2021 (Our Centenary) Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand In 2021, Enham Trust celebrates 100 years since our incorporation. To mark the momentous occasion in our history in a COVID-secure way, there are a multitude of great ways our supporters can celebrate with us, including participating in our 100 Challenge, keeping your eyes peeled for our 100 Stories on Enham Trust’s website and social media channels throughout the year, and by posting about your experiences with us on social media using the hashtag #EnhamTrust100 accompanied by our library of FREE downloadable social images available on our Centenary page.
2020 Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand 2020 saw Enham Trust adapt in numerous ways in response to the coronavirus pandemic which rapidly spread around the world. Disabled people were hit hardest by the outbreak due to many having high-risk conditions that would force them to shield away from loved ones to keep safe. Not only would this impact their mental wellbeing but also their physical health. That’s why it became our top priority to find new ways to deliver the services we provide to the thousands of disabled people we support and enable them continued access to the care, support and guidance they need. Changes made to our provision of service included activities being delivered in-house to care home residents, PPE being supplied to and worn by all front line staff, regular testing carried out of staff and residents, remote learning, and of course, lots of virtual calls and consultations offering advice and guidance across all services. Our front line staff have been incredible throughout and we couldn’t praise them enough for their hard work fighting against the pandemic. We are very proud of the work we have done to continue supporting disabled people to live, work and enjoy life, and thank our supporters for staying by our side through it all.
2017 - 2019 Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, our Patron, visits Enham Trust on 19th September 2017 following her last visit in 1984. The Duchess learns more about the charity’s future plans, current developments and meets clients and residents that we support. Enham Alamein commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein in September 2017. The Trustees of the Charity, the local Parish Council, current residents of the village and members of the public were joined by Sir Freddie Viggers, representing the Lord Lieutenant’s Office, The Worshipful the Mayor of Test Valley and local Counsellors came together at the annual Service of Thanksgiving at St George’s Church, Enham Alamein – the internationally recognised memorial church for the Battle of El Alamein. Enham Trust obtained Disability Confident Leader status under the Disability Confident scheme in December 2017. An initiative established by the Government in 2013, Disability Confident aims to challenge negative attitudes to disability employment, and promote equal opportunities for all individuals who can work. Achieving Disability Confident Leader status acknowledges our efforts to support people living with a disability to gain employment within the organisation, as well as its ongoing work with businesses to support and employ disabled people. The Enham Trust Café is the latest innovative project, officially opened by Sir Freddie Viggers, a former British Army Officer and Trustee of Enham Trust, on 9th February 2018. The Enham Trust Café provides an opportunity for disabled people to undertake café training supported by volunteers and staff. You can find out more about the project here.
2015 - 2016 Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand Enham Trust opens Bradbury Place, a development consisting of eight fully accessible one and two bedroom apartments in Andover town Centre on 27th August 2015. The apartments were officially opened by Hugh Inman of the Bradbury Foundation. Designed in collaboration with Winchester architects Design Engine and a panel of Enham Trust’s disabled clients, Bradbury Place won the Richard Feilden Award at the 2015 Housing Design Awards, recognising the development as the best example of housing enabled by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). In October 2015, Enham Alamein village was awarded joint winner of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight ‘Village of the Year’ Awards, sharing the honour with the largest village in England, Bembridge, on the Isle of Wight. The demolition of historic Cedar Park development began in December 2015. For more than two decades, Cedar Park stood empty due to asbestos fears and marks the start of a new long term development. Following the previous year’s success, the ‘Village of the Year’ Awards ceremony was held in Enham Alamein, receiving a further two awards for 2016; ‘Highly Commended’ in the ‘Village of the Year’ Award, and achieving 1st place in the ‘Excellence in Localism’ Award; recognising the village’s visionary work.
