Charities

The National Kidney Federation is unique because, although there are a large number of kidney charities, the NKF is the national kidney charity actually run by Kidney Patients for Kidney Patients. Most Renal units have a Kidney patient Association (KPA) specifically attached to that unit, however, in 1978 these independent charities realised that they needed a national organisation to fight their cause as renal provision was in dire difficulties, overstretched, and under resourced. If ever there was a case of post code provision, renal disease was it! Currently there are 69 KPAs and they come together as the controlling Council of the National Kidney Federation, the KPAs are both the ears and the eyes of the NKF and its controlling force. Patients are the Officers of the NKF, the Executive Committee of the NKF and the workforce of the NKF. Apart from six members of staff, all other personnel are either Kidney patients or carers of Kidney patients. Unlike other kidney charities, the NKF has only two roles campaigning for improvements to renal provision and treatment, and national patient support services.

The National Literacy Trust is an indepedent charity that transforms lives through literacy. One in six people in the UK struggle to read and write. The National Literacy Trust campaigns to improve understanding of the vital importance of literacy; conducts research and policy analysis; and delivers targeted on-the-ground projects.

The National Motor Museum Trust is a charitable organisation with an educational mission. Dedicated to preserving and promoting motoring history, it has a world famous collection of vehicles and large collections of motoring objects, images, documents and books, and it provides a Motoring Research Service for researchers.

This charity - * Documents and cares for textiles in public places * Has several libraries of books, magazines and patterns * Conserves textiles * Promotes and provides textile education * Is the home of 'The Country Wife', a nationally important textile mural made for the 1951 Festival of Britain * Has a gallery and tea shop open to the public Tuesday to Thursday and the first Saturday of the month 10am to 4pm. See the website for further details of exhibitions etc. Closed December and January.

The National Opera Studio is Britain's premier opera training organisation. The singers' course offers twelve singers tuition in dramatic, language and interpretative skills. The repetiteurs' course prepares three repetiteurs for careers as music staff of opera companies. Both the one-year courses enhance trainees' knowledge of the operatic repertoire.