The Fircroft Trust has been providing support for people with mental health problems and learning disabilities since 1967. In those early days, the charity was based in Chessington, working with people in the large group of Epsom institutions for the mentally ill and in their own homes on leaving hospital. Our first project opened in 1979 when the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames provided an empty property called ‘Fircroft’. This was developed as a Day Centre for people with mental health problems and is still the base of the charity today.
In 1981, the charity opened its first residential project at Coombe Oak for people with learning disabilities, in conjunction with social services. This was moved to Maple Lodge in 1985 when the charity purchased its first property for 10 people, later extended to 14. The first satellite home for three residents with learning disabilities, Holly House, opened in 1987, providing a more natural living environment and greater independence in a semi-detached house. This was followed in 1991 when two more similar properties - Oak House and Cherry House - were purchased, and in 1997 we were able to open a further home, taking the number of people with learning disabilities now housed by the charity to 26.
The charity was first registered in 1970 and re-registered with the Charity Commission in 1990 to separate the charitable activities from the trading operation. In 2006, Mental Aid Projects officially changed its name to The Fircroft Trust. The change was primarily the result of consultation with our stakeholders who had agreed that our name no longer reflected the professional nature of the work we were doing or, more importantly, how our service users wished to be represented in their community. The Fircroft Trust (Trading) Ltd now runs two charity shops whose profits are covenanted to the charity each year.