The Nelson Trust Annual Review 2018/19

Annual Review
2018/19
Making change
possible

Annual Review 2018/19 | Introduction
Introduction
Dame Janet Trotter, OBE, DBE, CVO, Chair of Trustees and John Trolan, CEO
This review sets out the
development of our services
which, despite the ongoing
challenging operating environment,
continue to grow.
To further our ambition that any woman
needing our services in the region we work
in at least has the opportunity to access
them, we opened our fantastic new women’s
centre in Bridgwater. We have developed
and designed services which divert women
from the criminal justice system, supported
women caught up in County Line activity and
facilitated exit strategies for women street
sex working: we are also doing impressive
work with young people at risk of child
sexual exploitation.
Despite a large drop in the number of
referrals into residential treatment for men
and women nationally, we continue to buck
the trend by receiving a consistently high
number of referrals and working successfully
with them. This is perhaps testament to
our commitment to continually evolve and
develop our service provision.
We hosted a national conference which
showcased a report produced by Lancaster
University into the impact and coordination
of our SWOP (sex worker outreach project)
service which revealed very impressive
outcomes.
The knowledge and expertise we have
accumulated over the years is now being
used to enhance our social impact by
delivering accredited training and
trauma-informed approaches to a number
of statutory and voluntary sector agencies.
Our social enterprise oriented services, The
Clean Plate, The Sober Parrot and The Spirit
Level, continue to grow and support people
in early recovery. They also raise awareness
that recovery is possible and continue to
address the stigma associated with drug and
alcohol dependence. At the same time, they
attract and support a number of community
based initiatives that function better in a drug
and alcohol free environment.
In delivering these award-winning services,
what consistently stands out is the praise our
staff receive from all who come into contact
with them. Most importantly to us, the praise
staff receive from clients. It is an honour
and privilege to work with and for them and
they make The Nelson Trust an environment
characterised by passion, commitment,
innovation and hope.
To our friends, supporters and donors, new
and old thank you for accompanying us on
our journey. It simply wouldn’t be possible
without you. Please share our success with
us, please share it with others and we hope
to see you at our 10-year celebration of our
fi rst Women’s Centre on the 18th June 2020.
Trustees 2018/19
Dame Janet Trotter, Andrew Jardine, Dr Anne-Marie Marlow, Amanda Fadero,
Rhona Macdonald, John Bensted, Claire Wynne Hughes, Naina Mandleker,
Jo Daubeney, Justin Sargent, Jamie Tabor
2
You can find out more about our trustees at nelsontrust.com

Highlights | Annual Review 2018/19
The year at a glance
p4
Opened the Women’s
Centre in Bridgwater,
extending our services
in Somerset
p6
National conference
showing the
independently evaluated
impact of the Sex
Worker Outreach Project
(SWOP) role
p9
Achieved a ‘Good’ rating
from the CQC across all
aspects of our Residential
Rehabilitation service
p10
Continued training
organisations in our
trauma-informed
approach to services
p12
75 volunteers gave
over 3,000 hours to
our Hub Enterprises
p14
Opened The Sober Parrot:
Cheltenham’s first late
night entertainment
venue with a strictly
alcohol-free offer
In 2020 we are looking forward to
celebrating 10 years since we opened
the Gloucester Women’s Centre. We will
be hosting a conference in June 2020
to celebrate the achievements of our
Women’s Community Services.
Our Vision
To be a leader in
trauma-informed
approaches, while
tackling root causes
of substance misuse,
such as violence,
abuse, deprivation
and poverty.
Our Values
Kindness,
expertise, belief,
determination
Our Mission
To be a centre of excellence
bringing belief, hope and longterm
recovery to lives affected
by addiction and multiple
vulnerabilities.
To develop new and creative
ways to enable every individual
to recover and thrive in their
communities.
3

