Take part in a charity fundraising event

Take part in one of the many fundraising challenges with CLEFT. Make a team and go running, cycling, golfing or even mountain climbing, or sign up on your own and go for your personal best. Achieve something amazing and raise money to help improve treatment for children born with clefts and to fund research into the causes of clefts and treatment techniques.

All the events we are currently registered with are at the bottom of this page. If you would like to hear about new events please sign up to our mailing list.

Join an event using your own place

If you are lucky enough to have your own place in an event, you can still join our team and help raise money for CLEFT. You'll get all the same benefits and support but you won't have a minimum fundraising amount to meet.

Get Involved

We also have many suggestions for fundraising that can be done from the comfort of your own home. Whether it is setting up a birthday fundraiser, holding a bake sale, using online charity shop Thrift+, selling on Ebay for CLEFT or even taking part in our very own Come Dine With Me, there are many ways you can have fun whilst supporting CLEFT and raising some much needed funds.

Get Involved

Just click the button above for inspiration on how you can get involved.

Did you know you can set up a fundraising page on the CLEFT website?

Not only does this allow new people to find out about the brilliant projects we are involved with but it also means that we receive more of the money you raise for CLEFT as we do not need to pay fees for 3rd party fundraising sites.

Set up a fundraising page

Fundraising events

Swim Serpentine 2024

We are very pleased to have places in this year's iconic Swim Serpentine race in the Half-Mile, One-Mile, Two-Mile and Super Six distances. The event takes place within the grounds of Royal Hyde Park on Saturday 14th September and is an event not to be missed! Read more

Skydive for CLEFT

Join us on an exhilarating adventure that goes beyond the clouds and makes a lasting impact! Take a leap for a brighter future by signing up for a charity skydive with Skyline for CLEFT. This thrilling experience not only promises an adrenaline rush but also supports a noble cause – helping those affected by cleft lip and palate. Read more

Saigon to Angkor Wat Bike Ride 2025

Journey to amazing Vietnam! Register for an 11 day epic challenge with 3 departure dates available in February, October & November 2024 . Experience an adventure of a lifetime cycling open road following ancient historic trails from Saigon to Angkor Wat while raising funds for CLEFT. Read more

Latest

Serpentine Six Mile Swim Challenge!

I am raising money to support the vital research projects that are championed by CLEFT.
Matthew's Swim Serpentine Challenge

Support Matthew as he Swims the Half-Mile Swim Serpentine for CLEFT on Saturday 14th September in London's Hyde Park.
Tallulah Denyer raising money for CLEFT

I am raising money to provide long-term, sustainable ways to improve cleft care both in the UK and overseas.
Nefer's Taking on the Serpentine Lake

Nefer is thrilled to participate in the Swim Serpentine 2024 1-Mile Challenge, where she will swim a full lap of the iconic Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, London, to raise money for CLEFT. This event is an exciting opportunity for Nefer to combine her love of swimming with her passion for supporting those affected by cleft conditions

National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery

We are working with Bangladeshi specialists at the new National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery to create a sustainable centre to treat children with cleft lip and palate.
Our mission

CLEFT was established in 2007 with one aim, to help improve the lives of children born with cleft lip and palate, either by funding research into the likely causes of the condition or by helping support teams in lower and middle income countries.
Nawrin and the C-Arm

This important piece of equipment was supplied by CLEFT and is used to see moving images of the cleft palate. Nawrin is a 13 year old girl who was experiencing speech difficulties and needed the C-Arm to show the cleft team if further surgery was required.
Donate

You can make a one-off donation today or sign up to giving a regular monthly gift. All donations, small or large, will help us to improve the lives of those born with cleft lip and palate both now and in the future. 100% of your donation today will go towards funding an international or research project thanks to a charitable trust covering all our administrative costs until February 2025.
About us

CLEFT was established in 2007 by cleft surgeon Brian Sommerlad - based at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, together with a former patient and a patient's grandmother.
Our research vision

At CLEFT, our vision is of a future where clefts are preventable. Until we get there, we want to improve the lives of those born with cleft lip and palate.
Trusts and Foundations

Today, 1-in-700 babies in the UK are born with a cleft lip and palate, the most common form of birth defect. The impact on a child’s life as they grow is profound. Typically, they will need at least four operations. They may also require ongoing tests, treatment or therapy. It will affect the way they look but also their speech, hearing and dental development. It can leave deep psychological scars.
The genetics of cleft lip and palate

Investigations into the genetics of cleft lip and palate to understand more about why cleft lip and palate occurs.
Brian Sommerlad, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Chair of Trustees

For over 40 years, I have been involved in operating on babies, children and adults who have been born with cleft lip and/or palate.
FOXF2 gene discovery

A genetic defect has been identified in a family from Egypt with a type of palate abnormality and speech disorder apparently not previously described. The FOXF2 research is one of the many projects currently funded by CLEFT, paid for with money raised by our donors and fundraisers.