All about us
Voluntary sector development since 1890
The first meeting was held in October 1890 at Hastings Town Hall and we were formally founded in 1891 under the name;
'The Hastings and St. Leonards Association for Organizing Charitable Relief and Repressing Mendicity'. Since then we have functioned under many names, our latest being Relief, or Hastings Area Community Trust (HACT). In 1907 we changed our name to 'Hastings and St. Leonards Central Aid Council' In 1928 our current premises were purchased in Cambridge Gardens. In 1933 £500 was left to the 'Central Aid Council' by Dr Bolton Tomson, hence the name of our present office. From 1971 we were 'Hastings Community Service Council' and in 1985 we became 'Hastings Voluntary Services'. In 1988 the organisation faced serious financial and management problems and a drastic reorganisation took place. Three organisations were to take over the work of HVS, each with more specific responsibilities and clearer identities; these were ‘Hastings Voluntary Action’ (a council for voluntary service), ‘Hastings Age Concern and Old People’s Welfare’ and ‘Hastings Area Community Trust’. A Resolution was made to dissolve the association and transfer all assets, and four trustees were chosen to represent the Association and manage its affairs until all assets were transferred to the appropriate bodies. In order to avoid any dispute over the ownership of 48/49 Cambridge Gardens, the buildings were held under a separate Trust which was to act as landlord for the property. |
In 1997 Sussex Housing Trust for the Elderly was formed to take over the housing for the elderly. A partnership with Hyde Housing was entered into to develop a new purpose built property to replace the old and now sub standard properties. A £9 million SRB regeneration project lead to the opening in 2003 of Marlborough House, in Warrior Square. It provides extra care accommodation with 40 Flats. The Trust owns the freehold and the building is leased to Hyde Housing. SHTE supports the tenants of the Marlborough and other local groups with grants to support services.
Hastings Area Community Trust was founded in 1990 at the recommendation of a steering committee including members of local councils and businesses. A Board of Trustees met to decide the role of the Trust within the community and the two main functions were to raise funds for the benefit of a defined community and to be representative of that community so that there is an awareness of local needs, for which money can be allocated. The HACT advisory panel was drawn from the local community to ensure that a balanced view was obtained and funds which HACT distributes reach those with genuine needs. |
Current Organisations:
Relief [HACT] only gives grants to individuals who are referred via such agencies as Social Services or the Citizens Advice Bureaux [formed by us in 1938] among others. Grants are given for similar items as before such as furniture, fuel, clothing or maternity needs. HACT also provides various local voluntary groups with affordable office accommodation and conference facilities. Apart from the original Trusts generating income for grants, additional funds have been obtained from other Trusts allowing some £40,000 per annum to be distributed. The Hastings Furniture Service is a good example of how many of the successful voluntary and statutory services we rely on in our area today owe their inception to the various forms the organisation has taken on over the years. Born out of the original Charities effort to replace the furniture lost in the upheaval of the Second World War and nurtured through the ups and downs of our local history, the success it has enjoyed since its launch as an independent entity during the formation of HACT demonstrates how essential voluntary services have developed. Hastings Voluntary Action continues to successfully provide the CVS function for the voluntary sector in Hastings. Hastings Age Concern merged with East Sussex Age Concern in 2010. |