The Trust Embraces Incredible Future

Trust Thamesmead's Chair, Vic Grimes, says that despite massively challenging times both Thamesmead and the organisation have an incredible future to embrace and is calling for people who want to be part of Thamesmead's future to get on board.

The Trust is the only community development charity working exclusively for the 30,000 plus residents of Thamesmead and at the launch of its Annual Report on Thursday (10 November) he said: “This is a very exciting time for the Trust. Within a matter of a few months we will be opening the doors to our two community facilities, Sporting Club Thamesmead and The Link Thamesmead, at a cost of more than £11m.

“Through sustained collaboration we have developed some incredibly strong partnerships which are now making a real impact on people's lives.

“Trust is an important word and so too are resilience, ambition, innovation and commitment - all attributes that we are going to need to have bucket loads of going forward.

“When I read our annual report three other significant words come to mind: pleasure, pride and excitement; pleasure at looking back at the year's huge successes, pride in how our staff and trustees have worked so well together and excitement at seeing our potential.”

Mr Grimes, who is also Divisional Apprenticeship Director for London and the South-East, continued: “No set of economic data or bad news stories seem to crush our aspiration. We want to build self-reliance and strong networks we are committed to Thamesmead as a great place to live.

“We are driven by a demand to see the community infrastructure Thamesmead needs put in place and to see the services and opportunities our residents deserve. We believe in local people providing local solutions and we will use our voice to speak up for change.”

The Trust's Chief Executive is Mick Hayes, who added: “We have now been in the grip of gloomy economic times for three years and with so many people you meet there is almost a sense of paralysis. Yet so many people I come into contact with inspire me with hope; there is so much that can still be achieved just by having the right people with the right commitment working together.”

Click here to read Trust Thamesmead's Annual Report, Winter 2011