Latest Press Release
The Duke of Cambridge becomes Patron of St Giles Trust's 50th anniversary year
17th January 2012
The Duke of Cambridge The Duke of Cambridge has become Patron of St Giles Trust’s 50th anniversary year.
St Giles Trust is a leading UK charity, which work with ex-offenders to help them resettle and break the cycle of offending. The Trust offers practical support around issues such as housing, improving skills, employment opportunities and resettling into the community after prison.
Since its Foundation in 1962, St Giles Trust has always worked with a large number of prison leavers and in the last two decades the Trust’s work has expanded into providing a wider range of resettlement support to help ex-offenders move their lives forward in a positive way. The cornerstone of St Giles Trust’s work is to train serving prisoners and ex-offenders as advice workers able to provide highly credible services, using the benefit of their own first-hand experiences. Over one third of the workforce at St Giles Trust today are reformed ex-offenders.
The Duke’s Patronage highlights his interest in affording people of all ages and stages of their lives – and especially those who feel disengaged or excluded from society - the opportunity to develop a sense of purpose and realise their true potential.
St Giles Trust’s Chief Executive, Rob Owen said:
“We are honoured and delighted that The Duke of Cambridge will be our Patron for our important 50th anniversary year. By supporting us, he is leading by example in helping some of the most excluded, disadvantaged people in society who really need support. Although our work has evolved over the years, we remain an organisation, which works with people who have fallen through the gaps in the state's safety net.”
“We are very much looking forward to working with The Duke of Cambridge over the coming year and hope his patronage will help highlight this important issue.”
Notes to Editors
• The Duke of Cambridge’s Patronage will run for one year, for the duration of 2012.
• The Duke of Cambridge visited St Giles Trust’s head offices in Camberwell in March 2009.
• The Duke of Cambridge’s Patronage marks the third generation of Royal support to St Giles Trust. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother opened the original St Giles Trust day centre in 1963 and The Prince of Wales opened the charity’s premises in Camberwell in 1995.
• The Duke of Cambridge is currently Patron or President of over twenty charities and organisations, including Centrepoint and SkillForce.
• For further information about St Giles Trust, please visit www.stgilestrust.org.uk