History
of GAD
1948
The Association has its roots in the "County Committee for the Care of the Physically Handicapped" which was set up under the general umbrella of the Gloucestershire Community Council. The Committee first met in 1948 under the chairmanship of Major Peter Birchall who later became chairman of the Gloucestershire County Council.
The original objects of the Committee were:
a. To investigate the need for assistance, medical or social, for all physically
handicapped, whatever the degree of disability, and to ensure
that full advantage was taken of the social security measures.
b. To act as a co-ordinating body for all organisations interested in the
welfare of
the physically handicapped in the area.
c. To co-operate with the appropriate bodies in working for the welfare of
the
physically handicapped.
d. To maintain a register of all physically handicapped people within the
administrative county of Gloucestershire.
e. To undertake all such things as were conducive to the attainment of the
objects
set out above.
The Committee received a set-up grant of £1,000 from the "Lord Nuffield Fund for Cripples".
1950’s
When the Committee was first formed there were already two area committees in existence, one in Cheltenham and the other in the Forest of Dean. In 1950 five new area committees were formed and a total of 150 voluntary helpers were available throughout the county. These local committees raised and administered their own funds for the benefit of the disabled in their own areas and always tried to ensure that contact was of an individual nature and that all problems were dealt with on a personal basis. Some of the services provided by these committees included: visiting, outings, shopping, car rides, other transport arrangements, help at fund-raising sales, parties and church services, flower decoration and the provision of TV licences and aids not provided by the local authority. Four part-time craft teachers were employed in 1951 which led to the start of a successful Christmas card scheme and other craft enterprises.
In 1954, the organising secretary of the Committee was transferred to the staff of the Health Department of the County Council, on secondment to the Community Council. By 1957, four occupational therapists had been recruited for the training of the housebound disabled and in 1960 the work of the Committee was transferred to County Council premises in Gloucester.
1960’s
A full-time sales organiser was appointed by the Gloucestershire County Council Health Department in 1962 to co-ordinate growing sales from the shops (first set up in 1949) and, with sales increasing so rapidly, an assistant was appointed in 1966. (takings actually rose from £165 in 1949 to over £12,000 in 1973)
1970’s
By 1969 the work of the Committee was based in the Health Department, Quayside Wing, Shire Hall in conjunction with the Community Council administration and in 1970 was moved to the Social Services Department. By this time there were 10 physiotherapists on the staff. The Committee organiser retired from the Social Services Department in 1972 but continued with the voluntary side of the work from Community House in Gloucester, where the administration of the Association remained until moving to Stuart House.
With the advent of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, which came into force in 1970, there became an increasing move towards the statutory services and one of the main functions of the Committee was seen to be that of co-ordination and deployment of a well-established county network of contacts, volunteers and goodwill. There was, however, the fear that the involvement of the statutory agencies could stifle voluntary enterprise. The Committee therefore expressed the hope that it would continue to be found capable of offering a useful contribution from its many years of experience and that the voluntary network could thereby be encouraged to play a constructive part in future change.
When the Committee was first formed in 1949 there were 390 cases on the disabled register. By 1972 this had risen to 2,758.
And a change of name……
On 21st February 1974, having cared for over 6,000 physically disabled people throughout the county as part of the Community Council, the Committee up-dated its title to become an independent charity, Gloucestershire Association for the Disabled (Charity Number 266748), covering the new county of Gloucestershire. Major Birchall kindly consented to become the President of the Association.
The Objects of the Association were stated as “To promote in every way possible the welfare of physically disabled persons other than those who are blind, deaf, dumb or mentally handicapped (unless such persons are also physically handicapped) within the county of Gloucestershire.” This was to be achieved by organising:
1. A friendly visiting service to keep in personal touch with disabled people
of all ages.
2. Outings, parties etc and many other social activities.
3. Transport and help with 13 clubs and 1 day centre.
4. Amenities which were not available from Social Services, such as TV sets
and licences, washing machines/driers for the very severely disabled.
(The Association retained 8 area committees throughout the county with
over 150 voluntary workers. Each committee raised its own funds to help
local disabled people.)
5. Help with holidays
6. An advisory service.
7. Research and encouraging pioneer schemes.
8. Liaison with Local Authority Social Services and the Area Health
Authority.
