The Nelson Trust

Sector: Charities & not-for-profit organisations

The Nelson Trust is a UK charity that brings belief, hope and long-term recovery to people whose lives have been torn apart by addiction. It supports more than 1,200 people each year from all over Britain and beyond, as well as helping local communities across Gloucestershire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Avon and Somerset.

The charity began in 1985 when Mary and Roy Brash invested their life savings in purchasing the former ‘Nelson Inn’ near Stroud in Gloucestershire to establish one of the UK’s first abstinence-based residential treatment centres.

The Nelson Trust started life as a supportive shared residence for people recovering from alcohol addiction. Over a period of a few short years, it developed into a residential treatment centre providing a comprehensive programme of care and support for people looking for recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.

Over time, with the generous support of donors and grant-giving trusts, The Nelson Trust developed residential treatment as part of an integrated service with education and training, family work and supported resettlement housing.

In 2004 the Trust developed a specialist residential service for women who have experienced trauma or abuse, which is often masked with substance dependency.

In 2010 the Trust opened its first women’s centre in Gloucester, which provides a “one-stop-shop” approach to the wide range of problems faced by women in the criminal justice system. In 2013 The Nelson Trust opened a second women’s centre in Swindon, which serves women and their families throughout Swindon and Wiltshire and in 2019, a third Women’s Centre was opened in Bridgewater to support women in Somerset.

Recovery from addiction is more than just abstaining from substances. The Nelson Trust has set up four enterprises to serve the recovery community. The Sober Parrot is one of these initiatives and was opened by The Trust in Cheltenham in 2017 in addition to the Hub Bistro in Gloucester. Workers tend to be volunteers in recovery from addiction who are gaining life skills, training and experience through the project to help them build confidence and skills to return to employment.

Willans’ charity, commercial property, employment, commercial and litigation lawyers have been advising The Nelson Trust for over 20 years. We’ve supported the charity with all of its legal queries and challenges such as advising trustees and senior management on their constitutional matters and governance through to advising when opening cafes linked to the Trust’s Hub project and the opening of their third Women’s Centre.