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Pact was established in 2001, as a result of the merger of the Bourne Trust and the Prisoners' Wives and Families Society (PWFS). Between them, the two organisations had 125 years' experience of working with prisoners and their families.

The Bourne Trust was founded in 1898 by two Catholic lawyers, and was originally known as the Catholic Prisoners Aid Society. The Prisoners' Wives and Families Society was set up in 1975 when a group of prisoners' wives who had been meeting to support each other decided to launch a self-help organisation.

The Bourne Trust started out as the Catholic Prisoners Aid Society. It was established in 1898 by two Catholic lawyers, and the original aim was to help Catholic prisoners - although in practice, help was offered to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

The idea for a merger of the Bourne Trust and PWFS was first floated in 1999. There was significant overlap in the services the two organisations were offering, and both groups had the same chairman, Robert Beech.

In 2001, the two organisations merged and became the Pact (Prison Advice and Care Trust). Today, Pact works at a number of prisons across England and Wales and more than 50,000 people use our services every year. We remain true to our Catholic roots - but we do not evangelise, and our services are open to anyone who needs them, regardless of their faith.

http://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/about-us/pact-history