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Media Centre

Information, resources and contact information for the media.

We are able to help with interview requests, stories, compelling case studies, images or video footage. Please get in touch with us to discuss how we can help. We can facilitate direct interview or filming opportunities where appropriate. 

We have over 35 years experience in supporting children and communities living 'on the edge' and have built up expertise in a number of areas. We have had our work featured by national and international outlets including BBC Radio 4, BBC South Today, BBC Woman's Hour, The Times, The Independent, The Guardian and The Telegraph. 

Our award winning work with Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh has become a model for best practice, winning an iF Design Social Impact Prize in 2023 and 2025. It was also selected as part of the HundrED spotlight on EdTech in Bangladesh, and our newest programme offering early childhood education for the youngest Congolese refugee children in Uganda has won a number of innovation awards.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Our Communications Team can help with media enquiries:

communications@childrenontheedge.org / +44 (0) 1243 538530

For out of hours contact, send a direct message with your contact number on Facebook and we’ll call you right back.

OUR SPOKESPEOPLE

Our Spokespeople are able to bring valuable perspectives on a myriad of children's rights issues from refugee education and the importance of early childhood development, to the nurturing of community ownership and the creation of safe places, especially in conflict or refugee settings. 

Rachel Bentley OBE

CEO & co-founder of Children on the Edge

Rachel co-founded Children on the Edge in 1990 with the late Dame Anita Roddick. She has been leading the organisation ever since, supporting thousands of children to realise their rights thanks to her expertise in Development and Child Rights. Rachel leads, and is personally involved in every programme we support and is able to speak in depth on what we do and why we do it, for each of the countries we work in; Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Uganda and Afghanistan. ​Rachel has an MSc in Development Management and a Masters of Advanced Studies (MCR) in Children's Rights. She was awarded the OBE in 2023.

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Ben Wilkes

Chief Operating Officer

Ben leads the team in the UK that supports and resources the work of our international partners. He has lived and worked on the projects we support overseas and as a result can speak first hand about our programmes and how they create a positive impact. 

Ben is no stranger to the camera and features in many of our videos. He has also appeared on BBC South Today to speak about our digital education programme in Bangladesh. 

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Esther Smitheram

Communications Manager

Esther leads our Communications Team and liaises daily with local partners to obtain the latest information, images and videos for us to share with the media, our donors and supporters.

A decade of working with Children on the Edge means Esther has an in-depth understanding of our work and all our programmes, past and present.

With an MSc in International Political Communication, Advocacy and Campaigning, Esther focuses on ensuring that the children and communities we work with have their voices heard and are able to tell their own stories.

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Awards & Recognition

Children on the Edge are proud to have been recognised for our work supporting some of the world's most marginalised children, living in some of the toughest situations.

Annual Report

Throughout the past year, we have supported communities to provide education and protection to over 15,500 children living in some of the toughest situations around the world.

Our Approach

We envision a world in which every child can flourish and thrive no matter where they live and irrespective of the challenging circumstances they face.

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