Faith in Families celebrates record number of corporate partners and in-kind supporters

Swansea-based charity Faith in Families is celebrating the fact that a record number of businesses have made it their charity of the year, pledging to undertake fundraising activities or deliver in-kind support throughout 2023.

The charity has seven corporate partners for 2023 and a further six businesses will provide in-kind support.

The six corporate partners are: Peter Lynn & Partners, Living at Home, Mortgage Advice Bureau Swansea, Mortgage Advice Bureau Foundation, Belvoir, Plexus Fire Safety and Facility Services Group.

In-kind support has been pledged by: LiteBulb Media, Eloquent PR, SA1 Solutions, Ginger and Tall, Low Cost Printing and Gum Blitzer.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have our best year of corporate supporters yet,” said Faith in Families CEO Cherrie Bija. “There is so much at stake this year: the families we support are facing greater hardship than ever due to the cost-of-living crisis, and two of our play therapists are at risk of losing their jobs because their funding has dried up. Our Crowdfunder to raise money to keep them on is live until March 15.

“Having these 13 businesses behind us will really help to spread the word about the work we do and bring in valuable funds and support to help us meet the needs of the communities we serve. I’d like to offer our heartfelt thanks to all our supporters for their invaluable help.”

Faith in Families was established in 1999 as The Children’s Society wound up its services in Wales. It supports families in Swansea facing poverty and hardship through four cornerstone projects: Bonymaen Community Cwtch, Clase Community Cwtch and Teilo’s Community Cwtch, all of which provide a parent and toddler group a lunch club, a breakfast club, after school and summer holiday activities, community events and training courses. Teilo’s Community Cwtch also has an affordable childcare setting.

The charity aims to build on its offerings at these locations throughout 2023.

Speaking about his company’s decision to support Faith in Families, Ross Adams, managing director of Plexus Fire Safety and Facility Services Group said:

“We heard Cherrie talk at a networking event and as she explained how her charity supports hundreds of families across Swansea each week, we knew we had to help out.”

As part of its support, members of the Plexus team will be taking part in the charity’s Wadi Rum Challenge this Autumn – a sponsored trek through the Wadi Rum nature reserve in Jordan.

Also participating in the Wadi Rum Challenge are staff from Living at Home, a Swansea home care specialist. James Foley, the company’s business support manager, said:

“We think that Living at Home’s core values and services, which include helping some of the most vulnerable people in society and delivering high-quality home care services, are very similar to those of Faith in Families. Because of this alignment, we have decided to support this charity over the next two years.

“Everyone should be able to receive the support that they require at the time that they need it, no matter what, and both Faith in Families and Living at Home passionately believe in this approach.”

Swansea law firm Peter Lynn & Partners will be raising money for Faith in Families as well as providing support a drop-in clinic for families who require legal help for domestic matters, family law issues, or divorce.

Nia Godsmark, partner at Peter Lynn & Partners, said:

“Supporting the needs of disadvantaged families in Swansea is, alongside grassroots sport, at the core of our corporate responsibility strategy and we were only too happy to make Faith in Families one of our Charities of the Year for 2023.”

Sturgess Mortgage Solutions has a host of fundraising activities planned during the year, including a bike-a-thon and a summer ball in collaboration with several other businesses.

“I have selected Faith in Families as it really pulled at my heartstrings when I met Cherrie for the first time and she explained that there are children living in poverty local to me,” said Beth Thomas, Special Mortgage at Sturgess Mortgage Solutions.

“I was completely unaware and ignorant that this was going on in Swansea, and having three children myself I wanted to help spread the word of the fantastic organisation and the help they provide to children and their families.”

The Faith in Families Crowdfunder is live here until March 15:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/brighter-futures—faith-in-families-1