Easter Appeal 2025
Much like the sun rises to greet the beginning of a new day, across Brighton and Hove Off The Fence is rising up to address the needs within the city:
Housing Insecurity
7,600 households facing housing insecurity (Brighton and Hove City Council, 2023)
Relational Breakdown
7,229 single-parent households (Census UK, 2021)
Mental Health Crises
46,244 people experiencing a common mental health disorder, with 13.4% of adults on GP practice depression registers and 1.3% having severe mental illness (NHS Sussex, 2024)
Barriers To Education
Secondary school student absenteeism is 26.35% for males and 31.98% for females—9.9% higher than the national average (Sussex Community Foundation, 2024)
Unemployment
Unemployment rate of 3.9% - 0.2% higher than the Sussex average (ONS, 2024)
Join us this Easter as we equip individuals and households in need with the tools, knowledge and confidence to rise and see their dreams fulfilled.
The Empower Project at Antifreeze
Supporting individuals surviving homelessness to rise out of homelessness through weekly art workshops, skills-based sessions and mental health talks.
David’s Story
At the close of an Empower session, David opened up about how the song Oceans, which was playing, deeply resonated with him—even though his English is limited. He expressed heartfelt gratitude for the love and care he has experienced at Antifreeze and, feeling safe, shared his struggles with alcohol addiction and serious mental health challenges. By allowing himself to be vulnerable, David is now receiving support from several services across Brighton and Hove to address his addiction and mental health needs and provide significant steps towards accommodation.
‘Head Start’ with Schools and Youth
Equipping at-risk young people with the resiliency to rise out of fear and enter secondary school with confidence.
Fiona’s Story
We first met Fiona in year 6 during our 'Head Over' lessons. She was anxious about starting secondary school and expressed concerns about her new environment. In year 7, we continued to support Fiona through our 'Head Start' lessons and our broader mental health lesson packages. This tailored support helped Fiona open up about her academic and social struggles. We recommended mental health strategies from our lessons and invited her to our lunchtime hub to connect with peers. Today, Fiona perseveres in her educational journey with remarkable resilience and maintains her joyful, kind character.
Goal-based Workshops at Gateway
Addressing gender-based barriers to see more women rise and achieve personal goals through skills-based sessions covering: self-care, cookery skills, budgeting, gardening, photography and employability.
Justine’s Story
Justine wanted to learn how to cook nutritious and affordable meals for her family, as they usually relied on ready meals. Lacking confidence and unsure where to start, she attended our cooking workshops. With support from the team and fellow attendees, she gained new skills. By the end, she felt confident and motivated to cook at home. Justine and her children now enjoy regular baking sessions, and she reports that her family is healthier and happier as a result.
This Easter, we welcome you to partner in seeing more individuals rise out of poverty and into hope-filled living.
By donating to our 2025 Easter Appeal, you can join in city-wide action to see Brighton and Hove rise collectively as a community. Your generous gift will:
“We invite you to take a stand and rise as a city. May we greet the Easter season with restored hope, boundless joy and sustained unity as a city. ”