Investee stories

Here are a collection of stories of organisations that have successfully applied for an investment from Futurebuilders.

If you are a Futurebuilders investee and are interested in telling your story here, please contact Pontus Westerberg, tel 020 7927 6350 or email pontus.westerberg@futurebuilders-england.org.uk.

Proud City: Learning together

Mike Felse - 01-07-2008

Proud City is a social enterprise based in Salford that provides learning opportunities to actively stimulate community engagement in public services, private businesses and in the third sector.

Waveney Crossroads: Caring for carers

Waveney  - A notepad and some chocolates on a wooden table30-05-2008

Waveney Crossroads is a registered charity that provides respite care for carers in the Waveney district of Suffolk. It offers traditional ‘in the home’ care services and day services from two centres in Lowestoft.

THOMAS: On the road to recovery

Reece at Thomas - Reece at Thomas24-01-2008

‘Before THOMAS, I never questioned any of it. Taking drugs, committing crime and going in and out of jail was just the life I accepted.’

StreetVibes Youth: Skills for life

Sonia at StreetVibes Youth - Sonia at StreetVibes Youth14-12-2007

StreetVibes Youth (SVY) is a not-for-profit social enterprise that combines entrepreneurialism with social awareness and community outreach. Founded in 2004 by Sonia Ramanah and Orlando Clement, it provides accredited music technology and production training to ‘at risk’ youth, including young offenders and disadvantaged young people in South London.

Rosalie Ryrie: It's all in the name

Article images - logo - Article images - logo08-11-2007

Upon hearing the name Rosalie Ryrie, you may find yourself thinking it sounds more like the name of a person than an organisation – and you would be right. A user-led, not-for-profit organisation working to tackle domestic abuse in Wakefield, Yorkshire, Rosalie Ryrie was named after a person close to founder Ann Ramsden’s heart – her mother.

Music for Change: The sounds of success

Music for change - Music for change04-09-2007

Music for Change received a £45,000 development grant from Futurebuilders to fund marketing and sales work for their services promoting awareness, understanding and respect for cultural diversity through music and the performing arts. Here former Chief Executive Kerry Kalokoh explains how the grant has helped her organisation.

Cottingley Cornerstone Centre: Mighty oaks from little acorns grow

Cottingley - Cottingley Cornerstone17-07-2007

With just under a year to go before Cottingley Cornerstone Centre opens its doors to the community of Cottingley, near Bingley in West Yorkshire, Piers Jackson highlights how an idea to build a new church and hall for a deprived rural community has developed into a multi-million pound regeneration scheme.

CHeCC: Is consortia the way forward?

Hertfordshire - Hertfordshire CHeCC01-06-2007

Futurebuilders investee, Cross-Herts Community Counselling (CHeCC) is a network of eight children and young people’s counselling agencies supporting 13-25 year olds across Hertfordshire. CHeCC has embraced the consortium model and after two years of hard work it is showing results. Jenni Anderson, Communications Manager at Futurebuilders England meets them at their office in St Albans.

Trinity Winchester: Integrated service provision

Trinity Winchester - Trinity Winchester09-05-2007

Trinity Winchester provides a range of integrated services to address the effects of homelessness, addiction, physical and mental ill health, social isolation and poverty in the Hampshire City Centre. Meeting several corporate priorities they have been given ‘key client status’ by Winchester City Council and work in a number of partnerships in the area. Trinity Centre Manager, Ian Davies, tells their story so far…

The Lighthouse Group: Guiding young people to a positive future

Lighthouse Group - 05-04-2007

Established in 1987, The Lighthouse Group (TLG) is a charitable organisation which helps young people who are at crisis point in their education. The charity works with young people between the ages of 13-21 by providing extensive educational support to those who have been excluded (or are at risk of exclusion) from school and with those who have left school without any qualifications. Tim Morfin, Chief Executive at The Lighthouse Group tells us more:

Real Life Parenting: Developing parental support programmes

Real Life Parenting - Real Life Parenting17-01-2007

Real Life Parenting (RLP Services) Ltd is a not-for-profit social enterprise that provides a wide range of training and support services in the fields of parenting, education and training. They have a particular emphasis on working with disabled children and young people and their families. Director Simon Orphan tells us more about his organisation.

Building Blocks Solutions: Top tips for achieving success as a social enterprise

Building Blocks - Building Blocks23-11-2006

Building Blocks Solutions is a social enterprise working in mental health. Set up four years ago by a husband and wife team – Gill and Graham Gardiner – it provides a range of innovative and high quality services to adults with mental health needs across Nottinghamshire. Gill offers the following top tips on how to achieve success as a social enterprise.

Broadreach House: The benefits of media

Broadreach_media - Broadreach Media26-10-2006

Futurebuilders investee Broadreach House opened its new support and training centre for people with drug and alcohol problems, Ocean Quay, in September. Here Business Development Manager at the charity, Rick Weeks explains how they generated positive media coverage with the local press in Plymouth.

PeaceMaker: Supporting community cohesion

Peacemaker Siddika Ahmed - Peacemaker Siddika Ahmed25-10-2006

Futurebuilders invested £920,000 in PeaceMaker to support the development of community cohesion programmes across the North West and Yorkshire & Humberside regions. Here is their story as told by Director, Siddika Ahmed: