Our Mission
“Provide Opportunity For All”
The Attlee Foundation was established in 1967 with support from across the political spectrum to benefit people disadvantaged by a lack of opportunity. The Foundation’s objective is to continue Clement Attlee’s vision by undertaking innovative projects and research to identify and overcome barriers to equality of opportunity
Clement Attlee’s vision for society was one where everybody had the right to live their lives to the fullest extent. Established in 1967, the Attlee Foundation brings together world-class thought leaders to address some of the most challenging social, employment, and health issues facing our society today, with the aim of making Attlee’s vision a reality.
As a young man, Attlee abandoned his career as a barrister to become a social worker in the East End of London – then one of the most deprived areas of the country. What he witnessed there took him away from his conventional middle-class upbringing and set him on the road to becoming one of the greatest social reformers our country has seen. Through his work initially in local government and then as a Member of Parliament and Prime Minister, Attlee sought to attack the root of social problems and so change the outcomes in people’s lives.
He believed that better access to opportunities for young people and others in disadvantaged communities would enable them to achieve their full potential. This is the vision to which the Attlee Foundation is committed.