The Forward Trust was initially known as the 'Addictive Diseases Trust' (ADT) - a name that was changed soon after to one that more accurately described our work at the time: Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust (RAPt).
Together with Jonathan Wallace, Peter Bond spotted the potential for providing 12-step addiction treatment programmes within UK prisons. In 1991, ADT was given the opportunity to pilot it's 12-step treatment programme in Downview prison in South London by its visionary Governor, Derek Aram. The aim was simple - to enable free access for prisoners addicted to drugs or alcohol to proven addiction treatment services.
A group of supportive individuals, many later becoming our founding Trustees, successfully raised money, including from Oscar winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, to enable ADT to open its first programme in a Portakabin in the grounds of the prison. We are eternally grateful to Jonathan Wallace, Michael Meakin, Matthew Wilson, Louise Gibbings, and Isabelle Laurent, for their roles in this early period of innovation and service development.
