The Bright Future Initiative - a £1.5 million, three-year partnership - will fund transformational support for young people experiencing homelessness, with a focus on creating Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE). These spaces are designed to offer tailored support, helping young people overcome trauma, build resilience and move toward independence.
This marks the first charity partnership for the Card Factory Foundation, which is based in Wakefield, and will see it become the sole funder of key Centrepoint projects, including one-to-one therapy services and specialist support workers within the PIE team.
As part of the partnership, the Foundation will also become Centrepoint’s official Christmas Partner, donating £25,000 annually toward the charity’s festive gift drive. This annual contribution is included within the overall £1.5 million commitment and will ensure thousands of young people receive a meaningful gift on Christmas Day, a moment of dignity and celebration at a time that can be especially difficult for those without a stable home.
Pushpinder Gill, Head of Card Factory Foundation, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be announcing our first ever national charity partnership with Centrepoint. The Bright Future Initiative is about creating meaningful, lasting change by supporting young people through some of the most pivotal and challenging moments in their lives. This partnership allows us to directly fund vital, specialist support that helps young people move forward with confidence and hope and it’s a powerful step in our mission to make a real difference where it’s needed most.”
Brian Waring, Chair of the Card Factory Foundation, added: “At the Card Factory Foundation, we’ve always believed in supporting people and communities through life’s key moments - and this partnership with Centrepoint brings that vision to life in a new and truly impactful way. We’re excited to see the difference our support can make over the next three years, from funding psychological services to helping ensure that every young person supported by Centrepoint receives a meaningful gift at Christmas.”
Youth homelessness remains a growing challenge in the UK, with thousands of young people finding themselves without a safe or stable place to live each year. Against this backdrop, The Bright Future Initiative comes at a critical time and reflects the Foundation’s commitment to responding to real-world need.
This partnership also marks the beginning of the Foundation’s longer-term ambition to support vulnerable communities through strategic, high-impact programmes. The Bright Future Initiative is the first of several major partnerships designed to deliver lasting change for those facing life’s toughest moments.
Julie Milnes, Director of Fundraising at Centrepoint, said: “So much of our work at Centrepoint is about supporting young people through some of the most pivotal moments in their lives. These might be times of crisis, such as facing homelessness or struggling with mental health, or more hopeful milestones, like getting your first set of keys or starting your first ‘proper’ job. They’re transitional periods where most people might turn to family or friends for support, but for the young people in our services, that kind of network is often missing. That’s where we step in – and where partnerships like this one can make a real difference.
“We’re incredibly proud to have been chosen as a charity partner by the Card Factory Foundation, not least because its commitment to supporting individuals and communities through life’s crucial moments mirrors our mission. Being there for young people when it matters most is what this partnership is all about, and we’re so grateful for this support.”
