Brief History and Development of The Friendly Trust

1996 - 1998… The Friendly Trust was formed in 1998 following concerns by parents of people with learning disabilities for the financial futures of their sons and daughters once they would no longer be able to care for them. They could not see a way to leave their estates and have confidence that their relative would receive the best care, support and advice possible. Even operating with the best of intentions, it was not appropriate for service agencies responsible for providing care also to manage the finances of those individuals in their care. Following a 2 year feasibility study, and with financial support from Cardiff County Council, the Friendly Trust was established in July 1998 as a company limited by guarantee, to fill that gap.  The Friendly Trust was to provide independent advice and practical help to people with learning disabilities, their families and other unpaid care providers.

2000… The Friendly Trust achieved charitable status in November 2000.

Cardiff County Council continued to fund The Friendly Trust.

2002…Financial backing from the Vale of Glamorgan County Council was achieved from April through the Carers Special Grant.

2003… Three year national lottery funding [Community Fund] was granted from April 2003 to March 2006 enabling a significant expansion of The Friendly Trust and a move to an office base within Canton House in Cardiff, making the service more accessible to the general public.

2006… “Spot purchasing” (buying the service per individual user) from Torfaen County Borough Council began in March 2006 to provide an appointee and receiver [now known as “deputy”] service for their clients.

Although our first Community Fund grant ended in March 2006 the development of the organisation which took place as a result of that lottery funding was consolidated by increased funding from Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Council; both County Councils recognising the significant contribution made by The Friendly Trust to the well being of people with learning disabilities in particular.

2007…Within the South Glamorgan area we expanded the service to include people with disabilities and disabling illness. This expansion of our client group in our local area is being funded by The Big Lottery with work and funding commencing from November 2007 (“The Local Project”). This project necessitated a move to a larger suite within Canton House. From October 2007 we moved into the A3 suite renting as sub-tenants from The Terrence Higgins Trust. We were able to pass the rent commitment of our previous rooms to Advocacy Matters (Wales) with whom we often work in partnership and who had an urgent need to increase their office space.

2008 … Spot purchasing began in Monmouthshire. All the people referred had learning disabilities and needed help to manage their Independent Living Fund money.

2009… Cardiff Council asked us to provide additional services for disabled people and people who have disabling illnesses in Cardiff. This project helps people with mental health problems; elderly vulnerable people; individuals who have acquired a brain injury by physical trauma or substance abuse. This three year contract compliments the Lottery funded project which will end in October 2010 and maintains the service for many who need continued help to manage their household or personal money.

We became a member of the Deputy Support Group which offers advice and a listening ear to unpaid carers applying to the Court of Protection to be Deputy for a relative who has lost mental capacity. We have been able to help people with the paperwork and to answer queries about the processes involved. The Friendly Trust is the contact for south east Wales but in reality we have had phone calls from many parts of England and Wales. This work is unfunded but has added to our experience, raised the profile of The Friendly Trust and made a difference to many carers across the country.

2010… Through Cardiff Council The Welsh Assembly Government funded us to work with elderly vulnerable people in Cardiff who were either subject to a POVA (Protection of Vulnerable Adults) procedure or in circumstances where they are likely to become the subject of such a procedure.

2011-2015 …

A grant from The Big Lottery has enabled us to follow up with some of the POVA work of 2010 and to help people in the Cardiff and Vale areas who need our service but cannot or do not wish to access our service through their local authority social services department.

We continue our local authority funded work with disabled people in various circumstances in Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, Torfaen, Bridgend and Monmouth. In addition a few service users are in a position to purchase the service themselves.

We hope to attract further grants from a variety of potential sources to increase the service provided outside south east Wales as we receive many enquiries from all parts of Wales. At the time of writing we are only able to respond to these in a limited way.