Rhys Daniels Trust
Rhys Daniels Trust
Rhys Daniels Trust is a children’s charity based in Epping, providing “home from home” accommodation for families whose children are undergoing life-saving or specialist treatment in hospital.
The charity offers families a safe, private place to stay close to the hospital, free of charge, allowing them to focus on being together during an extremely challenging time. The charity has supported families for over 30 years, with Nikki Brody having led the organisation for the past 10 years. As a small charity, raising awareness, building partnerships, and securing ongoing support are essential to sustaining and growing its impact.
Discovering NEEB Link
Nikki first engaged with NEEB Link after seeing a Facebook post. She attended her first NEEB Link Networking event in Loughton, which featured guest speaker Chisola Chitambala from BBC’s The Apprentice. She then attended the event in January 2026 in Epping Green and has since booked onto a further event focused on charities and CICs.
“They made me feel really welcome. Even though I walked in on my own, the organisers came over, introduced themselves properly and answered any questions straight away.”
Arriving alone and unsure what to expect, Nikki found the event welcoming and well organised. The organisers took time to speak with attendees individually, explain the format, and create an inclusive environment from the outset. Nikki also highlighted the care shown around accessibility and wellbeing. Having a severe nut allergy, she informed the organisers in advance and was impressed by how carefully this was handled on the day. “They went above and beyond. They made sure the food was safe for me, which isn’t something you always get — even in restaurants.”
As a charity leader, Nikki regularly attends networking events to seek sponsorship, donations and practical support. She found both the NEEB Link events valuable not only for making connections, but for the low-pressure and inclusive atmosphere they created.
NEEB Link helps build strong businesses
Interactive activities during the NEEB Link networking sessions helped attendees feel more comfortable, encouraging quieter participants to engage and connect.
“It was great to see people come out of their shells. That made it much easier to talk to people afterwards and start real conversations.”
Through both events, Nikki has become more aware of localbusinesses she hadn’t previously known about, strengtheningher ability to build a local support network.
Together with the NEEB Link App, Nikki feels more connected to the localbusiness community and sees clear potential in attending regularly.
“For a charity like ours, being able to talk about what we do in a relaxed setting really matters. NEEB Link made that easy.”
The Rhys Daniels Trust was recently recognised as Charity of the Year at theEpping Chamber of Commerce Awards.
Find out more about Rhys Daniels Trust here: https://rhysdanielstrust.org