About us - History of Trafford Hall
1987 The thought behind the creation of a
national communities resource centre was conceived at the Housing
Corporation's 25th Anniversary celebration. The idea, based
on the Danish community and co-operative model, was to give tenants
a chance to have a say in how their communities are run.
1991 The charity was officially founded with
Richard Rogers (Architect) and Brian Abel Smith (Professor at
London School of Economics) as founding directors.
1993 After years of searching for an appropriate
venue, Anne Power (Professor at London School of Economics and
acting Chair of Trafford Hall) visited a beautiful, yet
dilapidated, Grade II listed Georgian Manor House nestled in the
Cheshire countryside. Grand Metropolitan agreed to buy
Trafford Hall for the charity, following support from government
(Sir George Young), business (John Laing Charitable Trust,
McAlpines, NatWest, BT) along with the Duke of Westminster and
Chester City Council. Laings carried out the building work at nil
profit. Materials, furniture and equipment were donated.
1995 The Centre was officially opened by Prince
Charles following a programme of low cost restoration of the house
and construction of 24 eco-chalets within the walls of the
Victorian sunken garden, using unemployed young trainees from
Runcorn and Prince's Trust. The total cost of the work was a third
of the original estimate, and was funded 1/3 private, 1/3
government and 1/3 charity.
1996 David Sainsbury offered five years funding
for a community self-help training programme, running 12 courses
per year for community activists in DIY community action topics,
such as fighting crime, youth, gardens, community centres and basic
skills. Participants were offered small pump priming grants
to support follow-on action in their communities.
1997 Youth Focus began, bringing youth groups to
the Centre for fun training weekends, funded by BT.
1998 To satisfy increasing numbers, 18 more
eco-chalets were built within the other wall of the sunken
garden.
2000 The Young Movers programme secured Lottery
Funding for 3 years - the programme was heavily over-subscribed by
40 youth groups per year. We bought a 5 acre adjacent organic field
for outdoor activities.
2001 Barefoot Basic Skills programme, funded by
the Hamlyn Foundation, trained community volunteers in helping
residents overcome basic skills problems handicapping nearly 25% of
the population from work.
2002 Government offers funding for Capacity
Building training programme modelled on the very successful
Community Self-Help programme, expanding courses to around 40 a
year and training up to 1000 tenants from council estates every
year. This programme is now in its final year.
2003 Stable project began - demolishing and
rebuilding the derelict stable as a youth and family centre,
offering a carbon neutral building. 11 four bunk bedrooms for
youth groups and families, a large solar conservatory, biomass
boiler and solar water collectors. It is now used as part of our
core training facilities and for conferences and meetings.
2003 New income generating strategy established,
generating funds to support our charitable mission.
2004 Second phase of Young Movers began training
youth volunteers to help in their communities, giving annual youth
awards at Trafford Hall for three years.
2005 Family Learning Breaks - a new programme
funded by the Department for Education, building on the Barefoot
Basic Skills programme. It brings families in difficulties to
the Centre to help them learn together away from their problems, in
a supportive, fun and therapeutic setting.
2005 Income up 100% from 2003 figures
2005 10th Anniversary of the Centre - big
celebration and awards to long standing supporters including Laings
and Diageo.
2005 Ten-year rent free period ends. After
completing negotiations and a £200K loan from Co-op Bank, we
secured the freehold of Trafford Hall from Grand
Metropolitan. The Prince of Wales and Diageo (previously
named Grand Metropolitan) helped secure the transfer to the
charity.
2007 Trafford Hall begins to host wedding
ceremonies.
2007 Fundraising membership schemes
established. Donations received funded redecoration work
carried out on the main building for the next three years.
2007 New three-year "Making Communities Work"
programme supported by Communities and Local Government, now funded
through the Housing Corporation/Tenant Services Authority.
2007 New DIY programme running "Can do - how to"
courses funded by the Monument Trust and the John Laing Charitable
Trust.
2008 Play 2 Learn programme brings families to
Trafford Hall to learn how to cope with, pay attention to, reward,
discipline and enjoy their children.
2008 The Centre commits to achieving carbon
neutral status by 2012 and secures a grant from the Gulbenkian
Trust to employ an environmental development worker to help achieve
the highest environmental standards. An unprecedented
donation from the John Laing Charitable Trust provides the funds to
invest in alternative technologies.
2009 Major Donors Event held at Kensington Palace
raises the profile of the vital work undertaken at the National
Communities Resource Centre.
2009 Home Office asks Trafford Hall to run a
programme for 1 year, entitiled Community Crime Fighters, with 47
courses.
2009 New Start Magazine nominated Trafford Hall
as their charity of choice for the year.
2009 All income generating targets hit during the
year, in spite of the financial downturn.
2010 New Coalition Government - funding suspended
for our community leadership training programme.
2010 Tudor Trust offers a two-year grant to run a new training programme on community resilience in the face of climate change.
2010 Charity awarded Level 3 of the Green Dragon Standards for the centre's environmental management systems (EMS)
2011 Charity awarded Level 4 of the Green
Dragon Standards for the centre's environmental management systems
(EMS).
2011 Twentieth anniversary of the charity
starting. Celebration event held at Trafford Hall.
2011 Start up funding for a new youth programme.
2011 Planning permission for solar PV on roof of Hall, plus secondary glazing development.
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