Jersey-based charity Brighter Futures has announced the recent successful completion of its ‘22 Families in 2022’ fundraising campaign, which commenced in January this year, with the target of raising £96,800 during the year to fund more local families who require the charity’s support.

The campaign reached its target in November 2022, with support being provided by corporate sponsors, private donors and trustees. The funds raised will be used to ensure that the further families welcomed by the charity this year can be accommodated on its accredited courses and programmes for main carers and their children.

Since its foundation in 2008, Brighter Futures has supported more than 3,100 families, benefitting over 12,400 Islanders. The charity provides programmes led by dedicated coordinators that focus on supporting the main carer and their families in the areas of parent and child relationships, wellbeing and positive mental health, and personal development through second chance learning. To offer these services, Brighter Futures also provides a creche facility.

However, during 2022, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that Brighter Futures had to start a waiting list for its services as the number of families referred rose beyond its capacity.

Brighter Futures currently supports more than 150 families at any one time. It costs £5,000 per year to support one family and to continue to provide this level of support and employ more coordinators, the charity needs to raise almost £1m in 2023. The charity does not charge for its services to ensure that its help is as accessible as possible.

Fiona Brennan, Brighter Futures CEO, explained: “We are relieved by this outcome. Placing clients on a waiting list is not a position that any charity wishes to be in, and we do not want to turn anyone away. We, therefore, asked the community for its support to raise £96,800 during 2022, in addition to our usual fundraising avenues, to help meet the needs of a further 22 families to access our vital support services. This campaign has enabled us to reach two more families per month who needed us.”