Annual Review 2018/19 | Women’s Community Services
Women’s Community Services
Putting women at the centre of their care
Women’s Centres
The Nelson Trust provides Women’s
Community Services from our three
Women’s Centres: in Gloucestershire,
Wiltshire, and Somerset. These safe
spaces offer onsite crèche provision and
innovative in-house services, including
weekly lunch clubs; shower and washing
machine access; pamper days; and
psycho-educational groups.
The role of Women’s Centres and their
ground-breaking services contribute to
saving money across the public purse. It is
estimated that for every £1 invested, £14 of
benefit is achieved. 1
In July 2019 we
opened a Women’s
Centre in Bridgwater
to provide services for
women in Somerset,
where we were
already working with
over 150 women
through our outreach
services. We are so
grateful to the
community in Bridgwater
and Somerset for supporting
this project and getting behind
us to help fulfil this ambition.
Keyworkers
Women accessing our services collaboratively
develop a holistic, person-centred support
plan alongside their keyworkers, responding
to nine pathways of need.
Her support plan is where we begin
to empower each woman, supporting
her to take responsibility for her set of
circumstances, and working through each
problem with us as a guide and advocate.
We undertook 2,500 outreach visits to
support women at home and at other
appointments such as with the GP, hospital
and court advocacy.
Group Sessions
We run a range psycho-educational and
therapeutic groups including; Beyond Anger,
Parenting groups, Relapse Prevention, Emotional
Wellbeing, Pattern Changing and Mentoring.
Most of the women who access our services have 4 or more needs across 9
criminogenic pathways.
Housing
436 women identified
an accommodation
need. 87% are now in
safe and appropriate
housing.
Finances
331 women had a
need around finance,
benefit and debt.
81% improved their
finances.
Trauma and abuse
272 women report
they have experienced
abuse, violence
and/or rape. 82%
made steps towards
recovery.
Drugs and alcohol
339 women identified
substance misuse as
an issue. 84% have
progressed towards
recovery from substance
dependency.
Sexual exploitation
and sex working
134 women are or
have been involved in
prostitution. 96% made
progress toward safety
and exiting sex
working.
Physical,
emotional and
mental health
507 women
presented with health
needs. 87% improved
their mental and
physical health.
Education
and training
329 women were recorded
as lacking skills and
employment. 83% have
new skills, entered
education and/or
employment.
Attitudes, thinking
and behaviour
492 women had needs
around attitudes,
thinking and behaviour.
88% are making
positive progress.
Families and
relationships
389 women recognised
relationship issues. 83%
have rebuilt bonds with
loved ones, some have
been reunited with
their children.
4
1.
NEF (Women’s Community Services: A Wise Commission. London: New Economics Foundation.

Women’s Community Services | Annual Review 2018/19
Over the 2018-19 year,
The Nelson Trust has
developed its breadth
and depth of services for
women in the community.
We are delighted to
have opened a new Women's Centre in
Bridgwater this year.
Evaluating our practice is an essential
element in the cycle of action learning,
which is at the core of our work. It enables
informal and formal opportunities for
learning and the sharing of good practice
to take place. The learning from all the
activities are gathered on a regular basis
and successes and challenges discussed
Outreach
SWOP
This service has engaged with 139 women
in the past year. In June 2018, The Nelson
Trust organised a conference for industry
professionals to coincide with the results
of a three-year independent study into the
Sex Worker Outreach Project (SWOP)
Co-ordinator role. The report praised
the project, saying it delivers “exemplary
concrete outcomes”. Read more on page 6.
CSE and Families
We extended our family support services to
reach all family members, not only women,
and we learned that this whole-family
approach is highly beneficial to our clients.
We expanded our Child Sexual Exploitation
(CSE) service to families of boys as well as
young women and girls.
We now have an outreach worker who
works with schools and other bodies to
identify young people at low and medium
risk of CSE, with the aim of preventing
escalation to high risk (this is being funded
by Children in Need).
In 2018/19 over 1,500
women accessed our
Women’s Community Services
with staff and clients. We are keen to
continue to develop our services alongside
women with lived experiences.
We continue to work hard to influence
a co-comissioned approach to both
sustain and develop our services in the
community. In our work with women and
their families, we hope to break the cycle of
intergenerational trauma and disadvantage.
I am really proud of the work our
organisation is doing and also our team of
practitioners who go above and beyond
to support the women in our care.
Niki Gould
Head of Women's Community Services
Diverting women from the Criminal
Justice System
We have worked with partners in the
police and the NHS across Gloucestershire,
Swindon, Bristol and Somerset to divert
women from offending and into gender
responsive, trauma-informed support at
the earliest opportunity. We had over
200 new referrals in the year.
Project SHE
Project SHE: Support-Help-Engage supports
women at point of arrest. The service diverts
women from the criminal justice system into
gender responsive support addressing the
reason they have offended.
Prison in-reach
We are working with over a hundred women
in Eastwood Park Prison on a project funded
through the HMPPS CFO3 programme.
The programme recognises the importance
of social inclusion to gaining employment
and focuses more on breaking down
women's barriers to inclusion such as health,
relationships, finance and accommodation.
We also run a range of groups in Eastwood
Park Prison supporting women to reduce
their likelihood of re-offending.
Re-unite Gloucestershire
The Re-unite Gloucestershire service
enables mothers to be reunited with their
children after serving a prison sentence
by providing a comprehensive package of
housing and support.
5

