On Monday 31 October 2005 SHS Trust will close for business.

SHS Trust was established in August 1993 with a plan to undertake around 10 years work on achieving greater social inclusion in Scotland. From the beginning, the organisation was unique, working across all traditional service boundaries and working on three levels at the same time – personal, community and civic inclusion.

Over what turned out to be 12 years, SHS worked across a wide range of initiatives and programmes, both nationally and internationally, many in partnership with other organisations. We undertook significant research projects, designed and delivered innovative training materials, worked relentlessly on the long-stay hospital closure programme, hosted hundreds of workshops and conferences, authored numerous books and reports, drafted many policy statements and briefings and developed ground-breaking leadership development programmes.

Some of our proudest achievements include:

* Running successful campaigns to establish in Scottish legislation the right to inclusive education and the right to independent advocacy
* Developing and supporting a network of independent advocacy agencies, and helping to establish new citizen advocacy groups
* Introducing the theory and practice of person-centred planning to Scotland, and providing high quality training to agencies and people who use services
* Promoting the separation of housing and support, and the use of ordinary rather than special housing
* Providing encouragement, advice and contacts to the people who called us and playing pivotal roles in the establishment of three new agencies
* Introducing Local Area Co-ordination to Scotland
* Delivering national and local leadership development courses, with 358 people graduating from three Allies in Change programmes and five Partners in Policymaking programmes

We would like to thank everyone who enjoyed some of this journey with us. We had some tough times and some great times – but it is now time to give our Trustees some well-earned rest and thanks. Susan Hunter, Ian Watson, Bill Gray, Beth Hunter, Alan Tyne and Andrew Muir have steadfastly carried the financial risk of running this agency, often in an unfriendly climate, and we would like to thank them for their relentless encouragement and support.

Finally, the whole organisation was built on an original idea by Pete Ritchie, our Director for the first 10 years. Thanks to you Pete for all that energy, time, imagination, stubbornness and just sheer gall.