Brett Supports The Fifth Trust Charity

Brett Group have provided aggregates, ready mixed concrete and landscaping products for The Fifth Trust, a Kent-based charity that supports adults with learning disabilities.

The Fifth Trust charity provides day care services for around 150 adults across its two sites in Elham Valley, near Canterbury. The Trust arranges a variety of creative and educational activities for its students, developing their confidence and life skills. Its facilities include a garden centre and cafe, where students can gain valuable work opportunities and engage with the local community.

At the end of June, the Trust officially opened its new Barham skills centre, which will help to accommodate new students and services. This follows a six-year fundraising campaign, where the Trust raised £2 million in funds from the public, companies, other charitable organisations, as well as its own social enterprises. Among the supporters was the Brett Group, which provided aggregates – as well as ready mixed concrete and landscaping products.

The official opening of the Barham Skills Centre

The Fifth Trust CEO, Nikki Marley, said: “We are grateful to Brett for donating aggregates for use in the build. Support like this from our suppliers means a great deal to us as a charity.”

The Centre's creativity and exhibition space showcasing some of the students' work 

Designed by Kent architects, HYMY, the newly developed buildings replaced the wooden huts that the Trust had used for the past three decades. The spacious improvement includes activity rooms for media, art, craft print and photography sessions, along with an amenity hub that has a canteen, personal care facilities, and an exhibition space for student work. The new buildings join the site’s horticulture department, and the propagation unit that grows stock for the Trust’s Vineyard Garden Centre.

Brett provided aggregates, ready mixed concrete and landscaping products for the project

An opening event allowed trustees and other members of the community to explore the newly built skills centre. Lucy’s Media Suite, named after a student who sadly died in 2020, was opened by her uncle, Ben Carroll. Student, Michael Simms, cut the ribbon for the Art Studio, while Bradbury Foundation’s UK representative, Hugh Inman, opened the Bradbury Hub.

Home grown - vegetables grown by students in the new garden

The newly opened skills centre will not only help welcome additional students, but will also open up day care services to more adults with learning disabilities, including those with profound physical conditions.

For more information about the charity or its services, please visit the website at fifthtrust.co.uk or email jane.ward@fifthtrust.co.uk.