From our CEO, Lynne Morris OBE
So, we wrote a five-year plan
Every five years, charities do something quite brave and boring. We sit down, stare at a blank page and try to predict the future. Then we write it all down and invite everyone to hold us accountable – oh to work in the private sector.
If you have ever written a five-year plan, you will know it involves a lot of coffee and at least one moment of wondering whether strategy is even a thing! The jury is still out on that one for me. Saying that I am genuinely excited about our dreams and ideas for the next five years.
The headline -over the next five years, Toybox wants to support 60,000 street children and young people build a future full of hope and possibility. That is around 10,000 children every year, across Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Same hope and a bit more determination
We are not reinventing ourselves. Our model works, so we are not tearing it up just to look busy.
We will keep working alongside local organisations that know their streets, their context and their children far better than a small team in Milton Keynes ever could. They do the brilliant work on the ground. We back them with funding, training, support and a strong voice where it counts.
What is changing is how we equip ourselves for a bumpy decade ahead: more ways to raise money, sharper priorities, smarter use of technology and a team ready for whatever comes next.
Plans are lovely. Culture is Queen!
Somewhere around the fourth draft, I came to a conclusion: a strategy, however clear and lovely, is only words on a page. What turns those words into real change for children is our culture. That means how we treat each other, how brave we are prepared to be, and whether people feel free to try something new and get it wrong.
So, we have decided. As much of our energy will go into our culture as into our plan. In practice, this means:
• Being courageous. It is our core value: speaking the truth, challenging injustice and trying new things boldly, even when it feels a bit scary.
• Learning together, with regular learning days and training for everyone, whatever their role.
• Looking after each other, with wellbeing taken seriously and mentoring so leaders and new talent grow side by side.
• Making it safe to fail. You cannot try new things without some of them going wrong. We would rather fail fast than play it safe.
• Planning ahead, so every key role is covered and Toybox never depends on one person.
The money bit
I will not pretend otherwise: it is a tough time to be a charity. The UK has cut its aid budget, USAID has closed its doors, and every pound is harder won than it used to be.
So, we are getting creative. We plan to grow the money we raise from our wonderful supporters by 2–3% every year. We will test new ways for people to give and look for the one bold move that could transform our fundraising.
We are also getting better at what we do. Everyone on the team will spend 10–15% of their time finding smarter ways of working, and each year we will take on one big, bold idea. AI will help with the heavy lifting behind the scenes, so we can spend more time on what really matters.
Why I am so full of hope
An estimated 150 million children live or work on the streets. A number that big could make anyone feel small.
But hope is not about the big number. It is about one child, holding a birth certificate with their name on it. One child walking into a classroom for the first time. One family that stays together because someone stood with them at the right moment.
Join us
We cannot do any of this on our own, and honestly, we would not want to. Here are two ways to join in.
Give. A birth certificate. A place in school. A safer future. A regular gift, however small, is gold dust, because it lets us plan and keep our promises to these children. Donate now
Pray. We are a small charity with a big God and a long to-do list. Please pray for the children we serve, for our partners on the ground, and for our team as we put this plan into action. Get our prayer resources
