Richmond Fellowship and Humankind are set to merge to form a single charity, with a decision on staff roles to be made in the new year.
Humankind specialises in working with people with complex needs and Richmond Fellowship is a national provider of care and rehabilitation for people living with mental health problems.
Derek Caren, chief executive of Richmond Fellowship, said: “Our organisations have a lot in common. We share a heartfelt belief that everyone should have a fair chance to live a life they value, and since our inception in 1959, Richmond Fellowship has worked hard to make recovery a reality for all.
“Joining forces with Humankind will allow us to break down some of the barriers that stop people getting the support they need and allow us to offer innovative, integrated services to more people across England.”
Humankind told Civil Society that the organisations had not made any decisions on roles and that it will be working on the new identity, including a new name, next year.
Total staff at the Richmond Fellowship was 1,175 according to recent accounts, and the average number of staff at Humankind was 1,474.
Humankind CEO to lead merger
Caren, CEO of the Richmond Fellowship, is retiring in early 2024 and Paul Townsley, CEO of Humankind, will become CEO of the new organisation and oversee the merger.
Townsley said: “From the very start of my career, it’s been clear that drug and alcohol, housing and mental health support need to be brought closer together and work better for the communities we support. That’s why I am so excited about this new chapter for both organisations.
“This merger creates a unique opportunity to develop new, broader service models, invest more in our people, and use our shared experience and insights to influence policy and practice across the sector.”
Carolyn Regan, current chair of Recovery Focus, will become the chair of the new organisation, while Caroline Gitsham, current chair of Humankind, will become the vice chair.
Aquarius, currently a subsidiary of Richmond Fellowship, will become a subsidiary of the new organisation.
Charity Commission data for the financial year ending 31 March 2022 shows that Humankind has a total income of £70.85m.
The Richmond Fellowship had a total income of £47.86m in the financial year ending 31 March 2022.
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