Bright Tomorrows - About us

Bright Tomorrows was established in 2002 by a group of like-minded individuals who wanted to improve the lives of children living in challenging circumstances around the world. The body of trustees comprises two teachers, a health visitor, a lawyer, marketing manager and a charity aid worker. Together, they have extensive experience of working in developing countries.

Bright Tomorrows is a small charity and we therefore have to target use of our resources carefully to ensure they are put to the best possible effect. We have thus far supported projects established by local people, tending to focus our efforts on supporting small groups of children and funding specific areas of need. Our charity objects state that our mission is for the relief of poverty and for the furthering of education and as such these are or two main criteria when assessing projects.

We also believe that being small is a strength. Our workers are volunteers, so we do not have expensive running costs or advertising campaigns. The trustees fund the small adminstrative costs and overseas visits themselves so that we can honestly say to donors that 100% of their giving goes straight to making improvements in the lives of children. We are proud of this fact and because we support projects that are known to us personally, we can be accountable for how the money is utilised. Yes, we may not have the resources of a large organisation, but we have seen first hand that we can change children's lives.

For more information, see the FAQs download at the left of this page.

MEET THE TEAM

Sarah has a good deal of experience in working with children, having trained as a teacher and working in primary schools for 18 years. She currently teaches in Henley on Thames in a part time capacity, whilst also running the day to day operations at Bright Tomorrows and studying for a postgraduate diploma in Development Management. As a student, Sarah worked at a clinic and school for street children in Kolkata, India for 3 months.

" It was here that I first knew that I needed to commit to trying to make life better for children such as these. Bright Tomorrows is the very practical realisation of that and I am honoured to be a part of it."

Francis is now working for one of the world's largest medical technology companies and for almost 20 years he has held various sales, marketing and leadership positions. He gained an MBA with Development Management in 2005 and PG Cert Leadership in 2009. In his role as trustee of Bright Tomorrows, Francis has led trips to Mozambique and Zimbabwe, maintains the accounts and supports the day to day operations.

"My work at Bright Tomorrows has given me the privilege of being involved first hand in some of the poorest regions of the world, bringing hope to children that are often forgotten"

Sue has been involved in teaching and working with children for over 40 years. She has specialist knowledge of child protection issues and is a speaker on child protection training programmes. Sue wrote the Bright Tomorrows child protection policy. In addition, Sue has utilised her skills and knowledge of primary and pre-school education by running teacher training programmes and in-school demonstrations in Ghana. She also raises awareness of how children in developing countries live by taking school assemblies. On top of all that, Sue is a both a mother of 4 children and grandmother of 8!

Flor originates from Venezuela but has been based in Dorset for over 10 years. In her role as an aid worker, particularly in south America, Flor has a wealth of experience in supporting children in developing countries and brings a broad understanding of the complex issues they face in their everyday lives. Flor worked in an orphanage and children's hopsital in Haiti for a year, and in the light of the recent disaster has been able to return with a team from Bright Tomorrows to support the relief efforts there. Flor is married and has 3 children.