OUR HISTORY

Who we are

The James Tudor Foundation was established in 2004 following the sale of Bristol Contributory Welfare Association (BCWA) to Hospital Savings Association (HSA).

The Foundation was established in 2004 following the sale of Bristol Contributory Welfare Association (BCWA) to Hospital Savings Association. Our namesake was Honorary Secretary of The Bristol Medical Institutions Contributory Scheme from its inception in 1926. This organisation was established to help address the financial crisis faced by the Voluntary Hospitals through regular contributions from working people who in return, would have access to hospital treatment without charge. The scheme was extended in 1935 under the name of Bristol Contributory Scheme Welfare Association (later BCWA) with James Tudor as its chairman. His son-in-law Geoffrey Wren became Secretary in 1936 and he served 40 years until his retirement when he handed the baton to his elder son Martin. Under Martin Wren’s leadership the Association went from strength to strength, eventually becoming the UK’s fourth largest Provident Association. The proceeds of the sale of the Association in 2004, some £26m was transferred to a new charity, The James Tudor Foundation and Martin Wren became our first chairman, a position he held until his death in 2016.