Charity makes a move to further its services

02/06/2010

A CHANGE in legislation combined with an increased awareness of services has led to rapid expansion for a Beverley-based charity.

The Wilf Ward Family Trust has relocated to Annie Reed Road after outgrowing its former home in Saturday Market.

The charity was founded in Pickering in November 1986, to give relief to carers through the provision of residential respite units and day facilities.

Now it has grown to offer a range of services to children and young people with disabilities and older people.

This growth, in terms of both workload and staff members, meant the trust needed to find more spacious premises for its base in the East Riding.

And now the charity has room to grow further still after taking 3,000sqft of space in Reed House. Fiona Lees, the trust’s service manager for the East Riding, said: “We chose Beverley for our East Riding office as it is central. We had previously been in Saturday Market, but unfortunately the building was becoming a little cramped for us as we had to take on staff.

“For the direct payment service we have had to take on three new staff members.

“Community services, where we provide support in people’s homes, has expanded rapidly, so we have taken on support workers as well.”

The relocation has also enabled the charity to create a training room in-house.

Ms Lees said: “We now have a big training room, which has really helped us.”

The Valuing People White Paper, which was published in 2001, gave people in need of support more choice and a larger say on how their needs could be met. This included direct payments.

The introduction of personal budgets empowered them to choose their support.

Ms Lees said the legislation, combined with a greater understanding of what the Wilf Ward Trust offer were two of the main reasons behind the charity’s expansion.

The Wilf Ward Trust was assisted in its move by Paul White of Garness Jones.

Links

Wilf Ward Family Trust

www.wilfward.org.uk

Garness Jones

www.garnessjones.co.uk