Newlands Bishop Farm and Berry’s Cafe are both part of the charity Family Care Trust.

The Family Care Trust has operated for 25 years in Solihull and the surrounding area. Our mission is:

“To provide professional care and support services that respond to individual needs. Promoting independence, dignity and choices in order to maintain or improve a person’s quality of life.”

At Family Care Trust, we are dedicated to supporting people in need across Solihull and the surrounding areas through a wide range of compassionate, person-centred services. Our work is built around empowering individuals to develop confidence, independence and meaningful life opportunities, particularly for adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs and those living with dementia.

Through Newlands Bishop Farm, we provide work-based learning opportunities where adults can gain practical skills, social interaction and valuable hands-on experience in a supportive environment. The farm is also home to Berry’s Café, which offers employment and training opportunities within a real café setting, helping individuals build confidence and workplace skills while serving the local community.

Alongside this, our Blanning Dementia Day Centre provides specialist support and care for people living with dementia, while our supported living schemes help individuals maintain independence within safe and nurturing homes.

Every part of Family Care Trust is closely connected, with each service helping to create opportunities, experiences and sustainable support that strengthen the care we provide. From seasonal events and public visits at the farm, to weddings supported by our project workers, everything we do contributes towards developing inclusive opportunities and delivering the highest standard of care for those who need it most.

In 2019, the Solihull charity celebrated its 25th anniversary. And over the last century, the Family Care Trust has achieved a lot, including:

• Support for over 200 adults with learning difficulties with work-based training at our Newlands Bishop Farm and Community Gardening Services
• Given more than 150 school and college-based volunteers, vital work experience opportunities in this specialised area
• Specialist day care for over 2000 people with memory problems such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, strokes and Parkinson’s, including at The Blanning Dementia Day Centre
• Shared more than 250 Corporate Days, where an average of 15 people from local and national organisations have gained team-building experiences as part of the mutual benefits achieved

We offer professional care and support services to people with mental health conditions, learning disabilities, and physical disabilities.

Our main services are:

• Newlands Bishop Farm 
• Community gardening services
• Blanning dementia day centre
• Community support
• Berrys Cafe

If you’re looking for a business charity partner in Solihull or a local charity to raise money for, find out how you can support us here.

History of Solihull charity the Family Care Trust

In 1989, Solihull Social Services ran a pilot project in support of ‘Community Care Services for Adults’,which originally ran from a portacabin located in Chelmsley Wood. The project successfully evolved and in 1992 a purpose-builtcentre was created,which was then known as the Lyndon Croft Community Support Centre. The doors of the new centre opened on 6th December 1992, running the only. Elderly Mentally Infirm(EMI)Day Centre in the UK for people over 65. An official opening ceremony was carried out the following year in October 1993 by the then Lord Mayor of Solihull Peter Llywellen and local dignitaries.

In 1994 The Family Care Trust was formed with the founder CEO Dave Evans under the guidance of the Solihull Council. As of1 October 1995, the Solihull charity took over the management of the ‘Lyndon Croft Community Support Centre’, and this is now known as ‘The Family Care Trust Opportunity Centre’. A number of staff from social services, moved over to the Family Care Trust.

When the Family Care Trust started, it provided community home support teams for adults with mental health issues and a day centre for the EMI clients. It soon expanded to offer a portfolio of services including an administration centre, the FCT training unit, community support services provided by our outreach team, supported living housing schemes, opportunity day centres, a short stay unit providing respite care, independent living skills training projects for people with learning disabilities/ mental health problems or in need of support.

To find out more about Family Care Trust, please visit their dedicated website below –