The Flax Trust is one of the largest and longest established development trusts in Ireland. It is a registered charity formed in Belfast in 1977. For over 25 years it has been committed to the “reconciliation of a divided community through economic and social development, bringing peace to both communities, one person and one job at a time”.
From its inception, the Flax Trust has promoted and practised with an absolute focus reconciliation through economic development. Over the last three years in identifying a strategy for the 21st century it has broadened its focus to expand and energize the work of reconciliation through the arts, especially the performing arts, education, business incubation, entertainment, social action, sport and technology. Through all of these media the Flax Trust is practising and assembling its strategy:
Sport: rugby, gaelic football, golf and soccer sponsorship;
Arts: theatre, art gallery, dance studio, TV channel, broadcasting and production studios;
Business Incubation: in communications and multi-media with the University of Ulster;
broadband and technology with the expansion of digital communications with Queens University Belfast;
Training: a rich menu of training from health care to multi-media with the Belfast Institute of Higher & Further Education
Health: community healthcare with Meals on Wheels and outreach through healthy living programmes with the Department of Health;
Job Placement: through Worktrack and the Department of Employment & Learning;
Housing: social housing, discrete groups - foyer for young people, sheltered accommodation for the elderly both
able-bodied andfrail;
Entrepreneurship: the School of Social Entrepreneurs with the University of Ulster developing the new leaders for the social economy;
Capital Development: with the International Fund for Ireland, Invest NI and Ulster Community Investment Trust.
From literally nothing the Flax Trust has:
- delivered the former Brookfield linen mill from a state of dereliction into a 232,000 sq ft Business Centre in which it accommodated over 70 small buinesses, acted as a business incubator for all of Belfast creating over 400 businesses;
- provided training and personal development for several hundred people each year through Brookfield Business School Ltd (Investors in People) and Community Aid 2000 Ltd (Investors in People);
- an International Arts Centre comprising a Theatre, Art Gallery, Dance Studio and the Pittsburgh Bar & Steelers Restaurant;Brookfield Business Centre houses
- initiated a local Community Association and health programmes;
- social programmes for both communities which has served thousands of Meals on Wheels in addition to Day Care Centre meals;
- built a Medical Centre housing the Ardoyne Community Healthcare Centre Ltd, Ardoyne/Shankill Healthy Living Centre, Doctor’s Surgery, Dental Surgery, Day Care Centre for the elderly;