About the Minstead Trust

Minstead Trust was established in 1986, and supports over 200 people with learning disabilities to develop skills that allow them to gain greater independence and lead fulfilled lives.

Originally a small project in the corner of Furzey Gardens, Minstead, in the New Forest, Minstead Training Project existed with one member of staff and five young adults with learning difficulties. With a spade and a patch of ground and using horticulture training, those young adults developed skills, confidence and general well-being.
Today, we are Minstead Trust, and we support people to achieve their goals, live as independently as possible and reach their potential. We care passionately about every person we support and work with them to identify goals that they would like to achieve. We support people in their own homes, in our supported living houses, in our residential care home at Minstead Lodge, in the Community and also in our social enterprises, of which Furzey Gardens is one. The other social enterprises are Totton’s Hanger Farm Arts Centre and Portsmouth’s Lily and Lime Café.

We run our pioneering Step up for Work programme that is wholly funded by voluntary donations. Through this we provide training and support to enable people with learning disabilities get into proper paid, meaningful jobs.

We run Community groups and activities, to support people who may have limited funding to attend workshops and activities, such as community theatre or choir groups, as well as skill up courses.

Minstead Trust’s overall aim and vision is that people with learning disabilities can lead independent, happy and fulfilled lives in society. Given the right support, everyone should be able to achieve their potential, and as a charity, we rely on donations and grants to be able to provide the support that we do, to help us achieve our vision.

Registered Charity No. 1053319

www.minsteadtrust.org.uk