2000 - 2014 Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand Enham further expanded its choice of living and care options. Direct Payments Services were introduced and learning programmes put in place to offer support for people with disabilities or disadvantages into sustainable work. Enham officially becomes Enham Trust in 2013 and undergoes a complete rebranding, with new logo, website and goals. Design Engine win the contract in 2014 to design the next phases of Enham Trust, including a Café, more purpose-built bungalows and an acquired injuries unit. The first of a series of 5 Heritage Trails opens, giving an insight to the history of Enham Alamein, which has until now been relatively hidden. The trails are fully wheelchair accessible, and you can see the information boards placed throughout the village. You can also download the Heritage Trail here.
1980 - 2000's Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand In 1984, HRH the Duchess of Gloucester, GCVO became our Patron, and still remains our Patron today. The Resource Centre in Enham Alamein was opened in 1990 in order to improve facilities and services provided to Enham Trust clients. In 1995, 24-hour supported care homes were opened and still remain today. Throughout the 1990’s, Enham developed and launched the first scheme to support disabled people into self-employment, and introduced 'supported living contracts'.
1960's and 1970's Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand A new coach which had a ramp for wheelchairs was gifted to the charity by the Round Table of Andover in 1961. Other Andover social groups, including WVS and Toc H, provided very welcome voluntary assistance in transport and recreation activities. Enham continues to propser in 1962 with a healthy waiting list of people wishing to come to Enham. The continuing need for development and expansion saw plans made to further develop the main hostel by adding a new wing with 25 to 30 beds; existing houses were improved with 55 having new hot water systems installed. It was in 1966 that the Governing Body realised the need to make provision for the admission of disabled women to the centre. Also, more needed to be done for the centre's elderly people and retiring beneficiaries - there was a revenue problem with new capital urgently needed.
1950's Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand As Enham moved into the fifties, the proposed give-year-plan to transform Enham Alamein into a fully equipped village settlement became a reality. The first 50-bed stage of the new hostel came into operation and was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal on Alamein Day on 23rd October 1950. Littlecote House was converted into a 21-bed hostel in 1953, to help ease the urgent need for bed places. It was re-emphasised that the workshops existed to provide training, work and wages for disabled people. By 1955, Enham was well into its third phase of development. Phase 1 had been focussed at the care and rehabilitation of disabled ex-servicemen. Phase 2 had seen the development of rehabilitation of those suffering from tuberculosis - both ex-service and civilian men and women. Phase 3 was to open Enham to those suffering from a much wider range of physical disabilities.
1940's Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand Continuous sustained industrial activity was happening in Enham in the mid 1940’s. In the main factory, single seat training gliders were being produced in quantity, and all workshops were fully employed in work of national importance. In many ways, 1945 was the ‘most eventful year in Enham's history’, according to V. Perks, author of Enham Village Centre 1918-1988. Plans for the future of Enham were drawn up, finalised and submitted to the Ministry of Health. And, of course, the devastating war came to an end. A public subscription in Egypt raised £600,000 to thank Britain for its part in ridding Egypt of Axis forces. It was on 22nd October 1945 that the first cheque of £100,000 from the Bank of Egypt was awarded to Enham Alamein, a gift to mark the gallantry of British forces at the Battle of El Alamein in WW2. The remainder was given later that year and a total sum in excess of £200,000 was given to Enham. In recognition, Enham appended the word 'Alamein' to its name, henceforth to be known as Enham Alamein. The Egyptian Government presented Enham Alamein with 3 pairs of wrought-iron gates, presented originally by the three services to the Alamein Club in Cairo. The gates bearing the crest of the RAF were sited at Phipps house; those of the Royal Navy at the entrance to the Industries' Headquarters; those representing the Army were sited at the entrance to the White House. All are still treasured and carefully kept at Enham Alamein today, with the gates to Montgomery House still in place. One of Enham's most distinguished Vice Presidents, Field Marshal Lord Montgomery, made his first visit to Enham Alamein in 1948 and was greatly impressed with the village. It was an informal visit, and he met a number of men who had served under him in the Desert. He said "I am deeply impressed by what I have seen today. I have seen a fine set of old soldiers doing a fine job of work. No one seems to have a job that he is not medically fit to do, and I must say they all look extremely happy and content."
