In 2022 we launched a new three year strategic plan which embeds our entire community into the heart of what we do at Twins Trust. Two of our aims are:

  • That the support we offer is demonstrably meeting our community's diverse needs.
  • That the UK's twins, triplets and more, their families and the communities that support them are aware of Twins Trust and what we do.

 

We're passionate about our community, actively welcoming people wherever they are and whatever they bring. We strive to support and welcome the UK's twins, triplets and more, their families and the communities that support them, regardless of race, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, social class, religion and belief.

Simon Berney-Edwards
Chair
Simon is the Chief Executive Officer of the Expert Witness Institute and has ten years’ experience in leadership roles in Membership bodies. He joined the Board in 2018 as the trustee lead for Digital Transformation and became Chair in March 2023. He is father to twins achieved through surrogacy. Read his story here.

 

Our EDI vision
What do we mean by EDI and why is it important to us?

Equity is about providing relevant information and support, by understanding the needs of those we help. Our support is tailored to the individual and is not a 'one size fits all' package.

Diversity is about creating a group of people who are different but in the same place and with the same vision. At Twins Trust this vision is 'A world where all twins, triplets or more - and their families - feel supported and empowered, whatever they may face'. We are here for everyone.

Inclusion is about creating and maintaining a culture where people feel welcomed and valued for who they are as an individual or as a group, for example parents, carers and professionals. We know that our parents, grandparents, carers and professionals are from all walks of life, and so do we.

 

 

What do we want to achieve? 

We're the go-to charity for families and healthcare professionals dealing with twins, triplets and more. However, we're also aware that we're not yet reaching every parent, carer or professional working with multiples.

There are around 10,000 sets of multiples born across the UK each year. Working with other specialist organisations, we will welcome new followers to the Twins Trust community. Our aim is to reach all of these families.

We know that black women have poorer outcomes compared to white women during childbirth - we want to reach out to those women who are expecting twins, triplets or more to offer our antenatal checklist, early pregnancy course, information and peer support so that they know the importance of appointments and looking after themselves during pregnancy.

The number of same sex parents rose by 40% between 2015 and 2019. We want to provide a safe, nurturing peer support network for parents of multiples from LGBTQ+ community. Working with partner organisations, we want to provide multiples-specific resources and offer specialist support when required.

We want our online information, support and courses to be accessible to all. We will provide information and support to every twin, triplet or more and every family around them.

 

A pair of twins smile at the camera stood in a park

 

What have we done and what are our plans to achieve this? 
  • We established an EDI working group in 2023 made up of volunteers, staff and trustees to steer and implement our vision throughout everything that we do.
  • We're developing a comprehensive strategy to guide our work and ensure that every community's needs are met.
  • We're listening to staff, volunteers and our existing community to understand where Twins Trust can be a helpful source of information and support as well as to find out which communities we may not currently be reaching. You can contact us to discuss our EDI work by email.
  • We are continuously evaluating our services to ensure that we are providing what our communities need and in ways they can access them.
  • We're linking in and learning from different organisations, groups, families and individuals to learn about community and cultural differences in our society and how we can better tailor our information and support.
  • We are creating safe spaces for communities to receive and offer peer support with other twins, triplets and more and their families.
  • We are offering fully remote and hybrid roles to encourage candidates from all backgrounds and to offer more flexibility for potential and existing staff.