About

George Gibson a certified assistant in 1889 was given Standard 4, a class of 71 boys at South Street School in Hillfields, Coventry.

It was a time of great poverty. The boys were ‘wretchedly-clothed, under-nourished and almost bootless’.

George placed a ‘boot box’ on his desk and invited better-off boys and visitors to contribute money to buy boots and warm clothing for those in need.

By 1893 the ‘boot box’ was so successful that it was decided that a City-wide Boot Fund should be launched. There was a special meeting set up by Gibson and his friend Thomas Burbage (the owner of the Coventry Standard, a weekly newspaper) to ratify the decision. Burbage chaired, with William Hillman, John Gulson, James Starley, Joseph Cash, Dr. Webb Fowler, Rev. F Beaumont, George Gibson and Police Sgt James Shelley in attendance and agreement.

The Children’s Boot Fund was born.

The Children’s Boot Fund was founded in the poverty of industrial Coventry at the end of the 19^th century.

It has served the children of the city through 2 world wars, the depression of the 30s and the ups and downs of the late 20^th century.

Unfortunately, the pressure of today’s fast-moving world can leave a young family behind. Even today many children attend school wearing worn out or poorly fitting shoes, which parents simply cannot afford to replace.

We do carefully assess the need, but we do not judge – it is the child that matters.

When you see a child at school wearing ill fitting, worn out leaking shoes in winter because the parents cannot afford to replace them, you realise that the Children’s Boot Fund is as relevant today as it was over 125years ago.

Patron: David Moorcroft OBE

Chair: Janet McConkey

Deputy Chair: Lucy Hardstaff

Treasurer: Martin Harban

Secretary: Peter Hancock

Committee: Bill Smith, Pat Timmons, Jackie Lapworth, Suzanne Whiteman