Feature: The inspiring story behind East Anglian-based charity Ormiston Families

Charity partner for Velvet Magazine’s 2025 Food & Drink Awards, Ormiston Families has been helping to create brighter futures across East Anglia since 1981. Andrew Fitchett, Head of Communications and Public Affairs, tells us more

How did Ormiston Families begin?

It was inspired by a woman called Fiona Ormiston Murray who sadly passed away on her honeymoon. Everyone knew that she wanted to start a family so her parents and siblings decided to do something to honour her memory. They set up a charitable trust to help children and families in need, and that’s what we’ve been doing ever since.

Essentially what is the charity ethos?

Our ethos is to help families become more resilient and as a result of that support communities to become stronger. We have a range of services to provide mental health support, bereavement counselling, and advice for families affected by imprisonment, SEND, additional needs and disabilities.

Is supporting families affected by prison a big part of your work?

Yes, there was a report by Lord Farmer which recognised that families staying connected was a huge factor in offenders not reoffending. Our services run in prisons across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, offering a friendly face when families turn up to visit loved ones. Visiting prison can be a really stressful and traumatic time, particularly for children. We try to give families advice, offer them a cup of tea and something from the snack bar, creating a friendly space before they enter what can be quite a scary place.

Breaking Barriers supports children affected by imprisonment, doesn’t it?

Yes, children experience trauma when a parent goes to prison, right from the arrest. We provide counselling sessions in a non-judgemental place, where they have space to talk about their feelings and we offer coping mechanisms. We have an animated character called Dylan, whose dad is in prison; he answers questions the children may have.

Tell me about Stars, the bereavement service you offer?

Stars is in Cambridgeshire and is a powerful service for children aged four to 19. When a close loved one dies it’s such a traumatic experience for children and that can start early, so we offer a pre-bereavement service. That means if a parent gets a diagnosis, we can start working with a child to mitigate some of the impact. We use things like art therapy and play, and we give them the space to talk and a sympathetic ear.

What other services do you offer?

Mpower works with mums in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire where a child has been taken into care. We use trauma-informed practice to help set personal goals and provide education around sexual and reproductive health. There’s also YOUnited, which offers emotional wellbeing and mental health support in a similar way to our Supporting Smiles initiative in Norfolk.

What impact has Ormiston Families had since its inception?

We’ve welcomed 66,000 people for prison visits in 2023/24 and worked with over 5,000 families, delivering 21,774 sessions of support. This was the most people we’ve ever worked with in one year so the need is increasing.

You’re working with families navigating difficult circumstances. Do you have any heartfelt stories from those you have helped?

We did a campaign for Stars with two sisters Ella and Jess whose dad died when they were aged four and seven. We went back to talk to them, now aged 18 and 22, and they recognised just how much Stars had changed their lives and given them the tools to cope with what was obviously one of the most difficult things to happen to them.

What do you think Fiona would think?

I think Fiona would be really proud of what Ormiston Families has become. If you went back 40-odd years and told her we’d be working with more than 5,100 families she would be staggered!

To support the charity's work, go to ormiston.org