Better Planet Education (UK)  is a charity that aims to inspire young people to live their lives in a way that promotes caring for the environment. Their mission is to ensure that every young person in the UK has access to comprehensive and engaging environmental information, empowering them to make informed and responsible choices.

The grant from SHCJ went towards the core provision and development of  Better Planet’s environmental education services working with 620 schools and reaching 700,000 young people.                                                                                                  

Case study
Leweston Prep School has been taking part in Better Planet Schools since the Summer Term of 2024. The modules they have covered so far include plastic and waste, saving energy and fast fashion. Activities are led by an after-school club called the ‘Better Planet Crew’.
Plastic and waste: The ‘Crew’ looked at how they could use less plastic and reduce waste in school. They introduced recycling to every classroom, presented an assembly and created posters to explain the new initiatives. The children have shown dedication in collecting the recycling each week.
Saving energy: The ‘Crew’ carried out “energy walk rounds” of classrooms at lunchtimes to ensure that lights have been switched off, smartboards and projectors are on standby etc.
Fast Fashion: The ‘Crew’ learned about fast fashion and held a Fashion Swap, open to children in years 3 to 6. They were asked to bring items of clothing, which they had grown out of, which were collected and sorted. 300 items of clothing were swapped and 60 children took part. It’s now an annual event.
The ‘Crew’ will be creating more opportunities for wildlife and biodiversity in the school grounds and have signed up for a second year of participation in our programme.

Breadwinners (London/Brighton) mission is to tackle unemployment, poor well-being and mental health by providing young refugees and people seeking asylum with their first work experience in the UK and supporting them to progress in their careers. They have three programmes selling bread on market stalls or wholesale:
Risers programme: A two-month programme designed to provide structured work experience, training, and mentorship to newly arrived young people seeking asylum through our 16 stalls.
Breadwinners programme: The follow-up programme for refugees with the right to work, which involves working as a market stall manager for six months and earning the UK living wage.
Proofers programme: A progression programme that entails working remotely as part-time online sales representatives for six months, managing our wholesale delivery model.
These programmes offer invaluable experience, knowledge and skills for finding employment and a brighter future.

Our grant enabled 6 refugees, over 6 months, to take part in the ‘Breadwinners’ programme and work at 5 market stalls. In 2025 Breadwinners reached 200 young people through their programmes.

Case study
Lama arrived in the Uk from Saudi Arabia and was living in one of the Home Office hotels. She heard about Breadwinners through a friend and signed up to our Risers Programme. Lama was engaged and keen to learn and get some UK work experience through completing our programme. ‘I faced a new life, people, and environment. I was too afraid to try anything new until a friend referred me to Breadwinners… I still remember the very first day that I met everyone: Antonia, Becca, and the rest. It felt so overwhelmingly comfortable meeting many people with the same questions and passion that I had—and even more comfortable knowing there are people here to help.’ - Lama Having then received her right to work in the UK she immediately signed up to the Breadwinners Programme to start paid work with us. Lama was a brilliant Market Stall manager, conscientious and very friendly with the customers. Just before the end of her time on the programme Lama secured a full-time position as an assistant at an in-store M&S bakery. We’re proud of her success and wish her all the best in the future.

Clean Slate Solutions (Teeside/North Yorkshire) is rooted in faith principles, welcoming people of all beliefs and backgrounds. Mentors help people with a past conviction(s) into employment, transforming one life at a time. Working in prison with beneficiaries, up to 12 weeks before their release, they triage employment needs and aspirations, supporting them into employment ready for when they are in the community. They also work with candidates already living in the community who need help. They empower beneficiaries to break free from the cycle of reoffending, by providing them with opportunities for personal growth, to foster reconnection with their families, promote independence, and boost self-esteem. This is helping to reduce crime rates and enhance communities. By partnering with businesses who share our vision, they create an effect far beyond the individual, fostering a more inclusive and compassionate society.

The grant from SHCJ helped Clean Slate engage with 90 candidates over 12 months, moving 43 people into full-time paid employment with 77% remain in employment beyond three months, 60% longer than 6 months. Candidates have a low reoffending rate of less than 2.80% and 90%+ report improved hope, confidence and financial independence.

