AVSGF-UK: About Us

About Us

In the beginning

Asbestos victims' support groups in England started to spring up in the early 1990s, when the true scale of human suffering from asbestos-related diseases was at last accepted by the medical profession, industry, government, and health and safety regulators. Tragically, in the 1960s and 70s, at the height of asbestos manufacture and use, and when industry and government alike knew of the asbestos health hazard, only a few small organizations and campaigners were prepared to confront the powerful asbestos industry. Many of the current groups, owe their existence to the courageous and indefatigable work of those campaigners.

For some time, asbestos victims' support groups in the North of England met informally to discuss issues of common concern, and to take collective action to further the interests of asbestos victims. We believe that only by acting collectively can we represent asbestos victims effectively. It is for this reason that we have now formally set up the Asbestos Victims Support Groups' Forum (UK).

The Forum is open to all asbestos victims' support groups who agree to abide by the Forum’s constitution and Principles. The Principles set out the minimum standards we expect independent, not-for-profit asbestos victims support groups to meet. The constitution provides a simple, yet workable framework within which asbestos victims support groups can discuss issue of common concern.

Forum Principles

All groups should:

be properly constituted;
provide free, independent advice and information to victims;
offer ongoing support;
provide a telephone help line;
provide a list of solicitor firms experienced in asbestos litigation;
keep proper accounts;
have a complaints procedure.