The Orchard Trust

What The Orchard Trust does

The Orchard Trust is a UK registered charity (Charity No: 801122) founded in 1989 that delivers residential care, supported living, and day services for adults with learning disabilities, autism, and profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) across Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, and Herefordshire. The trust operates four named residential care homes (Hilltop, Sevenoaks, 1 & 2 The Orchards, Offa's Dyke) plus supported living arrangements and a fully resourced Day Service Centre with hydrotherapy pool, sensory room, rebound therapy trampoline, smallholding with animal sponsorship, and sensory country walks. A separate Orchard Trust Training and Development subsidiary delivers accredited health and social care courses externally and uses The Lodge conference venue for training delivery.

Revenue is generated primarily through commissioned contracts with three local authorities (Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Herefordshire) and NHS Continuing Health Care for individual placements. Supplementary income comes from charitable donations (via CAF Donate), corporate supporters, the OrchardFest accessible music festival, alpaca sponsorship, venue hire, and external training course fees. Staff headcount sits in the 101-250 range across the Forest of Dean operational footprint. Day-to-day leadership sits with CEO Cathy Andrews and Head of Support Tony Lafford, with governance provided by a board of trustees. The organisation has no parent company, no disclosed funding rounds, and operates entirely outside capital markets as a non-profit.

Name

The Orchard Trust

Legal name

Orchard Trust

Website

https://orchard-trust.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Orchard Trust is a UK registered charity founded in 1989 providing residential care, supported living, day services, and accredited training for adults with learning disabilities, autism, and PMLD across Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, and Herefordshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Local Authority Commissioned Care: Core revenue from contracted care services with multiple local authorities (Gloucestershire County Council, Monmouthshire, Herefordshire). Services include residential care homes, supported living, and day services commissioned by statutory bodies.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate supporters, and community fundraising activities including OrchardFest events. Funds support 'above and beyond care' activities beyond statutory funding.
3. Venue and Training Hire: Revenue from hiring The Lodge conference/training venue to external organisations. Training department generates income from accredited healthcare training courses delivered to external organisations.
4. Sponsorship and Merchandise: Animal sponsorship programmes (alpacas) and OrchardFest merchandise sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Orchard Trust provides residential care homes (Hilltop, Sevenoaks, 1 & 2 The Orchards, Offa's Dyke), supported living, family support, and a Day Service Centre offering therapeutic activities such as hydrotherapy, rebound therapy, sensory room, smallholding, and supported farm placements for adults with learning disabilities, autism, and profound and multiple learning disabilities across Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, and Herefordshire. The trust additionally operates an accredited Learning & Development department delivering health and social care training courses and hires out The Lodge conference and training venue in the Forest of Dean.

