Humankind and Richmond Fellowship have announced that they will now operate collectively as Waythrough, following their recent merger.
Prior to the merger, Humankind and Richmond Fellowship recorded a combined income of £128m for the financial year ending 31 March 2023, with each employing more than 1,000 members of staff.
A spokesperson for Waythrough told Civil Society that no staff had been made redundant in the merger process.
Humankind remains the legal entity operating as Waythrough pending legal and regulatory finalisation of its name change.
Meanwhile, Aquarius, which was a subsidiary of Richmond Fellowship, is now a subsidiary of Waythrough.
Paul Townsley, Waythrough chief executive, told Civil Society that it has been challenging to include everyone in the merger process as the new charity now has more than 3,000 employees.
But the new charity has a dedicated team supporting the integration, which is expected to carry on for a year. Waythrough plans to launch a new strategy in early 2026, said Townsley.
‘A huge step in our journey’
Humankind specialised in working with people with complex needs and Richmond Fellowship was a national provider of care and rehabilitation for people living with mental health problems.
Waythrough’s vision is “to break down the barriers that stop people getting the support they need to live a life they value” by offering a single point of access for mental health, alcohol and substance use and homelessness services, according to its press release.
Townsley, who previously led Humankind, said: “For many years, it’s been clear that addressing drug and alcohol, housing and mental health support as separate issues ignores the reality and complexity of people’s lives, and that a holistic approach is needed.
“This is why I’m excited about the launch of Waythrough and our ambitions for the future.
“Today marks a huge step in our journey, and although it’s going to take time, I’m confident that – by working with our partners – we’ll have the experience, capabilities and determination we need to make our vision a reality.”
Jacob, who was part of a group representing people with lived experience during the merger process, said: “Mental health and substance use needs are inextricable, and I hope that the coming together of Richmond Fellowship and Humankind will, in time, lead to innovative service models that support the delivery of person-centred care.”
Editor’s note: Additional comments from Paul Townsley have been added on 2 October
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