Charity History
Our story began in 1961 with one little boy and a determined mother.
Charles and Kay Vranch
Vranch House was founded in 1961 thanks to a little boy with Cerebral Palsy called Alan Montgomery, and his mother, Kay Vranch, who was shocked by the lack of education and medical services in Devon for children like Alan.
The charity was founded in 1961 as the ‘Exeter and Torbay District Spastics Society’, and in 1962 it became the ‘Exeter and District Spastic Society’ (spastic is a medical term and at that time it had no negative association; the word was routinely used to mean cerebral palsy as it is a common symptom).
Initially the charity raised money for medical treatments, and then they employed physiotherapists who would visit children in their homes. Prior to building on the current site, the Society rented small premises in Countess Wear and then moved to our current Exeter site in 1968, when the school was opened as well as a purpose-built Therapy centre being included.
In 1970 the charity became known as the ‘Devon and Exeter Spastics Society’, and it retained this name until 2022 when we formally became ‘Vranch House Limited’.
Key Milestones
The charity is founded as the 'Exeter and Torbay District Spastics Society', raising money for medical treatments for local children.
The charity becomes the 'Exeter and District Spastic Society'. Physiotherapists are employed to visit children in their homes.
After renting small premises in Countess Wear, the Society moves to our current Exeter site. The school opens, alongside a purpose-built Therapy centre.
The charity becomes known as the 'Devon and Exeter Spastics Society'.
The charity formally becomes 'Vranch House Limited'.