Our Story: 1851 to Today

Starting as a church collection on Sundays for the heath and wellbeing of residents, the Hospital Sunday Collections fund was started.

Local Philanthropist Thomas Clayton became a benefactor for The Wakefield General Dispensary.

The Hospital Sunday Collections fund provided £5,296 for The Wakefield General Dispensary and provided assistance for the community and it’s patients.

Changing name to The Hospital Saturday Fund and moving from being solely a church collection to a larger entity, the fund existed to help members with payment of medical bills and Doctor / Therapist fees. The scheme linked up with The Wakefield General Dispensary.

Due to the continuous increase of population in Wakefield and a considerable number of mining accidents, The Wakefield General Dispensary was deemed inadequate, and Clayton Hospital was built. It opened on 30^th July 1879 and was funded through a substantial payment from Thomas Clayton’s Will and estate after his death in 1868.

Name changed to Workpeople’s Saturday Fund.

Name changed to Wakefield and District’s Hospitals Contributory Scheme, widening benefits to any voluntary hospital serving the contributors.

As well as the name change, the scheme evolved to include employers as well as employees. All employers were asked to give at least 25% of their employees’ contributions.

The scheme moved away from serving Clayton Hospital and expanded to serving the wider district.

An ambulance service benefit was added for contributors and dependants.

Becoming part of the new National Health Service, the Wakefield and District’s Hospitals Contributory Scheme continued to provide funding for all manner of patient medical needs and associated equipment and amenities.

At this point the Huddersfield and District Hospitals Contributory Scheme joined forces with the Wakefield and District’s Hospitals Contributory Scheme to form the Wakefield and District Hospitals Contributory Scheme Ltd.

Being incorporated set out to meet the needs of the work people of the district in conjunction with the government’s aims for the rebuilding of society following WW2. This heavily involved Mining, Engineering, Construction and allied industries.

The welfare benefits package made available to members and their families reflected this aim.

The scheme was registered with the Board of Trade as a Company without Share Capital.

The benefits package continued to evolve and the scheme, started providing individual health benefits ensuring that timely optical, oral hygiene and other preventative medical checks were carried out.

The benefits package along with funding towards various patient amenities and equipment needs, both at the Hospitals in the area and within the community at large, was recognised and the scheme was granted Charity Status and duly entered on the Register of Charities. Registration No 226121.

The Board of Trade decided that the scheme should accept regulation as an insurance company and registered Wakefield and District Hospitals Contributory Scheme Ltd. as an insurance company.

The company adopted the trading name Wakefield Health Scheme.

The Scheme has seen its role in assisting the NHS and the community continue to increase over the years with requests for many different types of medical equipment.

In its bid to continue to assist the community health care, the charity provided a dedicated Multidisciplinary Complementary Therapy Centre along with a 14 place day nursery on site.

Wakefield and District Hospitals Contributory Scheme created a trading arm of the company called Premier Health Benefits.

Building on the success of First Steps Day Nursery, the Scheme opened Caduceus House, a purpose built 37 place child day care facility, inclusive of 12 baby places and an 80 person training / function room, available for community and charity use.

The introduction of new physiotherapy schemes to reflect the needs of the times were introduced along with a bespoke Corporate Physiotherapy product.

In recognition of the long history of community giving, Premier Health Benefits held its first ‘Thanks To You’ campaign.

The campaign was carried out to remind members of Premier Health Benefits Healthcare Cash Plans that their loyalty generated the income, which allowed the charity to support health care providers.

Following the Changes in Charity Law the administration of Premier Health Benefits is transferred to Engage Mutual Assurance.

Wakefield and District Hospitals Contributory Scheme continues to support worthwhile good causes within the community.

A change of name to Wakefield & District Health & Community Support Ltd to better reflect its revised aims and objectives, evaluating new ideas to generate support for its local community.

The first Charity Ball is organised as a fund raiser for Wakefield Hospice & Co-Active who shared the proceeds.

In order to raise funds to support dementia carers, Flutterbuys Charity Shop was opened in April.

Building on the previous successes of First Steps Day Nursery and to reduce the waiting list, the training / function room was converted to increase provision for 3 – 5 year olds.

Due to a struggling economic environment, the decision to close Flutterbuys charity shop was taken.

The planned closure of First Steps Day Nursery occurred in March.

A change of name to reflect the newly evolved charity, bringing focus back to philanthropy in the Wakefield district.

An office move from Prosper House on Peterson Road to The Junction in Horbury.