Hard times for charity that has helped hundreds of young offenders turn their lives around

A Bristol based charity that has helped hundreds of young offenders turn their lives around has fallen on hard times.

‘Believe’ was established in 2002 and achieved charitable status a year later. Since then it has worked with young people from deprived backgrounds and provided mentoring for young offenders helping them find the motivation to go on to college training or into employment.

It has, however, recently run into financial difficulty and has this week called in liquidators from the Bristol office of Begbies Traynor, the leading independent, business rescue, recovery and restructuring specialist in the UK.

Explains Simon Haskew of Begbies Traynor: “Believe has benefited from funding from a number of charitable trusts enabling it to work alongside not only the education sector but a number of prisons, notably in Milton Keynes, the Thames Valley and South East London. Its work has been widely applauded, helping those who have struggled in the education system or turned to crime find self-esteem and belief and so go on to find career opportunities.

“With overheads increasing, Believe ran into difficulties in the summer and, in the absence of appropriate additional short term funding, the decision has now been made to appoint liquidators.”

It is hoped that alternative ways to continue the work of Believe and its approach to coaching and mentoring may be found.