Buckinghamshire Building Society have announced the inaugural recipient of their newly established Bucks Community Fund grant! Designed by colleagues from all areas of the Society, this fund and its criteria embodies the values of the people that we work with every day and addresses community priorities.
For the first Community Fund, the team focused on initiatives prioritising the wellbeing of children and young people. Such organisations might provide safe spaces for young people, educational support, improved access to nutritious meals or even bolstered physical and mental health. Our colleagues were truly impressed by the applications received and note that it was a significant challenge for the team to select which of the remarkable organisations would be awarded the grant. With the invaluable help of Heart of Bucks, we opened the fund up to applications.
After much deliberation, Buckinghamshire Building Society are thrilled to announce that Brighter Futures Together CIC will receive a grant of £5,000!
This not-for-profit supports young people's mental health and wellbeing through sector consulting, advisory services, and through running its own innovative youth-focused programs. Our colleagues were inspired by the wide range of work being done by this organisation, from engaging with NHS mental health services for children and young people to facilitating their own programs for those affected by mental health challenges and their broader support systems. The team was incredibly motivated by what Brighter Futures Together CIC has achieved in the short time they’ve been operating, and they are eager to support this innovative group so early in their journey.
This week, we were pleased to welcome Janette Fullwood, Founder and CEO of Brighter Futures Together CIC, to our offices in Chalfont St Giles and have our CEO, Dan Wass, to present her with the grant. It was also an opportunity for some of the colleagues involved with the Fund to speak with Janette about the organisation and their plans for the future.
“We are over the moon to be awarded this funding. We plan to use this towards our Young Mental Health Champions peer education project to help towards our goal of training and supporting 50 new champions in 2025.
It’s so heart-warming to get this grant from a local organisation as we are all about a grass roots approach – the money will make such a difference but it’s also about more than this – it’s about a validation of our efforts, energy and passion. Thank you all.” – Janette Fullwood, CEO of Brighter Futures Together CIC
Congratulations to Brighter Futures Together CIC for receiving the inaugural Bucks Community Fund grant!
Launching the fund has been an incredibly gratifying opportunity to support our local area and we look forward to reopening the fund next year with a fresh set of criteria. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Heart of Bucks for their invaluable assistance in establishing this fund:
“We are delighted to be working closely with the Buckinghamshire Building Society to develop their charitable activities in the local area. We have had a strong partnership for many years, and this latest fund is a great extension to the Society’s community work. Supporting grassroots charities is a shared interest for both our organisations, and Brighter Futures Together are a good example of the big impact that can be made by the small, local groups. Congratulations to them, and thank you to Buckinghamshire Building Society for your generosity.” – Henry Almand, CEO of Heart of Bucks
