Charity 'thrilled' after £500 donation from Chichester business group

Members of The Collective Chichester raised the money for the educational charity and SEN school, Releasing Potential. The Collective ran a month-long social media campaign to raise awareness of the work the charity does to help marginalised young people who struggle to cope with mainstream education.

Money was raised through the sale of raffle rickets to win a luxury hamper with donations from businesses across Chichester.

Mike King, founder and chief executive of Releasing Potential said: "We are absolutely thrilled and delighted by our Christmas campaign with the Collective Chichester.

"We have previously shied away from working with other organisations as our sole focus has always been on the young people we work with. However, with The Collective we felt we were entering into a mutually beneficial partnership whereby we could all share our experiences and learning from each other.

"The money raised will be a huge help towards refurbishing an outdoor classroom at out Releasing Potential Farm Enterprise, home to six alpacas, chickens and bees. Out charity is built on the creating of sustainable businesses that the young people we work with can directly benefit from as part of a wider, skills base curriculum a mainstream education simply cannot provide.

"I look forward to collaborating with The Collective's members more in 2019!"

Collective members have also pledged their services for free to the charity in what both organisations hope will be an ongoing relationship into 2019.

Sarah Harvey, member of The Collective and founder of leadership and business consultancy Savvy Conversations said: "I'm so proud to be part of this collaboration between The Collective and Releasing Potential.

"We all need to be given opportunities in life to realise out true potential and make our way in life which is why I feel the work of Releasing Potential is so important. Having met Mike King at our December mingle I knew I wanted to work with him and his amazing team and I am delighted that I will be running one of my Savvy Conversation workshops with them in the new year."

Abby Smith, co-founder of The Collective said: "We would like to say thank you to all our members and other local Chichester businesses for getting behind our Christmas charity campaign with Releasing Potential .

"Since our launch in August we have welcomed so many talented, creative, entrepreneurial souls into our community and we just knew the amazing work Releasing Potential does would strike a chord.

"As entrepreneurs and business owners, we know, perhaps better than many, how important it is to have someone who's got your back and helps to release your full potential. Releasing Potential do exactly that for the young people they work with, helping them find their way in society."