Annual Review 2018/19 | Women’s Community Services
SWOP Conference:
Breaking down barriers to exiting sex work
“SWOP allows the women to step into Women’s
Centres where they are not 'the sex worker'
and into specialist substance services which
understand the gender specific, traumainformed
approaches they need to transcend
sex work and substance use,” said Dr Balderston.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon,
Angus Macpherson with Rose Mahon, Head of Excellence at
The Nelson Trust.
The Nelson Trust is a pioneer in supporting
women who want to exit sex work. The Sex
Worker Outreach Project (SWOP) was set
up specifically to support women who are
involved in street based sex working to fund
their addiction.
At a conference organised by The Nelson
Trust in June 2018, industry professionals
explored breaking down barriers to exiting
sex work. Dr Susie Balderston from Lancaster
University shared the highlights of a threeyear
independent study she conducted into
the SWOP Co-ordinator role.
Dr Balderston said, “I have evaluated 35
projects in 15 years, in some of the toughest
social conditions and inequality in England;
SWOP is the most important and impressive
work I have ever seen.”
One woman accessing SWOP said, "There has
been days where I thought I couldn’t go on, I
wanted to die and for the pain to stop. But as I
stand nearly a year clean I couldn’t have done it
without The Nelson Trust which has supported
and often fought for me to get me where I am."
Unlike some statutory interventions, SWOP
activity does not displace on-street sex work
(to other riskier areas/later in the night). One
of the keys to the project’s success is its multiagency
approach. SWOP deals with at least
18 other agencies including local statutory
Commissioners and funders across Councils,
Police, NHS Specialist Trusts, Ambulance,
Hospitals, Housing Associations and the
Third Sector.
The project is generously supported by Lankelly
Chase, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Charles
Hayward Foundation and The National Lottery
Community Fund.
Recognition at the National
Charity Awards 2019
We are proud winners at the National
Charity Awards 2019 in the category of
social care, advice and support.
Charity Awards judge Danielle Walker-
Palmour said the Trust was doing
“transformational work at a very deep and
personal level”.
Cathy Phelan-Watkins praised the traumainformed
approach adopted by the charity
and said the project was a “fantastic
example of lived-experience leadership”.
Rose Mahon, Head of Excellence and Katie Lewis, Exploitation
Lead, collect the award on behalf of The Nelson Trust.
Ruth Davison said the project “had a clear
theory of change, very detailed tracking
and it was highly cost-effective.”
6

Melanie's story
I suffered with addiction for over 20 years
Women’s Community Services | Annual Review 2018/19
I picked up my first drug at 13 and by 16
I was taking heroin. My mother suffered
from manic depression and her behaviour
and moods could be very erratic and
volatile. After my dad left when I was
10, I was full of feelings of loss and
unworthiness. I felt unwanted, unloved
and I went on to seek anything and
everything that could take me out of
myself.
volatile and toxic relationship and had
tried to take my own life but no matter
where I turned, I was unable to get help.
I was very resistant to help to begin with
but I had no one to turn to except my
SWOP worker, and it’s because she didn’t
give up on me and did everything she
could to empower me that I’m where I
am today.
I went through the care system
after leaving home at 11 and
ended up in a relationship
After two years of perseverance from
her and the SWOP team I finally
entered The Nelson Trust
with a using addict at
rehab. My SWOP worker
15. By 18 I was a very
I feel that
specifically requested
chaotic addict, full of without services like
The Nelson Trust so
anger, lies, deceit,
sadness, sorrow,
the Womens Centre, my
recovery wouldn’t of been
I could go and do a
group which no other
unmanageability, possible as I had no other safe treatment centre has
guilt, shame, fear
called Griffin. It was a
place to turn to. Now it’s only
and in a place of
group for women who
despair but I could fair that I give back to other had sex worked. It
not stop.
women and hold my hand delved into the core of
out and say ‘I know the myself and helped me
I was forced into
sex work at the age of
17 and it then became a
choice I made with an addict’s
way out’.
to rebuild myself.
I didn’t realise I needed to
look at the sex working in order
insane mind that I could fund my
habit selling my body.
What I didn’t realise, was that I was not
just selling my body, but I was selling
a part of my soul each time. I was
chipping away at my self-worth, my
self-esteem and slowly but surely losing
any empowerment as a woman I had or
could have. It was lonely, sad, and full of
despair and pain. I made many attempts
to get clean but I never managed to
sustain it.
Finally, about three years ago, I was
referred onto the SWOP team by my local
domestic abuse services. I was in a very
to stay clean. The importance of the
Women’s Service and specifically the
SWOP team was paramount in my life as
I am now one year into recovery from all
mood altering substances. The Nelson
Trust has continued to support me and
now I facilitate a women’s recovery group
and a leavers group.
My life today is full of gratitude and I
am now able to see the beauty in life,
which I wasn’t able to see before. I
now appreciate life’s hurdles and do
not treat them as an obstacle but as
an opportunity for growth. I am able
to stand in my own truth, and feel
empowered as I’m doing this.
7

