Aster Group merges with disability charity Enham Trust

Aster Group and Hampshire-based Enham Trust have confirmed the successful completion of their merger. 

Enham Trust is a disability charity that supports disabled people to live, work and enjoy life to the full, with the belief that disability should not act as a barrier. While primarily based in Andover, Hampshire, it provides services across a wider geography including Somerset, Wiltshire and Plymouth.   

Enham Trust has become a subsidiary of Aster Group, adding its 316 homes to the Group’s 35,000-strong portfolio, and retaining its name, heritage, and charity status. 

Aster Group CEO, Bjorn Howard, said: “The decision we have taken is about doing the right thing in challenging times. By working together, Enham Trust can draw on the larger resources and expertise of our Group, protecting its 100 year legacy and ensuring it can provide high quality housing and care services across its communities into the future.” 

Chief Executive of Enham Trust, Simon Williams, said: “The merger is the right move for the Trust, our residents and the communities we serve. 

“Aster is as passionate about Enham’s work as we are. The team there is committed to the long-term delivery of Enham’s purpose, supporting disabled people to live, work and enjoy life. I’m immensely proud of the legacy we have built over the past century and this partnership secures our future for many years to come.” 

This is Aster’s third successful merger in the past two years, having merged with Dorset-based East Boro Housing Trust (EBHT) in 2020 and London’s Central & Cecil (C&C) in 2022; both of which provide housing and support to older and vulnerable people. 

Aster recently pledged to invest £570m in enhancing its existing homes, including those owned by the smaller entities in the Group, and has a £2.4bn development plan to build 11,000 new homes by 2030.