the right, it’s perfect.

Presbyterian families today continue to face pressures.

Economic pressures

Social pressures


Today the Society meets the needs of Presbyterian families and their children through:

Regular Grants

Exceptional Grants

Other Presbyterian childcare related projects




We are helping around 840 children in 430 families from a variety of backgrounds with regular and special grants.

Parents separated or divorced – 44%

Parent deceased – 16%

Single mother – 15%

No parents – 5%

Other – 20%

[Insert infographic on families helped by the Societyamend � gures to around 800 children and 410 families]

New percentages are: parents separated or divorced 48%Parent deceased 16%, single mother 10%, No parents 5%, other 21%



Exceptional Grants

Exceptional grants are a growing part of the Society’s work and are there to meet a specific need.

2000 2005 2010 2015 2018

£90,000

£80,000

£70,000

£60,000

£50,000

£40,000

£30,000

£20,000

£10,000

£79,944

£48,250



Execeptional grants have been used to help families with:

• Child Care Needs

• Educational Expenses

• Funeral Costs

• General Household Expenses

• Children’s Holidays


The Society has helped meet the needs of

Over 43,000 children

Over 17,500 families

Over 153 years.

CHILDREN looking forward


Income (2018) %Congregations & Individual Subscriptions 40Investment Income & Other Income 60

Total 100

Expenditure (2018) %Grants to Children and Young People 75Other services for Children and Young People 1Administration 17Other Expenditure 7

Total 100

Congregations & Individual Subscriptions 40

Grants to Children and Young People 75Grants to Children and Young People 75

Administration 17Administration 17

Money Matters



“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”

Prayerfully

Financiallyand

You can help the Society



5th Floor, Glengall Exchange3 Glengall StreetBelfast BT12 5AB

Tel. +44 (0)28 9032 3737

Email. [email protected]

Web. www.presbyterianchildrenssociety.org

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