1930's Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand In 1930, two grand balls were held as fundraisers, ‘The Wedgewood Ball’ on 27th May, and ‘The Jewels of the Empire Ball’ on 26th November at the Park Lane Hotel in London, the latter raising £1,500 profit on tickets alone. It attracted a wide range of publicity in national papers and magazines such as the Bystander, Tatler and Sketch. Following the death of Field Marshal Lord Plumer in 1932, Field Marshal Lord Allenby became President of Enham Village Centre. With the Enham Industries continuing to make progress with increasing mechanisation in the woodworking factory, the Bernhard Baron Basketry Department - a fine new purpose built workshop - was opened in 1935. There were now four industries - woodwork, basketry, upholstery and gardens. The Committee called a General Meeting on 10th July 1935 to consider a Special Resolution to extend Enham's sphere of help beyond the disabled servicemen. Enham extended its employment scheme to disabled people, but not through the result of war or conflict. With the passing of His Majesty King George V in 1936, Enham lost the services of their Royal Patron who had done so much for them. This was followed soon after with the deaths of the President of Enham and the Chairman of the Executive and Finance Committee. Sir Charles McLeod, a banker and merchant, had devoted not only money but time and energy to Enham throughout the 1930’s. He was responsible for saving the Enham Village Centre from collapse, when he personally advanced many thousands of pounds to save the Village, when its livelihood was threatened by the financial collapse in 1920. In November 1936 in issue of ‘Village Settlements Pictorial’, the annual report said "Such a service can never be forgotten and, as long as Enham endures, the name of Sir Charles McLeod will be honoured there."
1920's Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand By the end of 1921, 510 men had been admitted to Enham and 366 had been discharged - 80% of whom were fit to take up employment or industrial training. In 1922, The King and Queen, accompanied by HRH the Duke of York, visited Enham. The Village Centres Council had a number of high-profile patrons from 1923 onwards including HRHs the King and Queen, Her Majesty Queen Alexandra, HRH Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles, Field Marshal HRH the Duke of Connaught, and HRH Princess Alice. On 26th June 1926, the Landale Wilson Institute was completed and opened by HRH the Prince of Wales. Now known as the Landale Wilson Hall, it is still used today for parties and events. The building was given to Enham by Mr and Mrs. D. Landale Wilson in commemoration of their silver wedding anniversary.
1918 - 1920 Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand Enham Place was a private estate which together with houses and other buildings totalled some 1027 acres. As a result of a visit from John Hodge, Minster for Pensions, the Village Centres Council selected Enham Place as the site for the first Village Centre following the Great War 'for the medical treatment and training of ex-servicemen suffering from the effects of amputations, neurasthenia and shell shock. Existing buildings were enough to accommodate 150 men, with the first 50 injured soldiers arriving in the summer of 1919. In 1919, King George V donated £100,000 (millions by today’s prices!) which enabled Enham to start supporting disabled people. This money was used for housing at Enham – previously known as Knights Enham. During 1919, the Red Cross also gave a total of £15,000 towards a new medicine building. By October 1919, there were 150 clients living at Enham. Enham was officially opened by Sir Laming Worthington M.P, Minster for Pensions.
Pre 1918 Over the course of nearly 100 years, we have supported over 250,000 disabled people throughout the UK to live the lives they chose, as independently as possible. We are proud of our military heritage and our founding is still true today of providing three key services; care, housing and employment. Expand The UK identified the need for care and support of the war-disabled. A group of concerned people that would become the Village Centres Council, met for the first time in London to consider what might be done to help the ever-increasing number of men becoming disabled on the Western front in the Great War. Italy and France's efforts to ensure adequate care and training for the disabled servicemen had impressed them all. They all agreed that the UK needed to follow that lead.