The Fircroft Trust, is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The Kingston based charity today care for over 100 adults with mental health and learning disabilities.

Fifty years is a long time; it was in 1967 that Britain started its negotiations to become a member of the European Economic Community. Who would have predicted its exit from that union 50 years later?

The British steel industry was nationalised (and subsequently privatised) and Concorde was unveiled in Toulouse (again, who would have predicted its demise 27 years later). Indeed, it would appear that the only constant in life is change!

This is very true of mental healthcare, which has come a long way in the last fifty years. Stigma and prejudice is starting to be eroded, helped enormously by the media exposure of celebrities dealing with their own mental health issues.

The tragic loss of Carrie Fisher and Robin Williams, who both openly admitted to suffering mental health problems, shows just what can be achieved.

Commenting on the developments in mental healthcare, Fircroft’s spokesman Susannah Horwood stated that: “The growing ‘celebrity culture’ and honesty of some of those struggling to deal with their mental health issues, reminds us that none of us are exempt.

At Fircroft, we take pride in the past, but we know that mental health problems are likely to increase over the next 50 years. We must therefore look to the future and ensure we can support those in our immediate community.

In our 50th year we hope to raise £50,000. Local residents can learn about our fundraising events (which will involve a lot of ‘fun’ as well as ‘funds being raised’) by visiting www.thefircrofttrust.org.”

Submitted by Susannah Horwood