The Nelson Trust is celebrating 40 years of life-changing work.
The Nelson Trust began in 1985 in Brimscombe by Roy and Mary Brash after purchasing what used to be The Nelson Inn as a residential rehabilitation centre for people experiencing drug and alcohol use.
The Nelson Trust is dedicated to offering holistic, trauma-informed, and gender-specific support to over 4,000 individuals every year across the South West of England and Wales.
The Nelson Trust has grown massively, with four single-gendered residential treatment centres for abstinence-based recovery, and three move on recovery housing for those leaving treatment. They also run five community projects as part of their Hub enterprises including The Sober Parrot café in Cheltenham, all offering training and work experience for the recovery community as they continue their journey and build lifelong skills as they return to society.
After years of paving the way for gender responsive support throughout the UK, The Nelson Trust opened its first Women’s Centre in Gloucester in 2010, providing holisitic support to women leaving prison, and women in the community on probation orders, as an alternative to custody.
The Nelson Trust Women’s Centres have now expanded to a total of nine centres across England and Wales; Swindon, Somerset, Bristol, and a first of its kind inside HMP Eastwood Park; and more recently centres in Newport, Swansea, Cardiff and a mini centre in Dyfed Powys, as lead partners of One Wales, established in 2024.
The Nelson Trust Women’s Centres provide a safe, supportive environment for women facing challenges like homelessness, domestic abuse, substance use, and justice system involvement. They offer holistic, gender-specific, trauma-informed support through group work and collaboration with multiple agencies, as well as therapeutic interventions like Art Therapy and EMDR.
To celebrate their 40th anniversary, they have a range of events lined up throughout 2025. These include the popular Women in Leadership event in June, which celebrates women in business throughout Gloucestershire, and Coronation Meadow, an event marking the 40th anniversary with supporters on the beautiful grounds of Hyde Mill. Additionally, their annual Clay Shoot and Dinner in May, and their annual Golf Day in September will see all money raised through donations, ticket purchases, and auction lots going towards supporting the community of The Nelson Trust.
They’ve already kicked off their 40th celebrations online where you can catch 40 Stories for 40 Years from February, where you can hear from clients, previous clients and staff sharing their recovery journey with The Nelson Trust throughout 2025.
To find out more about their services, upcoming events or to donate visit www.nelsontrust.com
