A Bright Return to Learning: Felicity & Poppy’s Story
When six-year-old Felicity began her Bright Futures UK programme in January 2025, she had already overcome more than most children her age. Having bravely battled leukaemia, she was finally cancer-free, yet the journey had left lasting physical challenges. The collapse of several vertebrae affected her mobility, and the medication she still relied on caused significant […]
Befriending Case Study: Maddie & Melina
Melina and Maddie were matched in August 2024 through Bright Futures UK’s befriending programme. At just five years old, Melina was undergoing treatment for leukaemia. She missed her entire Reception year of school, along with the everyday routines of friends, teachers, and playtime. This period of social isolation was especially difficult, as early years are vital for […]
Celebrating Befriending Week 2025: The Power of Connection
This Befriending Week (1st – 7th November), we’re celebrating something simple yet profoundly powerful: connection. At Bright Futures UK, our Befriending Programmes exist to ensure that no young person facing serious physical or mental health challenges feels isolated or forgotten. For many of the young people we support, education has been disrupted by illness or […]
Celebrating Play in Healthcare Week: The Power of Play in Recovery
This Play in Healthcare Week, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible Play Specialists and Youth Support teams who bring care, comfort and creativity to children in hospitals across the UK. At Bright Futures, we’re privileged to work closely with these remarkable teams across our partner hospitals. Every day, we see the transformative impact of […]
World Mental Health Day: Putting Mental Health at the Heart of Every Young Person’s Journey
This World Mental Health Day, we’re reflecting on powerful new research from Loughborough University and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) that reinforces what we at Bright Futures UK see every day; that mental health and education are deeply connected. The study, which analysed data from 1.1 million children aged 5 to 16 across England, […]
Bright Futures joins The Children’s Commissioners Big Conversation Podcast
We were delighted to join the Children’s Commissioner’s Big Conversation podcast for Episode 12, where our Founder and CEO, Josh Pelled, sat down with Youth Ambassadors Annabel and Rosanna to talk about what children and young people need to stay connected to education when they’re away from school due to long-term illness. At Bright Futures […]
Bright Futures UK Wins Charity of the Year 2025
We are absolutely thrilled to share some amazing news – Bright Futures UK has been awarded Charity of the Year 2025 by Charity Times! This recognition is such a proud moment for everyone connected with Bright Futures. From our dedicated staff team to our incredible volunteers, our passionate trustees, and every supporter who has believed […]
We’ve Rebranded: A Fresh Identity, the Same Unwavering Commitment
Why We’ve Rebranded – A Fresh Look for Bright Futures UK At Bright Futures UK, our mission has always been simple: to make sure that illness never defines a young person’s future. Since 2017, we’ve been supporting children and young people aged 5–24 to continue learning and growing, even when serious illness has disrupted their […]