Product overview

The Orchard Trust is a care charity providing integrated health and social care services for people with learning disabilities across Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, and Herefordshire since 1989. The organization operates a portfolio of residential care homes (Hilltop, Sevenoaks, 1 & 2 The Orchards, Offa's Dyke) and supported living services as its core residential offerings. Complementing these are day service activities including hydrotherapy, rebound therapy, sensory room, smallholding/farm placements, and arts and crafts. The Trust also operates an accredited training department offering courses to both internal staff and external organizations through The Lodge venue. Fundraising programs include the annual OrchardFest accessible music festival and alpaca sponsorship. The product portfolio functions as a unified care ecosystem where residential services, day programs, and training work together to provide continuous, personalized support across the care journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Care Homes (Residential) 24-hour residential care homes providing personal care, household support, health needs assistance, and community access for adults with learning disabilities, autism, and profound and multiple learning disabilities across Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, and Herefordshire.
• Supported Living Supported living services enabling adults with learning or physical disabilities to live independently in their own homes with flexible, tailored support from trained staff.
• Family Support Guidance, respite, and advocacy support for families and carers of people with learning disabilities, helping them navigate care options and access services.
• Day Service Centre / Activities and Therapy A fully resourced Day Service Centre in the Forest of Dean delivering therapeutic activities (hydrotherapy, rebound therapy, sensory room, sensory country walks, smallholding with alpacas, supported farm placements, community sheds, activity park, arts and crafts) for adults with learning or physical disabilities. Free taster sessions are offered.
• Learning and Development / Training Accredited health and social care training courses (safeguarding, health and safety, supporting individuals, core skills, medication, first aid, food safety, leadership) delivered to internal staff and external organisations; operated under the Orchard Trust Training and Development subsidiary.
• The Lodge (Venue Hire) A dedicated conference and training venue in a woodland setting at Lower Lydbrook, equipped with broadband, a large smart screen, second smaller screen, PC, webcam and microphone for webinars, flip chart stand, kitchen, full disabled access, and free private parking; seats up to 20 conference style or 12-16 with tables. Available for hire with coffee/tea and optional catering.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Gloucestershire County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary commissioning partner for care services. Gloucestershire County Council funds residential care, supported living, and day services. The trust works within the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Adults Board framework and follows GCC safeguarding protocols. GCC also supplies level 1, 2, and 3 safeguarding training support.
• Monmouthshire County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning authority for services delivered to residents of Monmouthshire. The trust is contracted with more than one authority and follows local authority safeguarding protocols.
• Herefordshire CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning authority for services delivered to residents of Herefordshire. The trust works with multiple local authorities and ensures all protocols are listed and followed.
• Skills for CaresecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational workforce centre for adult social care. The Orchard Trust Training Department has worked on partnership projects with Skills for Care, aligning their training programmes with national standards.
• Now PensionsminorOthersWorkplace pension provider. Orchard Trust provides a workplace pension scheme through Now Pensions, with the trust contributing a percentage of salary once eligibility criteria are met.
• Westfield HealthminorOthersHealth insurance/cashback provider. Following successful probation, staff are enrolled onto the Westfield Health scheme enabling claim-back for dental, optical, therapy treatments, and chiropody.
• Gloucestershire Safeguarding Adults BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-agency partnership for adult safeguarding. The trust works within GSAB framework and follows local authority safeguarding protocols. Staff receive safeguarding training supported by the board.
• Paragon SkillssecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApprenticeship training provider. Orchard Trust apprentices complete Level 2 or Level 3 Health and Social Care NVQ over 12-18 months, supported by Paragon Skills as the external training provider.
• City & GuildsminorOthersAwarding body for accredited healthcare training courses (Medications) offered through Orchard Trust Training Department.
• QualsafeminorOthersAwarding body for accredited training including First Aid courses offered through Orchard Trust Training Department.
• HighfieldminorOthersAwarding body for accredited training including Food Safety courses offered through Orchard Trust Training Department.
• CAF (Charities Aid Foundation)minorOthersDonations platform provider. Orchard Trust uses CAF Donate for processing charitable donations including one-time gifts and regular monthly donations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MacIntyre: UK charity providing residential care, supported living, and day services for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism. Most structurally comparable to The Orchard Trust given shared charity model, learning-disability focus, and multi-site community-based operating approach.
• United Response: National UK disability charity operating supported living, residential care, and day services for people with learning disabilities, autism, and mental health needs. Closely comparable in service mix, commissioning model, and charity structure.
• Hft (Home Farm Trust): One of the UK's largest learning disability charities, providing residential care, supported living, and day services across multiple regions. Comparable through its charity governance, multi-county operating footprint, and learning disability focus.
• Mencap: The UK's leading learning disability charity, supporting people with learning disabilities through supported living, residential services, and day opportunities. Highly comparable mission and service mix, although operating at much greater national scale.
• Sense (UK): UK charity supporting people with complex disabilities including learning disabilities, autism, and sensory impairments, with residential, day, and community services. Comparable due to overlap with the Orchard Trust's PMLD and complex needs cohorts.
• National Autistic Society: UK charity providing specialist residential, supported living, and day services for autistic adults, including those with complex needs. Directly comparable for the autism-specific care homes segment (e.g. Sevenoaks) of The Orchard Trust.
• Voyage Care: UK private provider of residential care, supported living, and day services for adults with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs. Comparable service portfolio and customer base, though operating as a commercial rather than charity provider.
• Achieve Together: UK specialist care provider offering residential, supported living, and day services for people with learning disabilities, autism, and Prader-Willi syndrome. Directly comparable service lines and resident cohorts, though structured as a private equity-backed business.
• Lifeways: UK provider of supported living and residential care for adults with learning disabilities, autism, and acquired brain injuries. Comparable in supported living and residential service mix, primarily serving England with a similar commissioner base.

Broad incumbents

• Priory Group: One of the UK's largest specialist healthcare and social care providers, with broad portfolio including learning disability and autism residential services. Comparable capability set but at materially larger national scale, making it a broad incumbent rather than direct head-to-head competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCf1nXl6g9wscljkDJ6bvhiw
• Facebookfacebook.com/orchardtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-orchard-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/theorchardtrust
• Xx.com/OrchardTrust

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Orchard Trust