Founded in 1964 as the “Camberwell Alcohol Project” by Barry Richards, Turning Point has a long history of supporting people.
In 1969 we began our work in London with people who use drugs, and just three years later we opened our first service outside of the capital - Manchester's Richards House alcohol service.
By 1984 we were running 21 substance use services around the country. We also introduced mental health services, ranging from outreach to residential support.
In 1991 we set up our first learning disability service in Wiltshire, and in 1997 we began our work within the criminal justice system.
60 years on, we’re a leading provider of health and social care, delivering services that support people to live life on their terms, inspired by possibilities.
We measure the success of our organisation by the positive impact we can make to those in need, and in 2023-24 over 197,000 people were supported by Turning Point services around the country.
Celebrating 60 years of Turning Point
Our story has always been about the people we support. Over the last 60 years, we've grown and changed, just as the society we live and work in has too. And as we reflect on all that we've learnt, we know there's never been a greater need to support people so they can live the lives they want.
View or download our timeline and discover some of our key milestones.
The Exhibition
From the 3rd - 7th June 2024 we hosted over 350 people at the Clore Learning Centre at Kensington Palace to showcase our final 60 objects and stories. It was wonderful to meet everyone who visited!
Below you can watch the three human stories we screened during the week, a short exhibition showcase, a virtual tour, and a film of Princess Diana speaking at our previous anniversary events.
You can also download our Exhibition Book which features each of our 60 objects and exclusive additional content!
Everyday objects can help us tell amazing stories about ourselves. They can represent an experience that meant something to you, or was a significant turning point in your life. All of them can be an accessible and vital way to share moments of hope and inspiration.
