If your family has been through clubfoot treatment, or you simply want to support others in the same situation, donating to a clubfoot charity in the UK is one of the most direct ways to make a difference. This guide covers the main organisations working in this space, what your money funds, how to volunteer, and how to choose where your support will have the greatest impact.
UK Clubfoot Charities: Who Does What
Steps Charity Worldwide
Website: steps-charity.org.uk
Charity number: 1094343
Focus: Lower limb conditions including clubfoot, hip dysplasia, and other musculoskeletal conditions affecting children and adults
Steps is the primary UK charity for families affected by clubfoot. Founded by parents in 1994, it has grown into the leading source of information, support, and advocacy for lower limb conditions in the UK.
What your donation funds:
- Helpline and one-to-one parent support — trained staff and parent volunteers who answer questions, provide emotional support, and guide families through the treatment pathway. This service is particularly valued by newly diagnosed families who need immediate reassurance and information
- Information resources — leaflets, online guides, and videos about Ponseti treatment, boots and bar management, and living with clubfoot
- Family events and workshops — regional meetups where families connect with others going through similar experiences. These events are consistently rated as transformative by attendees
- Advocacy and campaigning — lobbying for improved NHS services, standardised treatment pathways, and better support for transition from paediatric to adult care
- Research funding — supporting studies into clubfoot treatment, outcomes, and quality of life
- Worldwide programmes — Steps also works internationally to bring Ponseti training and resources to countries where clubfoot often goes untreated
How to donate:
- Online at steps-charity.org.uk/donate
- Regular direct debit (even £3/month funds significant helpline time)
- Fundraising events — Steps organises challenge events (walks, runs, bike rides) and supports individual fundraisers
- Gift Aid — if you're a UK taxpayer, ticking the Gift Aid box adds 25% to your donation at no extra cost to you
- Legacy gifts — including Steps in your will
MiracleFeet
Website: miraclefeet.org
Focus: Global clubfoot treatment — bringing Ponseti method to children in low- and middle-income countries
While MiracleFeet is a US-based organisation, UK donors can contribute and the impact is directly relevant to the global clubfoot community. An estimated 80% of the 150,000+ babies born with clubfoot each year are in countries where treatment is not readily available. MiracleFeet works to close this gap.
What your donation funds:
- Ponseti training for clinicians — teaching doctors, physiotherapists, and health workers in over 30 countries to perform Ponseti treatment
- Clinic setup and equipment — providing casting materials, boots and bars, and clinic infrastructure in underserved regions
- Patient outreach — identifying children with untreated clubfoot in communities where the condition often goes unaddressed
- Treatment costs — approximately £200 covers the full cost of treating one child from casting through to brace completion
The impact statistic is striking: for the price of a family meal out, you can fund the complete treatment of a child who would otherwise grow up with a permanent disability.
Global Clubfoot Initiative (GCI)
Website: globalclubfoot.com
Focus: International Ponseti training and sustainable clubfoot care programmes
GCI works to build sustainable, locally-led clubfoot treatment programmes in countries with the highest unmet need. Their approach focuses on training local clinicians and embedding Ponseti treatment within existing healthcare systems.
What your donation funds:
- Training workshops for healthcare workers
- Development of treatment protocols adapted to local contexts
- Quality monitoring and outcome tracking
- Research into barriers to treatment access
CURE International
Website: cure.org
Charity number: 1094705 (UK)
Focus: Surgical and non-surgical treatment of children with disabilities in Africa
CURE operates children's hospitals in several African countries that treat clubfoot alongside other orthopaedic conditions. Their UK entity allows tax-efficient giving for British donors.
What your donation funds:
- Direct patient care — Ponseti treatment and surgical intervention where needed
- Hospital operating costs — staff, equipment, and consumables
- Follow-up care — ensuring children complete the full bracing protocol
STEPS Foundation (South Africa)
While separate from the UK Steps Charity, this organisation runs Ponseti treatment programmes across Southern Africa. UK donors can contribute directly. Their work is particularly focused on ensuring that children in rural areas can access and complete treatment.
Other Ways to Support
Volunteering
If you'd prefer to give time rather than money, several options exist:
Steps Charity Volunteers
- Parent volunteer programme: Experienced clubfoot parents trained to support newly diagnosed families via phone, email, or in-person meetings. This is one of the most impactful volunteer roles — hearing from someone who's been through the same experience is consistently rated as the most helpful intervention by new parents
- Event volunteers: Helping at family days, fundraising events, and information stands
- Fundraising champions: Organising your own events or challenges to raise money
- Office support: Steps' office in Warrington sometimes needs administrative volunteers
Hospital-Based Volunteering
Some NHS trusts run parent buddy programmes where experienced clubfoot parents are paired with newly diagnosed families within the hospital. Ask your clubfoot clinic whether they have a scheme or would be interested in starting one. Many clinicians welcome parent volunteers as they provide a type of support that medical professionals cannot.
Online Support
Running or moderating a clubfoot parent Facebook group, answering questions in online forums, or sharing your treatment story on social media all contribute to the support network that many families rely on. This requires no formal volunteering commitment — just willingness to share your experience.
