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Award-winning charity · Greater Manchester

Beating cancer,
together.

Family Unit Trust strengthens families, raises cancer awareness and tackles health inequalities - so that no family faces cancer, hardship or crisis alone.

Award-winningFounded 2017Greater Manchester

Recognised & awarded

Award-winning impact.

Honours from local councils to His Majesty The King — humbling milestones along the way.

Royal honour

2023

King's Coronation Champions Award

Awarded for outstanding voluntary service to communities affected by cancer.

  • 2025

    Global Champions Award

  • 2025

    CAHN Leadership Award

  • Charity of the Year

  • 2023

    Outstanding Social Behaviour Award

Est. 2017 · Manchester

By the numbers

  • 2017

    founded in Manchester

  • 100s

    of families supported

  • 7+

    awards & nominations

  • 11-18

    youth in Brave Spaces

Who we are

An award-winning community charity

Family Unit Trust is dedicated to strengthening families, improving wellbeing, tackling health inequalities and supporting people facing life's most challenging circumstances - across Greater Manchester and beyond.

We work especially closely with BME communities to improve awareness of cancer risk factors, encourage screening, and make sure every voice is heard.

Our mission

To strengthen families, empower communities, tackle health inequalities, and provide practical and emotional support to those who need it most.

Our vision

A future where every individual has access to support, every voice is heard, every concern is taken seriously, and no family is left behind.

A Family Unit Trust community session in full swing

Our founder's story

Born from lived experience

No family should ever feel alone, unsupported, dismissed, or unheard during their most difficult moments.

Margaret Faith Edet, Founder

Family Unit Trust was born from lived experience. In 2017, our founder noticed a strange white reflection in her eight-month-old daughter's eye. After early reassurance that nothing was wrong, the diagnosis came too late: Group E Retinoblastoma, an advanced childhood eye cancer. The only way to save her daughter's life was to remove the eye.

Years later, cancer struck the family again. Despite nearly a year of seeking answers, her mother's symptoms were repeatedly dismissed before a devastating diagnosis of Stage 4 Metastatic Endometrial Cancer - a journey that laid bare the health inequalities and barriers so many families face.

From that pain came a promise, and that promise became Family Unit Trust: to be a voice for the voiceless and a source of hope for families facing cancer, illness, hardship and bereavement.

What drives us

Five principles, one promise.

Our values aren't a poster on the wall - they shape every conversation, every workshop and every food parcel we hand out. They're how we keep our promise to the families who trust us.

Lived experience drives us.Every value comes from real families we've walked beside.

  1. 01

    Compassion

    We place people at the heart of everything we do.

  2. 02

    Inclusion

    Everyone deserves equal access to support, opportunities and services.

  3. 03

    Empowerment

    We help people build confidence, resilience and independence.

  4. 04

    Collaboration

    We work alongside partners and communities to achieve lasting change.

  5. 05

    Integrity

    We are committed to transparency, accountability and meaningful impact.

Flagship programme

Brave Spaces

Our flagship youth wellbeing programme creates safe, inclusive and empowering spaces where young people aged 11-18 build confidence, develop resilience and feel supported in their community.

  • Emotional health & wellbeing
  • Confidence & self-esteem
  • Mental health awareness
  • Youth voice & participation
Register your interest
The Brave Spaces youth cohort together at our centre

Why it matters

Tackling health inequalities

Cancer does not affect every community equally. Our work focuses on closing that gap.

Lower awareness

Lower cancer awareness and screening uptake in BME communities leads to more advanced disease and poorer survival.

Worse prognosis

Black patients are diagnosed with larger, higher-grade breast tumours, more likely to be node-positive.

Unmet information need

BME communities have unmet need for clear cancer information about risk factors, signs and services.

Know the signs

Seek help early - it saves lives

If something isn't normal for you, don't wait. Speak to your GP. Catching cancer early gives the best chance of successful treatment.

Trusted information

Need help right now?

Choose the option that matches your situation:

Life at Family Unit Trust

Real people, real moments

Margaret at the Royal Garden Party for Coronation Champions
Royal Garden Party · Coronation Champions
Children playing at Holiday Playscheme
Holiday Playscheme in the sunshine
The Brave Spaces youth cohort together at our centre
The Brave Spaces cohort
A wellbeing session at our weekly Coffee Morning
Coffee Morning wellbeing session
Margaret holding her King's Coronation Champions certificate
King's Coronation Champions Award
One-to-one support at Brave Spaces
One-to-one support
Families enjoying a playscheme day in the park
Community day in the park
The community lounge at our centre
Our community lounge

Join us

Get involved

Campaign, volunteer, fundraise or donate - there are many ways to make a difference.

Become a Champion

Volunteer your time to raise awareness and support families in your community.

Volunteer

Fundraise for us

Run, bake, walk or host an event - every penny helps us reach more people.

Start fundraising

Donate

Single or monthly gifts, made 25% bigger with Gift Aid, fund our programmes.

Donate now

Our supporters

Proudly supported by

We're grateful to the funders and partners who make our work possible.

  • Groundwork
  • National Lottery Community Fund
  • Cash for Kids
  • We Love MCR
  • Forever Manchester
  • Manchester City Council
  • MCRActive
  • Sport England
  • Arnold Clark Community Fund
  • People's Postcode Lottery

We'd love to hear from you

Get in touch

Whether you need support, want to volunteer, or have a question - we read every message and reply within two working days.

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Contact details

Other ways to reach us

Opening hours

  • Mon - Fri9am - 4pm
  • Saturday9am - 2pm

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