Building for the Future joins new Berkshire Charity Collective

Building for the Future (BftF) is proud to announce a new collaborative partnership with fellow Wokingham-based charities The Cowshed and CLASP, forming the Berkshire Charity Collective, a joint initiative designed to strengthen support for local families, children and adults through shared expertise, resources and advocacy.

The three charities bring complementary areas of expertise: Building for the Future supports disabled children, young people and their families; CLASP works with adults with learning disabilities; and The Cowshed provides practical help for families experiencing poverty.

Together, the collaboration aims to deliver more joined-up support, reduce duplication and ensure people can access the right help at the right time.

The initiative focuses on shared understanding of community needs, cross-referrals between organisations, joint projects and training, shared facilities where appropriate and a collective voice to advocate for the people they support.

Ultimately, the partnership seeks to improve outcomes for beneficiaries while strengthening resilience across the voluntary sector.

At the official launch on Friday, 30th January, Jane Holmes, CEO of Building for the Future, said: “I am so proud to be a part of this collaboration. At Building for the Future we support disabled children, young people and their families; CLASP supports disabled adults and The Cowshed supports people living in poverty.

“The largest group in Berkshire of people living in poverty are those with a disabled family member so that’s the alignment between making this a very important project.”

She added:“It is a very difficult time for charities right now and we are together in many respects greater than the sum of our parts. It’s the support we give to our valued customers, if you like, and the support we give each other; the efficiency we are going to create with service provision and donations.”

Sally Russell, CEO of The Cowshed, highlighted the importance of partnership working:“This partnership means something that we strongly believe in: that no single organisation can solve the challenges people face on their own but together we can make a real and lasting difference.”

She added that collaboration helps ensure people can access services and practical support more easily, saying the launch marks “a commitment to work together, to stand alongside the people we support and to show that when we collaborate we are stronger, more effective and more hopeful.”

Debs Morrison, CEO of CLASP, emphasised the benefits for organisations as well as beneficiaries:“To formalise a relationship to avoid duplication and share our knowledge is just so valuable to help our charity grow and be more successful in the Borough and to ultimately save the Borough more money.”

The collaboration has already attracted strong local backing.

Wokingham MP Clive Jones praised the partnership, noting that all three charities share “an unwavering dedication to ensuring that every resident in need is treated with dignity, care and respect,” while Wokingham Borough Mayor Cllr Carol Jewell welcomed the initiative, saying “collaboration will take us further… working together and combining skills and knowledge and resources must be the best way forward.”

Sean Taylor DL, High Sheriff of Berkshire, also expressed confidence in the partnership, describing it as “an outstanding collaboration” and highlighting how pooling knowledge and resources can make charities more effective at a time when funding pressures are increasing.

The High Sheriff also had a very special message to deliver:

“I am very fortunate to know all three CEOs and they are all absolutely incredible. It’s been a joy to be associated with them and I think it’s a great combination. I am here representing King Charles III in an official capacity to thank them for all that they are doing.”

The Berkshire Charity Collective represents an exciting step forward for all three organisations. By working together, Building for the Future, The Cowshed and CLASP aim to strengthen support for local communities, ensure services are better connected, creating a lasting positive impact for the people they serve.

All three charities express their thanks to Tim and Rosemary Nolte of Stokes Farm for generously hosting the launch of the Berkshire Charity Collective.