Case study
During the final months of his sentence, Wayne was introduced to Clean Slate Solutions. Determined to rebuild his life, he was eager to take the first steps toward a brighter future. His mentor Lorna, encouraged him to revisit his CV, reminding him of the successful career he had previously, which reignited his confidence and hope. Lorna introduced Wayne to Joe, who visited him in his cell for a candid conversation. “Joe actually came to my cell, sat on a chair in my room, and we had a normal conversation - just two blokes both wanting my life back on track,” Wayne recalls. They reviewed his CV, discussed aspirations, and explored opportunities. By coincidence, Joe had recently met one of Wayne’s former employers. Despite being let go by this employer after his arrest, Clean Slate Solutions facilitated a video interview with the company’s Director while Wayne was still in prison. To his surprise, the interview was a success, and he was offered a job. When Wayne was released, he returned to his family with a job offer in hand. “There aren’t many feelings of relief that can compare to being released from prison back to my family, but to do it with a job offer in my pocket made all the difference in the world. Thank you to all at Clean Slate Solutions,”

Feeding Families (North East) is the largest independent food support charity in North East England, where child poverty rates are high and thousands of women and children are going hungry. Each year, they provide tailored food support to thousands across the region, many of whom face barriers to traditional forms of help. While Christian faith shapes their values they welcome people of all faiths and none. Their model removes barriers. No forms, queues or stigma. Just fast, discreet support through trusted frontline partners. They tailor boxes to the specific needs of individuals and families, including culturally appropriate food, low- and no-cook boxes, and rough sleeper packs.

Our grant helped Feed Families to support a growing need from 11frontline partners supporting women who are: survivors of domestic abuse with their children, refugees and asylum seekers, experiencing mental health crises, living in temporary accommodation or without cooking facilities. They delivered 1,000 tailored food boxes and provided 15,000 nourishing meals to approximately 2,000 individuals.

Case study
Amina*, a single mother of four, was supported by one of our trusted partners, Peace of Mind, during a time of crisis. Her youngest child was subject to a Child Protection Plan, and the family faced severe poverty and immigration restrictions. Their home was often not heated and Amina struggled to meet basic needs for her children. Social services warned that unless the home environment improved, she risked losing custody of her child, which caused constant fear and anxiety. Through our partnership, we provided a culturally appropriate food box as part of a package of support. This allowed Amina to redirect her limited income towards heating costs, so her children were warm and safe. It also helped address immediate safeguarding concerns, giving social services reassurance. We helped reduce the risk of family separation, gave Amina breathing space and engaged with services to stabilise their situation.

The Literacy Pirates’ (UK) vision is for every child to have the literacy skills, confidence and perseverance to succeed at school and beyond. They provide free, after-school literacy support to children who are falling behind in class and who have fewer opportunities because of their personal circumstances. Young Pirates aged 9 to 13 years old are nominated by their school because they are struggling and have socio-economic barriers to educational success. Literacy Pirates work is narrowing the educational attainment gap for these children since literacy is key to educational success and those from disadvantaged backgrounds often have lower outcomes.

Our grant helped Literacy Pirates support 650 children identified by their teachers as falling behind in class and facing disadvantage in their home lives. 1-2-1 and small group sessions with trained volunteers boosted their literacy, confidence and perseverance and helped them develop the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.

Case study
Vadym, a year 5 pupil, was referred to the Literacy Pirates by his teacher to boost his English skills. He arrived in the UK at the end of year 3 and was relatively new to reading and writing in English and lacked confidence. At the start of the programme, Vadym was reluctant to contribute, however, with support and engagement from Volunteer Crew-mates, he built the confidence he needed to read aloud. Over the term, he impressed Session Leaders with his ideas and growing confidence. As his reading fluency grew, so did his willingness to share, and by the end of the term he was able to stand up in front of a large group of Young Pirates and their families to read from his own writing. Vadym had worked hard to develop well rounded fictional characters. Session Leaders were impressed by his understanding of character emotions and his hard work. His poem and short story were unique and engaging. His volunteer crew-mate stated: ‘Vadym was incredibly quiet and reluctant to share in session when he started, but, in a short time his confidence grew and grew!’

Rebuild East Midlands (Derbyshire) is the only long-term specialist provider of Modern Slavery support in Derby-shire. They deliver holistic, person-centred support that helps survivors rebuild their lives with safety, stability, and dignity. They help survivors face serious challenges— housing instability, legal challenges, financial hardship, and trauma.

Over the year our grant helped Rebuild support:
- 41 people with one-to-one intensive casework, advocacy support and group activities. Many of these people have secured housing, employment or training during the year.
- 10 people to exit exploitation and begin to safely move forward with their lives
- 15 people to begin to recover from the mental impact of exploitation through the wellbeing and therapy programme
- indirectly supported 23 children through family activities, with school applications, food packages, general support

Case study
Tony initially accessed support for small tasks, preferring to manage independently. Over time, his caseworker maintained gentle, minimal check-ins, recognising that trust takes time to develop after experiencing exploitation. When a crisis hit, Tony had no one else to turn to and reached out for support. Over an eight-month period, his caseworker worked alongside him to resolve benefit issues, prevent financial destitution, access medical care, secure stable accommodation, set up utility bills and budgeting plans. Six months later, Tony entered full-time employment, moved off benefits, and expressed that he finally felt happy, safe, and excited about his future.