Third Sector Solutions was started in 2003. It’s a non-profit company limited by guarantee. Founder Steve Forge started his career with ten years spent in the business sector, gaining skills which have been crucial to keeping Third Sector Solutions and previous projects, effective, viable and productive.

He knows how to make things happen in the current environment of health and social care and government. “We’ve seen 20 organisations try and do what we do, but all found it wasn’t sustainable.”

“When I was younger I had to take on a carer’s role with my sister and mother – I needed support and went to a mental health carers group which was so valuable. There I found everyone exchanging experiences, dos and don’ts, cans and can’ts and who knows what about mental health issues. It helped a lot.”

“I joined the Sulis Trust in Bath as it was getting set up in 1990, running services and projects in mental health and employment. We started out when the big mental hospitals were closing, and there was nothing else in place for people. It was exciting to create new ways to serve people’s needs.”

“Third Sector Solutions was formed in 2003 to offer a new kind of service in the evolving climate.”

We feel strongly that we have to have a sound combination of social care expertise and business sense. We can give our customers and service users consistency and security in our services, which are crucial to building a healthy road to recovery. People using mental health and other support services often find themselves in a system that keeps changing unpredictably because of funding, staff changes and policy changes so they keep losing the trust they need.

Our current service delivery is based around Stowey Bottom Farm, a therapeutic horticulture project in Chew Valley, and running mental health carers’ support groups in three locations in South Gloucestershire/North Bristol. We also offer information, advice, training and consultancy based on our extensive track record.