Our history

Founded as a rehabilitation centre for ex-servicemen returning from the First World War, Enham has helped disabled people find new lives, homes and employment in unique and innovative ways for over 90 years.

Enham Timeline

1918

With the influx of huge numbers of disabled servicemen returning from the Great War, for the first time the country had to seriously consider the needs of people with disabilities. Prior to this very little had been done for disabled people and an innovative solution was needed.

The rural village of Enham, outside the small market town of Andover, was chosen to be the first Village Centre for the care and rehabilitation of disabled ex-servicemen. The aim was to provide choices in retraining for men unable to return to their former trades to enable them to regain independence and the ability to earn a wage and provide for their families. Core to the fulfilment of these men, was the choice to live here as single men or to bring their families with them and start a new life.

1919

By the following year, 50 disabled ex-servicemen and their families had come to Enham, with 150 residents (then known as 'settlers') in place. This was an innovative project for its time.

1920s

We were the first to offer training in a wide range of trades, including: horticulture, forestry, farming, woodcraft, poultry rearing, electrical fitting, basket making, carpentry and joinery, book and shoe repairing, cookery, rural wood industries, furniture making French polishing and upholstery.

The success of the training resulted in the first industries at Enham, with a woodworking factory and market garden providing income for the village and salaries for the men.

We have enjoyed royal patronage throughout our history and we were visited by King George V, Queen Mary and the Duke of York in 1922. The King had personally donated £100 to the Village Centre in 1919.

The Landale Wilson Institute was officially opened by HRH the Prince of Wales in 1926. This building is still a focal point of the activities of the village.

In 1928, the British Legion donated £10,000 to restore Enham Place, then being used as temporary accommodation and latterly as a hostel for single settlers.

1930s

Fundraising has always been critical to our future and during the 1930s, when the Great War and its returning soldiers were still very much in people's thoughts, many events were held to support our work.

There were two high-society balls, the Wedgwood Ball and the Jewels of the Empire Ball. The Jewels of the Empire Ball was very high profile and widely reported, and raised many thousands of pounds.

1940s

The Second World War years provided our employees with the opportunity to repay some of the inspirational work done to support those disabled during the First World War. Industries turnover improved dramatically. It was a curious irony that, where World War I had provided the war-disabled men to man the factories, World War II was providing an immense increase in industrial orders that helped to build up the Industries into self-supporting businesses.

During 1944 industrial activity continued. All workshops were fully employed in work of national importance with single-seat training gliders being produced in quantity.

Our links with wartime were not over. The Egyptian people were keen to show their gratitude for the gallantry of the British Forces following the success of the Battle of El Alamein, having suffered four difficult years during the campaign. An appeal was launched to raise funds, with the main objective being to set up an organisation in England for the benefit of disabled ex-servicemen.

During 1945 there were plans to expand the Enham Village Centre to take in many additional Second World War disabled and their families, but there were virtually no funds to carry them out. A proposal that the Egyptian Gift be used to build an Alamein Village at Enham was approved. On 23 October, we were presented with £225,000 (worth about £6.3m in today's money) and the name of the village changed to Enham Alamein in appreciation of the gift.

During the same year, the Egyptian government also presented the village with the three pairs of wrought-iron gates. Each individually represented the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Army, and had originally been given to the Alamein Club in Cairo by the three Services.

Field Marshall Montgomery visited Enham several times and met many men who served under him during the Battle of El Alamein. He was greatly impressed with the work we did.

1950s

The following years saw significant improvements and expansion of the village, including purpose-built cottages and flats and a new 50 bedroom, state-of- the-art care home, which was the first in the country to provide individual accommodation for people with disabilities.

In line with our aims of improving facilities, training and accommodation choices, and providing disabled people with opportunities to gain independence and employment, we opened our doors to those with a much wider range of disabilities in 1955.

1960s

Building on the above, in 1966 was the first organisation of its kind to agree to include women as residents.

1970s

A major modernisation of the hostel adding a second level and the provision for another 50 bedrooms was completed by the end of the 1970s. The Cedar Park development programme continued, and as a result of a major appeal to move residents from their tiny 10 foot square rooms, residents now enjoyed individual accommodation in newly built care homes.

1980s

1984 was Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester's first year as Patron. In 1989, the Enham Candles Factory succeeded in gaining an entry in The Guinness Book of Records, with the completion of the world's tallest candle.

1990s

The Egyptian link remains alive and the Egyptian Ambassador was present during the 50th Alamein Anniversary celebrations in 1995.

2000 and beyond

We celebrated our 90th anniversary in 2009. During the same year, EACH heritage project – thanks to a £50,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund – catalogued, preserved and exhibited our historical collection in order to tell the unique story of Enham Alamein to a much wider audience.