Annual Review 2018/19 | Residential and Resettlement Services
8
Residential and resettlement
treatment services
A trauma-informed culture
Trauma-informed services take into account
the needs of trauma survivors universally,
operationally and systemically.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
disrupt a person’s capacity to self-regulate
and self-organise. Trauma-informed
environments understand the need for
survivors to feel safe enough to begin the
healing process.
Andrew’s story
By the time I came to The Nelson Trust I
was absolutely desperate. I had been using
opiates for about sixteen years, was back
living with my parents after being homeless
and begging on the streets. They had no
idea about my drug problem and I was too
ashamed to tell them.
By the time I was ready to admit
I had a problem and wanted
to stop – I couldn’t. Any
work I did, I used the
money for drugs. My
relationships broke
down and I ended
up on the street. I’ve
always been one of
those people who was
really ashamed of my
drug use. I thought, ‘I’ve
got myself into this mess
and I’ll get myself out of
it.’ There was no way I was
going to admit it to my family.
I tried to get clean a few times but
with no aftercare I started using again
straight away. I thought I’d just knock my
addiction on the head and live happily ever
after but I wasn’t strong enough at that stage
to say no.
By the time I managed to see a doctor who
could help me with my addiction I was
desperate to stop. I was so ill every day
The process
of being in rehab made
me really aware of what
my actions might lead to. To
think about what I’m doing and
with whom. I think anyone who
is offered residential rehabilitation
should take it. The crucial part for
me was having that extended
break being clean with
professional support day
and night.
In 2018/19 253 people were referred
to our residential treatment and 85%
of our beds were occupied.
Our approach to trauma-informed treatment
supports our clients to feel consulted,
valued, included and collaborated with at
every stage of their recovery journey.
and suicidal. I would’ve done anything to get
clean. The doctor suggested I go home and
tell my parents what was happening and try
residential rehab.
The thing I struggled the most with at The
Nelson Trust was the groups. After a couple
of weeks I wanted to leave, I couldn’t
cope with the things I needed to
deal with. I saw one of the
counsellors, who encouraged
me to stay and the groups
ended up being the most
important part of my
recovery.
It is so important
having that time away
to recover and process
what’s happening. I felt
terrible at first, it takes
a few weeks just to start
to feel normal. When you
get clean, all your feelings
and emotions come back tenfold
and having peers and professional
counsellors to support you is essential. But it
was only about six months after I left that all
the group work started to make sense.
I have been clean for ten years now. I’m
happily married and my wife and family are
the main reason I stay clean. I now work with
people who have drug and homelessness
problems and that keeps me straight as well.

Residential and Resettlement Services | Annual Review 2018/19
Integration
by Sharon,
a Nelson Trust client
Letting go of trauma and fear
“Choose a brand new path,
my dear”
For YOU deserve to be happy
and WHOLE
Healing light flooding your
soul
Letting go does not mean
forgetting
However, letting go stops
you fretting
Your journey here on planet
earth
Will show you ways to find
inner worth
For YOU are beautiful, INSIDE
AND OUT
Know this wholeheartedly,
without a shadow of a doubt
Resettlement
Over 40 clients access supported housing in Stroud
and Gloucester each year to assist their integration
back into the community following their residential
treatment.
In this year, we have been exploring partnership
opportunities with several housing associations with
the ambition to increase our resettlement housing
stock alongside increasing capacity to deliver specialist
support for those in community-based rehabilitation
and post rehabilitation pathways.
Family Recovery Workshops
Our treatment programme recognises the central
importance of close relationships – both in addiction
and in recovery. We aim to help clients to improve
their understanding of family relationships, their
awareness of family dynamics and communication,
and to develop their confidence and their skills in
managing their responsibilities as a parent, as a
partner and as a member of a family in their recovery.
In 2018/19 we ran weekend workshops for 26 family
and friends of people in residential treatment.
During January 2019 we
were inspected by the Care
Quality Commission (CQC)
and achieved a ‘GOOD’ rating
in all areas. The inspectors said ‘it was a
pleasure to inspect our services’. The reports
are available on the CQC website.
We also achieved the
Enabling Environment
Standard Award in our women only residential
treatment houses. This accreditation is awarded
by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to
recognise services that create an environment
where everyone thrives, succeeds and achieves
more positive outcomes.
Amidst a challenging external
environment facing the sector with
residential treatment centres closing
facilities across the country, we are
pleased to report that the average
number of occupied beds in our
service was 37.4 for the year,
this was the third consecutive
year in which occupancy levels
exceeded 85% of our capacity.
We manage 45 to 50 contracts
with local authorities from
across the UK. In this
year, we have noticed a trend in
Commissioners referring increasingly
complex clients.
Over the coming year, we plan
to focus on continuing to deliver
excellent trauma-informed services.
We plan to extend the Enabling
Environment Standard Award to all
of the residential units and develop a
male gender specific trauma-informed
programme within residential services.
Jeanette Ward
Head of Residential Services
9

