About Us
At Yateley Industries the aim is to provide increased opportunity for each individual to have access to work and accommodation that allows them to fulfil their own potential.
In our supported workshop we can provide essential, tailored support for adults with disability that can help them adapt to a new role or home. Some of our residents and factory staff have been with us for many years and enjoy the comfort of being in their own home and the rewards of a long term job.
Our History
1924 Jessie Brown, an orthopaedic nurse, went to Nepal to nurse the daughter of a Maharajah. For the next ten years contact was maintained until the death of the Princess Nani in 1934. Then Jessie returned to Yateley to nurse her ageing mother. It was at this point that Jessie began a project to combine the craft of block printing as seen in India, with after care for disabled girls.
With the help of Grace Finch, a friend whom she has nursed through polio, Jessie set up a small workshop in an outbuilding in the grounds of her Yateley house. Grace Finch struggled to learn the techniques of hand block printing from a selection of fabric samples brought back from India and Nepal. The experiment was successful enough to secure backing to set up a small hostel and workshop for 8 girls which was opened in 1937.
Unfortunately, things came to a halt at the outbreak of the war, but started up again shortly afterwards in 1948 with a new workshop building opening in 1952 followed by the bungalows in 1956 and having charity status in 1963. This created the Yateley Industries estate as we know it today.
Over the years Yateley Industries has progressed and flourished into a thriving organisation providing an invaluable service to the entire spectrum of vulnerable and disabled people. In the early 1980’s men were given the opportunity to work at Yateley.
WHAT WE DO
Living at Yateley
At Yateley, we can provide accommodation for adults with disabilities. There is a variety of residential housing units available and some of our residents have been living with us for over 30 years. You can either contact us directly or via a Social Worker to find out more about living at Yateley.
Working at Yateley
Our factory at Yateley provides a safe and friendly environment where adults with disabilities can work and be part of a team. We value all our employees and provide support and encouragement for people to reach their potential at work.
Commercial Services
Our workshop at Yateley has specialised packing and cutting machines and we can provide shrink wrapping, packaging or light assembly services. Some of our projects have included bottling glue, packing hair products, assembling small motor parts or lighting components, labelling CDs and mailshots.
Supported Employment
We can help adults with disabilities or health conditions to find work. We have a specialist team who can work with employers and clients to provide support for their individual needs. Clients must meet the criteria for eligibility to access the scheme.
Helping Hands
Our charity shop is based on the High Street at Hartley Witney, all profits go to Yateley Industries. We welcome donations of clothes and household items, including books and games. Come along and shop or chat with us about volunteering opportunities.
Community Pantry
Our Community Pantry is available to anyone who needs support with their weekly grocery shop. No referral is needed to become a member and pay a small weekly fee to receive at least 10 items of groceries, including fresh fruit and vegetables and some household items. The pantry is stocked by donations from local supermarkets and staffed by volunteers.
