Planned Environment Therapy Trust

"A home for research and discussion about therapeutic communities"

The PETT Archive and Study Centre had humble beginnings in a bedroom adapted as archive store, office, and users room, with the single David Wills Collection.

Today, as part of the Barns Centre at Toddington, it houses over 200 archive collections, over 800 oral history recordings and maintains an extensive research library.  The Archive is administered by a dedicated team and since 2010 has included a full time archivist, administrator and oral historian.

Our collections come from a variety of individuals, institutions and organisations and ranging from single items to several hundred - all stored in environmentally controlled conditions in adapted and purpose-built archive storage, working and study facilities.  We welcome students and researchers in a varitety of disciplines and our on-site accommodation allows for residential visits.

In reflection of the history and philosophy of the Trust, we're also a very engaged archive: a hub for exchange and discussion, actively reaching out to, involving, and working with a range of individuals, organisations and communities concerned and involved with therapeutic environments.

From the outset, networking and building relationships has been vital and we've been adding to the preserved history and heritage through an active oral history programme.  As we enter a new phase in the Trust's history, we are committed to developing our range of workshops and events to further encourage, engage and expand our community links.

We have an online resource, which we're hoping to re-work and re-launch as part of our next phase of development in order to promote even further sharing of the resouces and learnings.   Our current online facility may be accessed at www.archive.pettrust.org.uk and gives a glimpse of the wide variety of material currently held at the archive.

If you'd like to arrange a visit to the Archive (individually or with a group) or enquire about any of our resources, please do get in touch.