Set up as a charity in 1977 as part of a campaign by a group of architects, architectural historians and journalists to save the early Georgian buildings of Spitalfields. The Trust is still based there today in one of these houses – No. 18 Folgate Street or ‘Dennis Severs’ House’, which it opens to the public.

The following points summarise how the Spitalfields Trust operates:

• The Trust saves and repairs buildings that are at risk of demolition or harm and that are not going to be tackled by other groups or individuals. The Trust is helped by its charitable status, which gives it the power to take on projects that are not necessarily commercial.
• The Trust is not afraid to repair and find new uses for buildings blighted by their location.
• By tackling buildings in overlooked neighbourhoods, the Trust has been very successful in creating new communities.
• The Trust is extremely un-bureaucratic: Two administrators look after a small but long-standing building team. Overheads are kept to the minimum, so as much money as possible is spent on the building projects.
• The Trust also plays an important role in campaigning for the historic environment in East London, working with local communities, amenity groups and Councils.