Douglas Brown - our Founder
Douglas and one of his many awards
LIFE STORY - Douglas Brown MBE (1922-2013)
THE FOUNDER OF TEDDINGTON & HAMPTON WICK VOLUNTARY CARE GROUP.
In 1975, Douglas Brown was recovering from flu at home and reflected on how helpful his neighbours had been during his illness. He’d been unable to go out to get medicine or grocery shopping. So his neighbours ran those errands for him.
He realised how important that kindness and help had been, and how important it would be to others in the same predicament. A simple, yet vital, helping hand. So he set up a small group called “Help a Neighbour Harrowdene”, on the Teddington estate where he lived.
Within a year, the group grew and covered much of Teddington, and soon included Hampton Wick. It was renamed the Teddington & Hampton Wick Voluntary Care Group. Now, the group’s 30 volunteers help about 300 elderly and disabled people in the local community, running errands, shopping trips and regular outings.
In June 2025, the group celebrated its 50th anniversary. Click here to read Douglas Brown’s full story