Annual Review 2018/19 | Residential and Resettlement Services
A trauma-informed approach
to treatment
A trauma-informed approach builds trust,
choice and supports people to begin to
take control of their own lives, ultimately
creating real empowerment.
Our Trauma Guide Team supports
colleagues to implement trauma-informed
practice and procedure at every level of the
organisation.
“Trauma-informed approaches need to be
more than just addressing environments:
this approach must sit at the very heart of
an organisation.” Kirsty Day, Trauma Guide
Team Chair
BTI Guide Team Mission Statement:
“The Nelson Trust is committed to being
a trauma-informed organisation. We
work from the universal assumption that
individuals and organisations may have
experienced and been affected by trauma.
We ask people "what has happened to you?"
instead of "what is wrong with you?"
We believe relationships are a channel for
healing and therefore we strive to adhere
to the five core values of trauma-informed
care: safety, trustworthiness, choice,
empowerment, and collaboration in all
areas of our work. This includes the people
we serve, all staff and those whom we
encounter whilst conducting our activities.”
Sharing good practice
We are regularly approached
by agencies to share with
them our award-winning
approach to providing
innovative, individualised,
trauma-informed care.
We have developed a suite
of accredited Continuous Professional
Development learning based on our traumainformed
approach, our theory of change
and our specialist sex working programmes.
We are especially keen to open up access to
practitioners on the front-line who perhaps
do not have formal qualifications but who
have a wealth of experience and expertise.
This can help build capacity and raise
workforce standards across the voluntary
and statutory fields.
So far we have delivered training to
numerous external agencies and all our staff
and volunteers.
Our Learning and
Development Lead
Kirsty Day, a Griffins
Society Research Fellow,
has developed three
interventions which focus
on creating a healing
pathway for women to recover from trauma
associated with adverse childhood experiences
and sex working.
The suite of training includes:
• Trauma-informed Approaches
• Trauma-informed Interventions
• Trauma-informed Conversations
• Self-Care, Resilience and Wellbeing
• Engaging Active Substance Misusers
• Trauma-informed Approaches with Women
Who Sell Sex
• Trauma-informed Approaches with CSE
• Advanced Approaches with Trauma
The five core values of trauma-informed practice
Physical and
emotional
safety
Trustworthiness
Choice Collaboration Empowerment
10

Residential and Resettlement Services | Annual Review 2018/19
Trauma-informed approaches training
We base our trauma-informed training on the toolkit developed
by Dr Stephanie Covington. This toolkit suggests that being
gender responsive is also an important element of being trauma
informed, because of the different ways that males and females
experience trauma, especially interpersonal violence.
We also focus on the following points from SAMHSA's 1 Concept
of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach:
• Realising the widespread impact of trauma, stress and
adversity
• Recognising how it affects ourselves, colleagues and people
in the community
• Resisting re-traumatisation
• Responding by sharing our understanding and infusing it into
practices, language, behaviour, policies and procedures.
Recognising our clients' needs
Residential: 210 Community: 387
51% 51%
39%
26%
In financial need
No qualifications
22% 15%
71%
59%
30%
21%
34%
31%
In care
as children
Involved in Criminal
Justice System
Involved in
sex working
Living in temporary
accommodation
55%
66%
49% 36%
72%
62%
100%
47%
Self-harm
history
Diagnosed with
physical illness
Diagnosed with
mental illness
Substance misuse
problem
55% 54%
66%
90%
36% 37%
50%
64%
Violence at home
growing up
Suffered domestic
abuse as adults
Sexually abused
as children
Parent of young
children
These percentages indicate the responses of people who answered the question about each area at assessment in 2018/19.
1 .
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 11

Annual Review 2018/19 | Hub Enterprises
The Hub Enterprises
Helping people with employability
The enterprises are run by ex-clients and members of the recovery community, alongside
a small number of staff. These enterprises are now providing opportunities for many
people, affected by drug & alcohol misuse, to make positive progress in their lives.
In 2018/19:
75 volunteers have
clocked up over
3,000 hours in our
Hub projects. They volunteered
for maintaining buildings,
tending gardens, training as
baristas, mentoring peers, and
helping with administrative tasks.
13 people have
volunteered for
other organisations
such as CGL, Emerging Futures,
Citizens Advice Bureau.
40 volunteers have
completed accredited
courses for example,
Peer Mentoring.
7 volunteers started
attending college
(Art, Counselling, IT,
Photography).
2 volunteers are working
towards obtaining a
driving license.
17 volunteers
have gained paid
employment (e.g.
Building Maintenance,
Administration, Hospitality,
Recovery Coaching, and
Accounting). In total, 28
volunteers moved into or
maintained paid work.
HUB ACADEMY
Hub Academy:
7 volunteers
Thanks to generous funding
from Public Health England
we carried out an extensive
renovation of the Hub
Academy in Stroud.
The improvements will see us broadening out
our reach so that the Academy can be used
not only by our residential treatment clients
but also by the wider community.
Hub Maintenance:
15 volunteers
The Spirit Level team is busier
than ever and has three staff and
seven volunteers. The micro-enterprise
provides training and experience
through jobs across The Nelson Trust's
buildings and external customers.
A small team within The Spirit Level recently had the
opportunity to join a new gardening project at Ashley
Manor, near Tetbury. They meet weekly to learn new
gardening skills and to maintain and redesign the
beautiful gardens at Ashley Manor.
Hub Café:
38 volunteers
The Clean Plate is looking sharp
and refreshed after its renovation
and rebranding in August 2019.
It continues to get great reviews for
its food and delicious coffee from
local company Ethical Addictions. The cafe supports
the Gloucester community, providing a space for
workshops and training and helping volunteers find
new skills and purpose.
Hub Live:
10 volunteers
The Sober Parrot opened its doors
to the public on 4th May 2018 and
has been building a great customer
base in Cheltenham and welcoming
new volunteers to support the café.
The team are expanding to more evening events
from comedy to poetry and open mic nights and
even pop up kitchens serving delicious food.
12

