Wilf & Phyllis Ward
The Trust was created by Wilf and Phyllis Ward to help people with a learning disability. They had first hand experience of someone in their family who struggled to cope without a break so they decided to create something which would allow them to do so knowing that their child would be safe.
From our first respite centre, the Trust has grown into providing services and supported living. In doing so, our original ethos - to allow people with a learning disablility to lead a fulfilling life within their community - remains strong. We now care for scores of such people and employ more than 1,000 Support Workers in North, East and West Yorkshire.
And from the very beginning, up until a few months before he died, Mr Ward took an active and keen interest in the work that we do.
He and his wife often said they were 'humbled' when families and supporters spoke warmly of the help and support they had received from the Trust. They set out to help disabled people and their families and were impressed that the Trust did so well.
Mr Ward died in January 2005. He is sadly missed by all those who knew and worked alongside him for his wit, charm and dynamism in getting things done. Mrs Ward sadly died in December 2009.
Below, Mr Ward explained, shortly before he died. how he felt about the Trust's expansion.
On the next page is a biography of his impressive life and details of how to buy his autobiography.
Wilf Ward OBE writes...
When my wife Phyllis and I first had the idea of founding a charitable trust to help families with special needs, we hardly realised how our idea would grow.
Our original wish is now being fulfilled in so many different ways: we have respite care homes, day centres with numerous users who come to the Trust's homes on a weekly or daily basis, community-based services which provides care at home, a befriending scheme and away-breaks - and we are still in a process of expansion.
We have a dedicated team of staff who have worked with us to achieve so much and who I know will go on with us to a successful future, extending the Trust's helping hand to more families with special needs.
Thank you to everyone, staff, parents, friends and volunteers who have helped with the work of the Trust, and without whom we would not have been able to achieve so much.
- Wilf Ward, OBE
1916 - 2005
Wilf Ward OBE 