The Edinburgh Home for Babies was founded in Edinburgh in 1918 to care for vulnerable babies, deprived of a stable home life. In 1922 the School of Mothercraft was added. This offered practical training to nursery nurse students and more importantly, invaluable experience in parenting skills to prospective mothers. With the closure of the residential home in 1979, it was the desire of all involved with The EHBSM that its ideals should be continued by setting up the Avenel Trust fund.

The Avenel Trust is a charitable organisation, run by its members and more closely by a group of Trustees. The Trustees hold regular meetings throughout the year to consider the awarding of grants for children.