Hub Enterprises | Annual Review 2018/19
Meet our volunteer co-ordinator
Elisha Kyne began work in
April 2019 in a new role of
Volunteer Co-ordinator,
funded by the Postcode
Lottery Trust. Elisha is
finding new ways to
support and value
volunteers, creating
different pathways
into volunteering
opportunities. She also
looks at harnessing
past skills and finding
new passions and skill
sets for people to get
involved in.
Elisha said, “It has been fantastic joining such
a great organisation with its dedicated and
passionate team. In my previous role at the
British Red Cross, I was lucky enough to
come out and train the residential clients and
the staff at Gloucester Women’s Centre in
very simple first aid skills.
"The sneak peek into the organisation really
drove my desire to become part of The
Nelson Trust and the wider community it
has created. I then started volunteering
for SWOP in Gloucester in 2015. It was
fantastic to work with a team that provides
women with a safe place and lots of support,
something close to my heart.’’
The Hub Academy Peer Mentoring
Programme
Peer mentoring provides clients with the
chance to learn from those who are further
along in their recovery. We have found it to
be a beneficial process for both mentor and
mentee.
Clients in Residential Treatment and those
using our Women’s Centres can request a
mentor to support them through tough times
and help them set realistic, achievable goals to
help them move forward in life and recovery.
Since running our first Peer Mentoring
course in March 2017, we have run the
courses 13 times across our sites and trained
a total of 112 Peer Mentors.
Ian Day, Recovery
Being a mentor
Co-ordinator for The
reminds me of
Hub Enterprises
where I came from
said, “Some
and shows me what I’m
mentors train
capable of. There is no
purely to gain
greater gift than sharing with
confidence and
others that we can all shine
to help their own
through our darkness
recovery journey,
Volunteer
peer mentor
while others have a desire to work in the
field of addictions treatment specifically.
“Whatever their motive for undertaking
the training, they leave us with increased
confidence, an accredited
qualification, a more healthy
looking CV and a nice bunch
of certificates they have
gained along the way! All
this greatly increases their
employability.
“Some mentors have
secured paid employment
with The Nelson Trust,
with many others
now working
for local
organisations
supporting
some of
the most
vulnerable
people in our
society.”
13

Annual Review 2018/19 | Hub Enterprises
The Sober
Parrot opens
its doors to
the public
The Nelson Trust’s Hub Enterprises
launched its latest community
enterprise – The Sober Parrot on
4th May 2018, Cheltenham’s first
late night entertainment venue
with a strictly alcohol-free offer.
In 2015, the Cheltenham Late Night
Levy funded a feasibility study carried
out by the Hub Enterprises and
Cheltenham West End partnership. The
study spoke to over 100 local people
and over 78% said they would want,
and would use, an alcohol-free live
music venue if there was one.
Thanks to the funders, volunteers and
supporters who made it possible to
get this far, people are now joining us
regularly to enjoy great food, alcoholfree
treats and fab entertainment.
The Sober
Parrot Festival
banishes the
January Blues
BBC Radio Gloucestershire took over The
Sober Parrot to open the festival on 30th
January with a discussion around how we
kick bad habits. The evening radio show
heard from those who’ve conquered
addictions and halted habits. They kicked
off a great weekend of events designed to
give attendees a toolkit to help with every
day stresses and strains alongside giving
strength to help kick those bad habits.
Each day featured different interactive
workshops and activities with a side order
of mouth-watering food and drinks.
The festival was a one-stop shop for
enriching the mind, body and soul with
each day focused on different aspects of
wellbeing including the science of happiness,
body image, interactive yoga and dance
sessions, a sober dance party and a familysized
digital detox on Sunday.
Can I kick it? Yes you can.
14

