Children in Need's mission is to positively change the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the UK. Their vision is a society where each and every child and young person is supported to realise their potential.

In 2007 the BBC Children in Need Appeal raised over £37 million and for every penny donated to the charity, a penny will go towards projects helping disadvantaged children in the UK. They are able to make this promise because the charity uses its investment income to cover all opeational costs.

Every year, thanks to public donations and the amazing efforts of fundraisers, schools, businesses and corporate partners, they are able to provide support to thousands of youngsters aged 18 and under.

Children in Need provides this support in the form of grants to organisations working with children who may have experienced mental, physical or sensory disabilities; behavioural or psychological disorders; are living in poverty or situations of deprivation; or suffering through distress, abuse or neglect.

The size and scale of the BBC Children in Need Appeal means that they are able to give grants to hundreds of different organisations, some of which are very small and don't have the resources to fundraise for themselves.

The charity operates all year round, not just the months leading up to Appeal night, and their staff around the UK process thousands of applications for funding. Every year the funding requests exceed the amount of money raised so the charity carefully assess all applications to ensure that grants are targeted on areas of real need. Voluntary committee members, based in each region, draw on their expertise and local knowledge to advise the charity's board of Trustees which projects should receive grants, and funds are allocated geographically to ensure that all corners of the UK get a share of the money raised.

Click here to visit the Children in Need website