We are here to:
- Stay connected.
- Support.
- Fundraise.
- Ambassador
Creating a formal, standalone community group such as a renewed and formalised Friends of The Briars ‘community group’ offers a structured, transparent way to support the centre’s mission, while protecting its core operations.
This group exists independently of The Briars itself, operating alongside (not within) the centre. This separation is essential for:
Accountability and audibility with clear, trackable donation pathways and records.
Safeguarding The Briars. Keeping the centre free from liability related to fundraising, volunteering, or external engagement.
Clean operational boundaries. Ensuring The Briars remains focused on its core purpose and does what it does best while the community group can flexibly and creatively support it from the outside.
A formal structure also allows for essential requirements such as insurance, risk assessments, and good governance. It builds trust, makes external engagement easier and provides a reliable, auditable framework for any financial activity. However, it isn’t a free for all. We work hand in hand with the Briars and the NDCYS Director to ensure all endeavours are what the centre and the youth of the diocese needs.
Connecting the community around the Briars:
Enables cross parish collaboration, strengthening diocesan unity and awareness.
encourages family engagement and helps communicate the purpose and value of The Briars to the wider parish communities.
We are here to foster a sense of ownership and involvement, both for those with deep roots in The Briars and for new supporters.
Membership is free and open to all but with structured categories so we know who is engaging and how best to target specific opportunity to specific groups. (Youth – Family – Parish groups etc) Free memberships carry no obligation to donate but the option to support us is there and always low pressure and voluntary.
Jesus said it best.
”Truly I tell you, she has put more into the treasury than all the others”.— Mark 12:43–44
We put in what we can, be it financial, energy, expertise and more.
We are building a community around a shared purpose while keeping The Briars itself protected and focused. This model offers the best of both worlds: freedom to act and support, with clarity and integrity at the core.
The ultimate goal is to forge outreaching links deep into parishes that welcome more and more people to joins a FOB and in turn create opportunity to engage.