Simon’s recovery journey
When Simon got clean from drugs and
alcohol, The Hub Enterprises helped him
to get a routine in place, gain some work
experience and go back into education.
I’d done an apprenticeship in London
to become a plumber, but I was drinking
and using, so I ended up knocking it on
the head.
When I was in Residential Treatment at
The Nelson Trust I used to see the Hub
Maintenance volunteer who would come
along to fix things around the house.
That was sort of where I wanted to be.
So when the opportunity arose to take
up volunteering, I jumped at it.
I’m the sort of person that finds it difficult to
stay still, I like to be hands on, keep busy. The
Hub Enterprises helped me enormously in
my recovery: it helped me keep active.
Hub Enterprises | Annual Review 2018/19
I volunteered for Hub Maintenance for seven
months, with their support I was able to
access a plumbing course and get started
with my driving lessons. You need to drive to
work in Gloucestershire.
I was lucky to get offered a part-time job
with Hub Maintenance. I worked two days a
week, spent one day at college and the other
two days I volunteered.
Working for The Hub, I did a different job
every day: every day I learnt something
new. It's also an opportunity to deal with the
everyday struggles of a working life.
The Hub was like a stepping stone for me.
I completed my apprenticeship and now I'm
working for myself as a plumber.
Denise’s recovery journey
When Denise got clean from alcohol
and drugs, she was able to use her lived
experience to help others and get back into
full-time employment.
When I came into Residential Treatment
at The Nelson Trust I was completely afraid,
alone, frozen, traumatised. I didn’t have any
confidence in myself, I was full of shame
and guilt, I was desperate for help. I couldn’t
envision feeling well in the future but I
had staff and peers around me who were
supporting me and encouraging me. They
believed in me when I didn’t have that belief
in myself.
Eventually I felt safe enough to open up
about what had happened to me, then I had
staff saying ‘me too and look I’m here’. The
biggest gift they gave me during treatment
was that they disclosed that they had been
through similar stuff. I was given time and
space to experience my emotions and go
through my problems but I was supported
with that.
The Hub Academy encouraged me to get
involved in volunteering. I started helping
with gardening for the local Council:
chopping trees, that kind of thing. Then when
I was in the resettlement house I volunteered
for the local drug and alcohol service for a
few months. I am now working full-time for
them helping lead a recovery house.
I’ve had a lot of terrible things happen to
me in my addiction, but now it doesn’t feel
so terrible because I can put lessons learned
into use. I remember Nelson Trust staff telling
me ‘we are going to love you until you can
love yourself’. And now I get to do that for
other people.
I feel I was given a second chance at life.
I never thought I was going to laugh
or smile again and today I enjoy every
moment, I made a full recovery in both my
mental and physical health and I’ve got my
family back in my life, I’m off benefits for the
first time in eight years, and I’ve got a job
that I love.
15

Annual Review 2018/19 | Thank you
Thank you
We can only help people on their journey with the generous
support of many people and organisations. We continue to
invest in innovative services through your funding.
16
- 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust, The
- 2Gether Trust
- Adrian Swire Charitable Trust, The
- Ardent
- Austin & Hope Pilkington Trust, The
- Avon and Somerset Police
- Barnwood Trust
- BBC Children in Need
- Beaudesert Park School
- Berkeley Castle Charitable Trust
- Bibury with Winson and Barnsley Parochial
Church Council
- Charles Hayward Foundation
- Charles Irving Charitable Trust, The
- Charlotte Heber-Percy Charitable Trust, The
- Cheltenham College
- Cotswold BMW
- Coutts Foundation, The
- David Thomas Charitable Trust, The
- Diocese of Gloucester
- Ecclesiastical Insurance Group PLC
- Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
- Fairshares
- Florence Shute Millennium Trust, The
- Fluck Convalescent Fund, The
- Gilbert Lane Trust, The
- Gloucester Charities Trust, The
- Gloucester City Council
- Gloucester City Homes
- Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning
Group
- Gloucestershire Community Foundation
- Gloucestershire County Council
- Gloucestershire Environmental Trust
Company, The
- Gloucestershire Gateway Trust
- Gloucestershire Society, The
- Haramead Trust, The
- Harrison Clark Rickerbys Charitable Trust
- Hinkley Point C Community Fund
- Holy Trinity Church Brimscombe
- J A Clark Charitable Trust
- John Armitage Charitable Trust, The
- Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, The
- KPR Charitable Trust
- Lankelly Chase Foundation
- Leonard Laity Stoate Charitable Trust
- London Speaker Bureau
- Medlock Charitable Trust, The
- Minchinhampton Golf Club
- Ministry of Justice
- Moore Allen & Innocent
- Mrs Hilda Beer Charitable Trust
- M V Hillhouse Trust
- National Lottery Community Fund: “Reaching
Communities”, The
- National Lottery Community Fund: “Women
and Girls Initiative”, The
- Northwick Trust, The
- Notgrove Trust, The
- Oakdale Trust, The
- Painswick Womens Group
- Parivar Trust, The
- People’s Postcode Trust
- Pilgrim Trust, The
- Police & Crime Commissioner -
Gloucestershire
- Police & Crime Commissioner - Wiltshire
- Public Health England
- Ribeye Shoot, The
- Rotary Club of Stonehouse
- Rotary Somerset Community Volunteers Trust
- Rowlands Trust, The
- Santander Foundation
- Savills UK
- Schroder Charity Trust, The
- Scobell Charitable Trust, The
- Screwfix Foundation, The
- Sedbury Trust, The
- Sedgemoor District Council
- Skipton Building Society Charitable
Foundation
- Somerset Community Foundation
- Souter Charitable Trust
- Spirax-Sarco Group Charitable Trust, The
- St James Place Wealth Management
- Stroud District Council Community Support
Fund
- Summerfield Charitable Trust, The
- Susanna Peake Charitable Trust
- Swindon Cares
- Walter Guinness Charitable Trust, The
- Wildshaw Limited
- Wiltshire Community Foundation
- Worshipful Company of Pewterers, The

