We began over 45 years ago as a homeless night shelter run by volunteers in Stoke-on-Trent.
We went on to form Potteries Housing Association - a small housing association that offered support housing and accommodation for people in the city.
Our name was changed to Brighter Futures Housing Association Ltd in 2006 to reflect the diversity of what we offer, and our ultimate aim to facilitate and enable people to live more fulfilled lives.
Between 2006 and 2016, we more than doubled our turnover, our housing stock portfolio and our staff and volunteer team, serving more customers and tenants than ever before.
Our history:
1974 – We set up a night shelter on Charles Street with volunteers. This initiative resulted in the Potteries Housing Association being formed.
1980’s – We take over The Granville Hotel in Hanley and turn it into a direct access hostel, serving approx. 400 people per year. We also launch Hopwood House in Shelton to support adults recovering from alcohol misuse.
1995 – The Rough Sleepers Team is launched. This is later followed by the launch of the Community Housing project, to support adults moving into independent living, and the Women’s Services, supporting women either involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, sex work.
1995 – The Partnership Housing Association scheme is launched to support adults not just struggling with homelessness and rough sleeping, but also experiencing mental ill-health.
1999 – We launch our first Safe Spaces project as Brunswick House, providing short-stay accommodation and relief for adults facing a mental health crisis.
2000 – The Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline is set up to offer advice and help to adults with mental health concerns.
2000 – The Clubhouse Network is introduced, with the first clubhouse – the American – opening its doors in November.
2005 – The Rough Sleepers Team, The Granville, Hopwood House, Community Housing and Women’s Services were grouped together under the collective name ‘Hostels and Temporary Housing’.
2006 – The Potteries Housing Association rebrands itself as Brighter Futures.
2008 – 90 Hope Street, a new purpose built direct-access hostel in Hanley, is launched though our homelessness provision.
2009 – The Learning Disability project is launched to provide community housing with support for adults with learning disabilities.
2014 – VOICES (Voices of Independence, Change and Empowerment) is set up thanks to funding by the Big Lottery Community Fund. VOICES provide a service coordination to people with multiple needs and help other agency services engage with them.
2018 – We team up with partner agencies in Stoke-on-Trent to lead the Housing First Stoke-on-Trent service.
2019 – We secure funding from Coventry City Council to expand our Housing First services into Coventry, working with ARC CIC.
2019 - Self-Harm Support and Recovery is born to support people with thoughts and experience of self-harm or suicidal thoughts in Staffordshire.
2020 - We begin to lead Social Prescribing in nine areas across Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Staffs Moorlands.
2021 - 2021 saw a team of Brighter Futures' Community Champions launched across Staffordshire to raise hope and prevent issues with mental health across Staffordshire. We also launched our new Corporate Strategy - Housing, Health, Hope.
