Together Trust Archive

In 2019, the Together Trust secured a generous grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support the charity’s 150th anniversary celebrations and community projects in 2020. As part of this grant we are digitising and making accessible the charity’s annual reports dating from 1870-1919.

It is our delight to announce the release of The Ever Open Door:  150 Years of the Together Trust. Andrew Simpson , Chorlton-based local historian, has delved into the charity's vast archive to bring together the history of the Together Trust. The book covers all aspects of the charity's work and services  –  from emigration and summer camps, to our Bethesda service and Inscape House School. The cover boasts the work of Liz Ackerley Art , who we were proud to commission to create this striking reinterpretation of the  Children's Shelter , breathing new life into one of our former homes. From the bleak Victorian streets of Manchester, whence Leonard Kilbee Shaw and Richard Bramwell Taylor were moved to open a 'Night Refuge for Homeless Boys', to the bright and brilliant Bridge College, this is a story of life changing proportion. Buy your copy now for £14.99 plus postage and packaging. For those who hold a Manchester Library card, w...

From 1 February until 24 May 2020 the Together Trust is taking over (a small corner of) The Lowry at Salford Quays! The  150 Artists  exhibition is result of an inspiring project which has seen young people currently supported by the Together Trust delve into the charity's archive to interpret, celebrate, and reflect on the charity and what it means to them, through artwork and other forms of media. The young people who created the content for this exhibition collaborated with 14 artists who were co-commissioned by people supported at our Newbridge service. Funded by Arts Council England, the project has also enabled seven trainee artists to enhance their skills and experience throughout the project. Be sure to check out the amazing artwork, as well as a brief, yet insightful, look into the charity's Manchester and Salford based services of old, at the Circle Bar at  The Lowry , Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ. Here's a peek at the archive d...

Regular readers will have noticed that the blog has recently undergone a bit of a transformation. If you keep up with the charity via social media or the website you will have seen that the Together Trust has a whole new look, complete with a fresh and colourful new logo  –  just in time to help kick-start our 150th year.  Throughout 2020 we are reflecting on our history, celebrating our achievements and how far we have come (as well as the work we currently do), all whilst looking to the future.

Dear Interested party The charity is now two weeks into its new venture, providing a home for boys in a small building on Quay Street. There are now 16 residents aged 11-16 who enter the refuge each night, have supper, sleep on hammocks, receive breakfast and then leave for the day.  It may be interesting to note the few rules we have established to those who ask for admission: We desire in no case to interfere with the duty of the parent, and therefore consider boys who have parents living in Manchester ineligible, except under very special circumstances. As we propose to help those only who can help themselves, boys who will not do so are not eligible. We were at first reluctant to help boys whom still have parents alive, as it is parents duty to provide for their child. Similarly, we believe boys should understand the importance of contributing to their own wellbeing so we only provide for those who were prepared to work. Despite our strong protestant beliefs, no reference i...

Tomorrow, Saturday 4th January 2020, sees the Together Trust reach the grand old age of 150. The ‘Night Refuge for Homeless Boys’ was opened on the 4th January 1870 at Number 16, Quay Street. On that first night, 10 lads presented themselves for admission:

For those who read Andrew Simpson's blog dedicated to the history of Chorlton (and more!), you may already know that in celebration of the Together Trust's 150th year we are publishing a book on the history of the charity in 2020. We have worked closely with Andrew who has produced a fascinating read which delves into the history of the Together Trust, a charity whose unwavering dedication to improving the lives of young people is celebrated in this work. Andrew has consulted our vast and unique archive to tell the stories of some of the young people who in the early days of the charity found themselves destitute on the city's streets; following some of them on their journeys to Canada, and mapping the changes in child welfare in the process. The Parcel Brigade outside the Children's Shelter (c. 1915) - one of the images that inspired the cover illustration.

It's all go here at Together Trust HQ as we prepare to celebrate our 150th anniversary! Thanks to a generous grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund , Together Trust has been awarded an astounding £99,200 to make 2020 a memorable year in which we celebrate our past, present and future with 'The Ever Open Door - 150 years of Together Trust' project.

Our 40th Anniversary celebration at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester. Whilst we busy ourselves preparing for our 150th anniversary celebrations we would like to hear your voices. We'd love to know how we can engage with you to make our story known. If you would like to find out more about our history and plans for the 150th celebration, whilst helping us to find out what you already know about the Together Trust, please find the time to complete our survey here .

In 1921, in celebration of the Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes jubilee, a new book was published. Written by William Edmondson, Secretary of the charity between 1894 and 1920, it told the story of the first 50 years of the Refuges. It is the only published history of the charity and concentrates on individual stories, attempting to provoke sympathy in the reader and encourage donations or aid. For those interested in the charity’s Victorian work, it offers an introduction to the services, key staff and stories of the children who lived in the homes. Making Rough Places Plain, 1920

The charity is very aware that in 3 years time we will be celebrating our 150th anniversary. It’s a huge milestone in the history of the Together Trust and gives us a chance to reflect back on the many different services and activities we’ve provided over the last century and a half.  Our 150th isn’t the only anniversary we celebrate in 2020 however. It also notes 100 years since the charity moved its offices out of Manchester into the leafy suburbs of Cheadle , where we have remained ever since. It is important for this occasion not to be overshadowed and to recognise the important connection we have with Cheadle and its community. Cheadle Village, c. 1950s