Realife Trust

30 years of doing things differently

Welcome to Realife

For the past 30 years, Realife Trust has been an innovative community development charity, supporting people with a learning disability, people experiencing mental health challenges, and/or people who are neurodiverse to achieve their ambitions – we have done everything from creating new social enterprises, community projects in the arts, environment and wellbeing and have even built a couple of houses when every other option came to nothing.

All of our projects are led by the people that most want to use them with our support. If that all sound too unrealistic to believe, check out our projects page for a run through of current and past initiatives and our history page for the full story.

We started out in 1996 by being like lots of other voluntary agencies , taking on contracts, working on two year

For the history buffs

funded projects, building up staff and generally becoming overweight and tied up with running  those contracts for Local Authorities rather than doing what local people actually needed.

So – in 2007 we made a big decision to stop running things like everyone else does, hive off all of our projects that would be better off being independent and go back to being a charity run by and for local people. For us, that means no salaries, no contracts, no short term projects and never, if we can help it, saying ‘no’ to people if we can possibly avoid it.

Since 2007 we have been able to develop more new community projects than we did in the previous 10 years and it’s all down to listening to local people, working in partnership and the pursuit of sustainability. If that all sounds a bit confusing , take a look below at our current and past projects and you’ll see what we mean.

Current Work

Funky Clubnights

Our regular clubnights run by and for people with a learning disability and their clubber friends

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Greenstage

Low impact stage and workshop structures designed by Realife for the National Trust in 2000 and used for festivals and community events all over the country

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Fara Afifi and the Other Farah

Realife supports the work of neurodiverse musician and activist, Fara Afifi – founder of the Noisy Womens Collective and music promotion group ‘The Other Farah’ with Farah Egby

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Hearts of Oak

Since 2019 we have had a partnership with this off grid artists colony in Suffolk, now the home of our Greenstages.

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Sophie’s Art Group

Realife supports Sophie Martin’s art and relaxation group sessions – Sophie previously worked as one of our office co-ordinators.

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The Syd Barrett Project

Realife acts as the charity partner for the new Syd Barrett Commemoration Fund – supporting arts, music and wellbeing workshops and activities for people facing mental health issues. Launch date Jan 2027!

The Syd Barrett Project

and some Past Projects

Care and Treatment Reviews

Realife completed over 700 individual CTR’s for people with a learning disability and/or autism on section under the Mental Health Act

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The UK Pie Party

Realife supported Nicky Vere Compton to set up and run the UK Pie Party – raising funds for cancer charities by taking a pie in the face at festivals all over ther UK

The National Brokerage Network

Realife created the NBN training programme, delivered to over 600 trainee support brokers all over the UK. Realife acted as the eastern region co-ordinator of the NBN.

Reception Direct

Our reception and office admin training programme at the Orwell House Enterprise Centre. An innovative partnership with Cambridge City Councl – we provided the reception service and they gave us free office and meeting room facilities.

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Best Buddies UK

Realife acted as the national co-ordinator for the Best Buddies friendship programme

Social Work Student Unit

Realife ran a social work student unit for 10 years for degree level students, taking up to 10 students at a time to work in our various projects

We are in this together (WAITT)

Our international self advocacy project funded by the EU Erasmus Project with Spain, Czech Republic, Croatia and Austria

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Realife Wellbeing Hub

Led by Realife co-ordinator, Nicky Smith, the Wellbeing Hub offered a wide variety of therapy and wellbeing sessions at Orwell House and other venues in Cambridge

Caritas social work exchange

Realife (UK) and Caritas (Czech Republic) worked together to provide Czech social work students with a UK placement. In return, Realife lectured at the Caritas College in Olomouc.

The Six Pack DJ’s

Set up in 2003 and still going strong, the Six Pack are all DJ’s with a learning disability, playing at Funky Nights and other venues around the Cambridge area

Plough and Fleece Community Pub

Realife led the project to buy the Plough and Fleece pub in Horningsea, Cambridge for the community.

R and R in Spain

Long term Realife supporter, Bob Rhodes kindly donated a lovely house to us – set in the village of Casarabonela near Malaga, the two bedroomed 14th century property is available for anyone that needs rest and recuperation. Please be aware that access is via steep hills and equally steep staircases!