Nicki Morgan

The below is a message from the team at our Fulfilling Lives South East project which closes today, leaving an incredible legacy behind it.     Thank you and farewell from FLSE Here we are, at the end of the eight year Fulfilling Lives South East Project, and what an incredible journey it’s been. The project has involved many people and we have learned and achieved so much. We have forged new partnerships and connected with like-minded people right across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. We have developed innovative projects, forged a model of co-production that others wish to emulate, … Read more

Last Wednesday volunteers, members of staff and trustees from three local charities, Citizens Advice, Possibility People and BHT Sussex, were joined by representatives from ten legal firms to raise funds for free, independent advice services in the city. The annual 10km sponsored walk, organised by the London Legal Support Trust, has already raised £5,600 and more support is expected over the next week. The organiser, Bob Nightingale, said: “It is so good to see so many people prepared to go out of their way to raise funds for independent legal advice centres in Brighton. The work of these centres is … Read more

This month we are launching an exciting new report, ‘Ripple Effect: A Guide to Systems Change with Fulfilling Lives South East’ and you can register now to attend a launch webinar on 26 or 28 April. Achieving systems change is at the heart of Fulfilling Lives South East, a programme led by BHT Sussex and supported by a number of partners, which has been running for the past eight years. Join us as we launch our impact report to outline how we have approached putting systems change theory into practice. People with Multiple and Complex Needs (MCN) often face barriers … Read more

Fulfilling Lives South East, a programme that is led by BHT Sussex and supported by a number of partners, has published a new toolkit for employers wishing to hire people with lived experience of Multiple Complex Needs (MCN). This is a comprehensive and engaging guide, bringing together the learning from the successful employment programme running throughout the Fulfilling Lives Project. The toolkit illustrates the benefits of employing people with MCN, both to the employer and the employee, and offers direct insight from those who have experienced the Fulfilling Lives employment programme. The toolkit contains helpful ideas and checklists around things … Read more

A blue plaque was recently unveiled at 101 Round Hill Crescent, Brighton to commemorate the first hospital in England to offer mental health care and treatment to poorer women. Rachael Kenny, Director of Mental Health and Support at BHT Sussex, spoke at the unveiling ceremony alongside the Mayor, Councillor Alan Robins, and speakers from Mind and Healthwatch Brighton and Hove amongst others. The hospital was founded by Dr Helen Boyle in 1905, when the only form of mental illness recognised by the medical profession was lunacy. At this time if you were poor and wanted medical support, you had to … Read more

BHT Sussex has announced that Andy Winter, its long-standing chief executive, is to retire in January 2023. Andy Winter joined what was then known as Brighton Housing Trust in 1985 and has been the charity’s chief executive since 2003. During his time as chief executive, BHT Sussex has expanded its services into Eastbourne and Hastings, Mid Sussex, Crawley and, most recently, across the whole of East Sussex with the winning of a new contract to provide support for 6,000 people in their homes. The Chair of the BHT Sussex Board, Kelvin MacDonald, said: Andy has provided exceptional leadership to BHT … Read more

[view video here] The Choir with No Name (CWNN) Brighton has recorded a music video of the song that became their anthem of togetherness as they supported each other through the challenges of the pandemic. CWNN Brighton is a choir involving homeless and marginalised people run in partnership with BHT Sussex. CWNN Brighton first opened its doors in Autumn 2018, offering a safe, welcoming space for people affected by homelessness and marginalisation in the city. Pre-Covid the choir rehearsed weekly in the city centre, followed by a hot meal together, and performed foot-stomping gigs across the city, including at the … Read more

We are delighted to report that First Base, our resource centre for rough sleepers in Brighton and Hove, has secured a donation of 100 Day Saver bus tickets from the Community Support Fund of Brighton and Hove buses. These bus tickets will support rough sleepers using First Base to access accommodation placements and attend various appointments around the city as they are valid for unlimited all-day travel on all Brighton & Hove Buses. Debbie Piper, Deputy Manager at First Base, said: We are so grateful for this generous gift from Brighton and Hove buses. The buses passes will make a … Read more