Financial review | Annual Review 2018/19
Financials
9.8%
6.6%
27.1%
In 2018/19 the Trust’s total
income was £4.6 million
of which £719,247
was raised from donations.
13.3%
3.8%
Total
Income
39.4%
Key:
Public sources: Women’s Community Services
Residential Rehabilitation Services
Hubs Community Recovery Enterprises
Fundraising: Specific service delivery
Fundraising: Unrestricted income
Bridgwater Women’s Centre
Income from charitable activities
£246,758
Hub
Enterprises
£1,677,355
Women’s
Community
Services
£1,709,538
Residential
Services
Income from donations
£103,632
Events
£29,028
Individuals
£8,575
Corporate
£37,715
Community
£240,082
Grants
£9,586
In Memorial
£290,629
Donations and
grants towards the
purchase and setting
up of Bridgwater
Women’s
Centre
Expenditure
1%
Governance
4%
Raising
funds
15%
Hub
community
recovery
41%
Community
Services
39%
Residential
Services
17

Annual Review 2018/19 | Fundraising
Fundraising
Event season goes off with a bang
The Clay Shoot and Dinner this year was
a huge success and according to the
conversations, emails and telephone
calls from those who took part it was
rated the best yet.
The sun shone, and Berkeley Castle is
a superb setting for the day – we are
incredibly grateful for all the help and
support from the Berkeley family over
the years.
Guns and their guests had their lunch
straight from the Barbeque cooked by
the wonderful Nelson Trust team before
heading off to shoot. We had a record
number of teams who really loved
the new and challenging layout but as
always The Gnat was the star stand.
How often can you shoot at a very fast
exploding model aircraft for charity?
Those who came for dinner and
the auction at Berkeley Castle in
the evening had a brilliant night and
supported the auction to a new record
level – we raised over £64,000 which
makes such a vast difference to those
who need it most!
A phenomenal result and the greatest
thanks to everyone who took part, we
really look forward to welcoming you
again this coming May.
Jeremy Hill
Gloucestershire Fundraising Committee,
Clay Shoot Subcommittee.
18
The Nelson Trust Patrons
The Marquess of Reading
The Lord Mancroft
Mrs. Caroline Penley DL
The Honourable Hugh and Rosie
Tollemache
Fundraising Committee
Fundraising Committee
Charles Berkeley
Ben Browne QC
Joe Buxton
Scilla Chester-Master
Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen
Georgie Daly
Edwina D’Arcy Rice
Susan Edwards
Sally van Eeghen
Sarah Frost
Jeremy Hill
Jane Lewis
Ginny Lister
Prue Vernon
The charity is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and is committed
to abide by its “Code of Fundraising Practice” and its “Fundraising Promise”
Our dedicated
fundraising committee
and volunteers have
helped us to raise an
amazing £141,347

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Please tear off this page and return it to: The Nelson Trust, Port Lane, Brimscombe, Stroud, GL5 2QJ

Where we work
Stafford House
Nelson House
East Wharf
17
Hub Café:
The Clean Plate
Women’s Centre,
Bridgwater
Women’s Centre,
Gloucester
15 8
12
7
9-11 1
6
2-3
13 4-5
14
16
Hub Live:
The Sober Parrot
Women’s Centre,
Swindon
Covington House
1
2-3
4-5
6
7
8-11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Key
Administration
Residential
Rehabilitation
Resettlement
Hub Enterprises
Women's Centres
Administration
& Finance
Mixed gender
rehab houses
Women-only
rehab houses
Hub Academy:
The High Flyers
Treatment Centre
Resettlement
houses
Hub Café:
The Clean Plate
Hub Maintenance:
The Spirit Level
Hub Live:
The Sober Parrot
Women’s Centre,
Gloucester
Women’s Centre,
Swindon
Women’s Centre,
Bridgwater
Port Lane, Brimscombe, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2QJ 01453 885 633
office@nelsontrust.com r nelsontrust.com f The Nelson Trust t @thenelsontrust
Registered Charity No 1056672
Illustrations by Claire Simmons-Clark
simmonsclark.co.uk