Leonard Cheshire Disability was founded in 1948 by Royal Air Force officer Leonard Cheshire in the United Kingdom.  It remains a large charity that has formed a Global Alliance through which it runs development projects world wide.

 

The first Cheshire Home opened in the United Kingdom in 1948 and operated as a residential home for disabled war veterans.  By 1955 there were six Cheshire homes in Britain. The first overseas Cheshire Home was established in Mumbai, India, in 1956. By 1992 there were 270 homes in 49 countries.

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The worldwide Cheshire Homes run independently but remain affiliated to the Leonard Cheshire Global Alliance.

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Global Alliance members are united by a desire to change attitudes towards disability around the world, supporting each other through sharing skills and experience. Global Alliance members in each country are usually organized in National Councils at country level and in Regional Councils at regional level,these are all independent structures based on volunteerism