The Frank Longford Charitable Trust was established in 2002 by friends, family and admirers of Lord Longford (1905-2001) to celebrate his achievements and to further the goals he pursued in the fields of social and prison reform.   It is a registered charity no 1092825.

See about us for more details.

What do we do?

The Longford Trust organizes an annual Longford Lecture on questions of social and penal reform.  Past speakers have included President Mary McAleese of Ireland, Clive Stafford Smith, Sir Hugh Orde, Brenda Hale QC, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Sir Ian Blair, Cherie Booth QC, Archbishop John Sentamu and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  It also awards an annual Longford Prize to an outstanding individual or organization working in the field of prison and social reform.  It funds Longford Scholarships for ex-prisoners who want to rebuild their lives through education.  And it offers financial support to Inside Time, the national newspaper for prisoners.

Who was Lord Longford?

Frank Longford said often during his life that he would like his epitaph to be 'the outcasts' outcast'.  It summed up a long career as a politician, writer and campaigner on social and prison policy which was all about standing up for the unpopular, the unloved, the underdog and those on the margins of society.   He was first a minister in Clement Attlee's post Second World War Labour government, where as Deputy Foreign Secretary he played a pivotal role in the reconstruction of West Germany. From 1964 to 1968, he was a member of Harold Wilson's Cabinet.

He started visiting prisoners in 1930 and continued until his death.  He was assistant to Sir William Beveridge on his landmark report of 1942 which laid the basis for the Welfare State.  In 1956 he founded New Bridge, one of the first organisations in Britain seeking to create links between prisoners and the community, and in 1963 chaired the committee on crime whose recommendations led to the establishment of the parole system.  On leaving the government, he launched New Horizon, a charity for young people in need.

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