Trigonos was established in 1996 by Richard Grover, Judy Harris and Ros Tennyson as a 'social business'. For two reasons we chose not to be a charity. First we knew that 'social purpose' had to be given at least equal status with profitability if businesses are to fulfil their function of serving people, and not vice-versa. Second we wanted to demonstrate that it is possible to pursue social and environmental aims through earning income rather than through dependency upon public and charitable purses. Registered as a company limited by guarantee (ie without shareholders), all profit is retained for the fulfilment of the project's objectives.

See "Trigonos: Social Enterprise and Sustainability" and "Annual Report" for more information (English only / Saesneg yn unig.)

Financial support from friends, colleagues and well-wishers together with a loan from Triodos Bank enabled us to raise the capital to purchase the property. Together we carry responsibility for all aspects of management and development of the project, building on our interests and previous experiences. But the day-to-day work of Trigonos depends not just on it's three founders but also on the commitment, enthusiasm and energy of many, many others.

Richard Grover

Richard worked for over 20 years for charitable agencies and then as a freelance trainer and development worker. For him, Trigonos is a place for building a new form of 'social future'.

For me, Trigonos came out of adversity - frustration with what was happening to the social care project I had helped to start and anger at the limitations of working for a mental health research organisation in London. The possibility of Trigonos became a faint gleam in the eye of a life spread a little too thin: but perhaps that is exactly when new things are most needed.

The name of the enterprise was as elusive as the place. What would properly reflect the three elements of our starting point? Many ideas were binned for assorted reasons until 'Trigonos' took the eye - from the Greek meaning a three-sided figure, and linked to a stained glass version of the Celtic triskele found in a local craft shop (now our logo).

Trigonos: a three-sided figure... remove one side and it becomes unstable; revolve it in any direction and the side at the bottom will provide stability for the whole. This is for me an image of the essential interdependence in all aspects of life. We had no great vision for Trigonos but we committed ourselves, we made the first move and (to paraphrase Goethe) we found that providence moved too.