June 2001: the Andrea Adams Trust now has its own web site at www.andreaadamstrust.org

This page hosted by Tim Field for the Andrea Adams Trust

Andrea Adams Trust

The Andrea Adams Trust is a non-political, not-for-profit charity which is the natural focus for the diverse needs and agenda inevitably elicited by this emotive topic. The Trust offers a wide range of services and especially welcomes opportunities to work with employers to identify bullying behaviours, the costs of this behaviour (which are often overlooked - see the costs page), and strategies for dealing with bullying in the workplace.

Background

In 1988, journalist Andrea Adams was told of a case of bullying in a local bank near her home in Downton, just outside the cathedral city of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. It was reported that a department of 40-50 people were being terrorised by the departmental manager. After investigating and verifying the story, Andrea coined the phrase "workplace bullying". In 1990, Andrea took part in a BBC Radio 4 programme on bullying in the workplace which evoked a major response. She was then asked to write a book, which was published in 1992. For four years, Bullying at work: how to confront and overcome it (Virago, 1992) remained the only book on the subject.

After publication of the book, Andrea discovered she was suffering cancer; with great courage she continued to work tirelessly raising awareness of bullying, but lost her fight in November 1995. Almost everybody  working in this field in the UK can trace their origins directly or indirectly back to Andrea. She inspired so many people, and saved so many lives, that a permanent memorial to continue her pioneering work was thought a fitting tribute. The Andrea Adams Trust was formed in 1996 under the leadership of Lyn Witheridge, the current Chief Executive.  Today, the Trust is committed to raising awareness of the bullying issue and to providing a range of services giving practical help and support in the workplace.

The tireless and pioneering work of Andrea Adams has been continued by a number of committed individuals who, in 1998, can see the culmination of a decade of hard work. With tribunals and personal injury suits coming forward en masse, those employers who have not yet committed to a bully-free workplace will find themselves increasingly on the wrong end of hefty litigation. With bullying behind all forms of harassment and discrimination, the Trust welcomes opportunities to work with employers to avoid litigation and improve profitability and service by eradicating bullying.

Objectives

The Trust will

• offer information and support services
• raise public and professional awareness of bullying
• collate research into the incidence and effects of workplace bullying
• provide specialist training to public and private sector organisation
• support the campaign for legislation to protect employees from the damaging effects of this kind of power abuse at work

and will

• set up a fully-resourced National Bullying Helpline, available seven days a week, staffed by trained volunteers throughout the UK
• offer independent counselling referrals to trained counsellors and professional supervisors
• provide training and education to help employers identify the costs of bullying and deal with bullies and bullying behaviour
• offer an independent mediation service to employers
• provide consultancy and advice to employers and organisations

Services to industry

The Andre Adams Trust offers

• tailor-made in-house training to meet individual needs and corporate objectives
• company awareness presentations
• supportive in-house bullying counselling teams
• perpetrator training/counselling

Contact: Lyn Witheridge, The Andrea Adams Trust, Hova House, 1 Hove Place, Hove, East Sussex BN3 3DH, UK, Tel 01273 704900 (10am-4pm weekdays), Fax 01273 704901.

Information available

The Trust has a range of publications available ... click here.