Louise Moffatt writes –

Disabled children's charities Contact a Family and the Lady Hoare Trust officially merged this week, after nearly eighteen months of negotiations.

The merged organisation will take the name of the larger partner, Contact a Family, (incorporating The Lady Hoare Trust) and will employ around 100 people nationwide.  As a result of the merger the charity will offer enhanced face to face services across all regions of the UK, and will strengthen its advice and information role, as new staff are able to tap into Contact a Family's considerable information resources.

The new charity also intends to use its greater regional presence to better support families of disabled children in all parts of the country, and to ensure their views are taken into account on a local as
well as a national level.

Contact a Family Chief Executive Francine Bates will head up the new organisation.  Commenting on the merger, she said,

"With the combined knowledge and expertise of these two long established charities, I am sure we will work even more effectively to empower parents, and to improve conditions for disabled children and their families."

The Lady Hoare Trust approached Contact a Family with a view to a merger in 2003, after exhaustive research identified the charity as an ideal partner.  Set up in 1962 to work with families affected by the
thalidomide crisis, the Lady Hoare Trust has more recently worked with physically disabled children, especially those with juvenile arthritis and rheumatic conditions. 

"Both charities worked in the community to support children with disabilities and their families," explained Lady Susanna Crawford, who was the Chair of the Lady Hoare Trust when the decision to seek a merger partner was taken, and who will become Vice Chair of the merged charity.

"While we could offer Contact a Family a greater regional presence, and specific expertise around certain medical conditions, they could provide access to superb sources of information and advice, could help us extend our services to all families with disabled children, and could give us a stronger voice in shaping policy."

All the LHT's Trustees will join the expanded Board of Contact a Family.

For further information contact Louise Moffatt on 020 7608 8741,
louise.moffatt@cafamily.org.uk