Fundraising Ideas
If you want to raise money for clubfoot charities, here are ideas that clubfoot families have used successfully:
- Boot-and-bar-themed sponsored walk: Participants walk a set distance with their children — including those in boots and bar pushchairs. Steps Charity can provide promotional materials
- Birthday fundraiser: Instead of gifts for a child's birthday, ask guests to donate to a clubfoot charity. Facebook allows you to create birthday fundraisers directly
- Challenge events: Sponsored runs (parkrun, Great North Run, London Marathon), cycle rides, or swims. Most charities have charity places for major events or will support independent entries
- Bake sales: At school, workplace, or community centre. Simple but effective
- Clubfoot awareness day: World Clubfoot Day is 3 June (Dr Ponseti's birthday). Use this date to raise awareness and funds through workplace events, school assemblies, or social media campaigns
- End-of-treatment celebration: When your child finishes brace treatment, mark the milestone by fundraising for other families starting theirs
Donating Equipment
Families often have boots and bars that their child has outgrown. While second-hand equipment isn't generally suitable for UK NHS patients (who receive new equipment free of charge), outgrown boots and bars can be donated to:
- International programmes: Steps Charity and MiracleFeet can sometimes accept equipment donations for use in low-resource settings where new equipment isn't available
- Research projects: Some university research departments studying clubfoot bracing use donated equipment
- Awareness displays: Charities use real boots and bars for event displays and educational materials
Before donating equipment, check with the organisation whether they can accept it — not all can, due to storage, shipping, and regulatory considerations.
Tax-Efficient Giving
For UK taxpayers, there are several ways to maximise the value of your donation:
Gift Aid
If you pay UK income tax, Gift Aid allows the charity to reclaim 25p from HMRC for every £1 you donate, at no extra cost to you. A £10 donation becomes £12.50. Higher-rate taxpayers can also claim the difference between basic and higher rate on their self-assessment tax return, making a £10 donation effectively cost you £7.50.
Payroll Giving
Donate directly from your salary before tax is deducted. This means you get immediate tax relief and the charity receives the full amount without needing to claim Gift Aid. Many employers offer payroll giving through schemes like Charities Trust or Charitable Giving.
Leaving a Legacy
Gifts to charity in your will are exempt from inheritance tax. Even a small percentage bequest can make a significant difference. Charities like Steps can provide will-writing guidance and templates for including charitable bequests.
Matched Giving
Many employers match charitable donations made by their staff. Check your company's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy — your £50 donation might become £100 at no extra cost to you.
Raising Awareness Without Spending Money
Not everyone can donate money, and that's fine. Awareness-raising is equally valuable:
- Share your story: Writing about your family's clubfoot experience on social media, a blog, or through Steps Charity's story-sharing platform helps reduce the fear and isolation that newly diagnosed families feel
- World Clubfoot Day (3 June): Post about clubfoot on social media using #WorldClubfootDay. Share photos (with consent), statistics, and information about treatment
- Correct misconceptions: When you encounter outdated or inaccurate information about clubfoot in conversation or online, provide the correct information. The parent guide and diagnosis guide on this site are shareable resources
- Talk to your community: Schools, nurseries, health visitors, and midwives benefit from understanding clubfoot better. Offer to share your experience if appropriate
How Your Money Compares
To help you understand the impact of donations at different levels:
- £5: Funds a helpline call with a newly diagnosed parent
- £20: Produces and distributes information packs to families at one NHS clinic
- £50: Supports a parent volunteer through training to help other families
- £100: Funds a family's attendance at a Steps Charity family event
- £200: Covers the complete Ponseti treatment of one child in a low-income country (through MiracleFeet)
- £500: Supports the development of new parent information resources for a year
- £1,000+: Can fund research into improved bracing technology, treatment protocols, or quality-of-life studies
Choosing Where to Donate
When deciding which charity to support, consider:
- Local vs global impact: Steps Charity focuses on UK families; MiracleFeet and GCI focus on countries where untreated clubfoot remains a major disability. Both are legitimate priorities
- Check the charity's accounts: All UK registered charities publish annual accounts on the Charity Commission website (beta.charitycommission.gov.uk). Look at spending ratios — how much goes to charitable activities vs administration
- Personal connection: If a specific organisation supported your family, giving back to them is a natural and meaningful choice
- You can split your donation: There's no rule saying you must choose one charity. A regular £10/month split between Steps and MiracleFeet supports both UK families and global treatment access
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the main UK charity for clubfoot?
A: Steps Charity Worldwide (steps-charity.org.uk) is the leading UK charity supporting families affected by clubfoot and other lower limb conditions. They provide helplines, parent support, information resources, family events, and advocacy for improved NHS services.
Q: Can I donate my child's old boots and bar?
A: Possibly — contact Steps Charity or MiracleFeet to ask whether they're accepting equipment donations. Not all organisations can accept them due to storage and regulatory constraints. Equipment donated internationally must meet safety standards in the receiving country.
Q: How much of my donation goes to helping families?
A: This varies by charity. Steps Charity reports spending approximately 80% of income on charitable activities. MiracleFeet reports a similar ratio. You can verify these figures through the Charity Commission website (for UK-registered charities) or the organisation's published annual report.
Q: Is there a clubfoot awareness day?
A: Yes — World Clubfoot Day is 3 June, chosen to honour the birthday of Dr Ignacio Ponseti, who developed the Ponseti method. This is an excellent day for awareness-raising activities, social media campaigns, and fundraising events.
Q: Can I volunteer if I haven't personally experienced clubfoot?
A: Yes. While parent volunteer roles specifically require lived experience, many other volunteer roles (event support, fundraising, administration, awareness campaigns) are open to anyone. Contact the charity directly to ask about current volunteer opportunities.
Q: My child is an adult now — is it too late to get involved?
A: Not at all. Adult perspectives are particularly valuable because they show newly diagnosed families what long-term outcomes look like. Adults with treated clubfoot who share their stories provide hope and reassurance that's uniquely credible. Steps Charity welcomes adult advocates and volunteers.