GAD – The 1990’s
and the beginning of the Funding Trust
GAD, as it was now to be known, had operated from offices in College Green, Gloucester and continued to do so until 1991 when the Association relocated to Stuart House (formerly the Old Rectory), Minchinhampton. The Old Rectory, and a substantial capital sum in shares, was bequeathed to the Association by Miss Enid Stuart in 1981 “for the use and benefit of those physically handicapped persons who are from time to time in its care”. She had lived in the Old Rectory for 30 years until her death and had been disabled from childhood with polio, and was herself a client of the Association. In pursuance of her wishes, a day centre for disabled people was established on the ground floor of the property, now named Stuart House in her memory, and increasing numbers of attendees led the Trustees to raise money for an activities hall to be built adjacent to the house. A successful respite care facility was also established in a bungalow in the grounds of the house. The Association subsidised day centre activities for adults with physical disabilities with per capita Social Services core funding, but it became clear from quite early days that the centre was running at a deficit and, given dwindling numbers and a change in Social Services funding, the Trustees took the decision to close both the day centre and respite care facility in 1997.
Later in 1997 the Association was again the beneficiary of a substantial legacy from Mrs Kathleen Powell and it was decided to repair and refurbish Stuart House with a view to leasing the major part to fund future activities. Significant financial resources were required to complete the work but satisfactory commercial and private leases were signed which resulted in reasonable cash flow.
In addition to its charitable status, the Association became a company limited by guarantee in 1995, and in 1998 became known as the Gloucestershire Association for Disability (Charity Number 1048489). The beneficiary group was also changed to encompass all disabled persons other than those with a serious mental health condition.
As GAD had been through a great deal of change it was decided in December 1998 to commission Art Shape, a local consultancy, specifically to address issues of gaps in provision in the county and to establish how a county wide disability organisation could develop, with integrity and credibility, a positive remit and action plan. There followed an innovative research project, to be known as GADMAP, which set out to determine a potential role for GAD as a county wide organisation. Following extensive research and consultation it was recommended that GAD should realise its assets and become a funding trust. Having already considered the possibility of this course of action, the Trustees decided that GAD should become a funding trust with effect from 1st April 2000 and appropriate grants application procedures were put in place The objects of the Association remained unchanged but the Trustees considered that it could more easily promote life enhancement of its beneficiary group by making grants available to groups and individuals under the following categories:
Improving the quality of life of those with a disability.
Promoting a better understanding and raising awareness of disability.
Provision of professional disability training for disabled individuals and groups and for employers.
Stuart House
During the 2001/02 financial year, however, both commercial and private tenants at Stuart House proved to be extremely unreliable, and it was decided to sell the site as this would not only release the Association from a costly and uncertain future as landlords but would also create the opportunity to maximise direct funding to groups and individuals in the county. The GAD office was therefore moved from Stuart House to the home of the administrator and completion of the sale took place on 28th March 2003. Sale proceeds were fully invested by May 2003.
Having secured planning consent, the new owners’ commenced development of the site in 2005 and it is likely that this will be completed by the end of 2006, by which time further substantial contracted payments will have been made to the association.
April 2006
GAD moved its office from the home of the Administrator to the office at Gardner House in Quedgeley.
2007
Miss Stuart’s legacy from the sale of Stuart House lives on.
People all over the county of Gloucestershire
continue to benefit from her bequest
and from the efforts made by everyone
committed to the work of GAD
from its beginnings in
1948.
2008
GAD celbrated its Diamond Jubilee, with a celebration event held on 29 April 2008 at the Nature in Art in Twigworth. The celebration was well attended and was launched by the Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Henry Elwes.
To mark the 60 years of GAD, a Diamond Jubilee grant of £5000 to a charity or voluntary group based in Gloucestershire was offered together with the launch of the (hopefully annual) Enid Stuart Bursaries and Kathleen Powell Bursaries. Further information are located in the Bursary section of this website.
The Enid Stuart bursaries were awarded to two individuals who are engaging in further education in order for them to enhance their careers.
2009
On 12 June 2009 GADTrustees agreed to increase the number of grant meetings from four a year to six a year. This was due to the increase of applications received.
2010
GAD moved its office from Gardner House in Quedgeley to a ground floor office within a local community centre. Our new postal address is PO Box 2206, Gloucester, GL3 9BX
2011
On 29 July 2011 GAD Trustees agreed to increase the number of grant meetings from every other month to every month to enable a "FAST TRACK" service for grant applicants.