A helping hand when the going gets tough

Written by Colin Gillman | 05 October 2011

Stephen Gilbert, chief executive of The Printing Charity, provides an overview of our industry’s principal charity and how we can encourage those who may be experiencing hardship to seek help through The Printing Charity.

Having been around since 1827 is testament to The Printing Charity’s longevity as the UK’s second-oldest occupational charity. Yet our ambitious target of increasing the number of people we help annually to 2,000 by 2017 can only be achieved by raising awareness of the charity’s existence amongst the very people we want to help.

We are not appealing for money. Instead, we are asking everyone to tell any current or former employees and colleagues, who may be experiencing hardship, about the charity.

So whom does the charity help? Whatever process to produce a printed output you are or have been involved in – print, publishing, making ink, operating presses, graphic arts through to recycling paper – this is your charity.

How can the charity help? We provide financial support and advice through our Helps, Homes, and Links services for people who work or have worked in printing, publishing, the graphic arts and allied trades for a minimum of five years, as well as their dependents.
Through our Helps, we give regular financial assistance (RFA) to those on very low incomes. Paid twice-yearly, there are no restrictions on how people spend the money.

Our one-off grants, usually up to a maximum of £500, are to improve the quality of people’s lives and can be used to pay for things like home adaptations, new cookers, washing machines, respite breaks, fuel bills, or motorised scooters.

We do not take a one-fits-all approach. That is why this year we have introduced two new grants. The first is help with travelling costs to visit sick relatives.

The second is in response to the impact of the recession on many in the industry and the realisation that some people will have to develop their skills to continue working in a rapidly changing industry. Others, though, will have to retrain for jobs outside the industry. These grants are usually up to £400 and can be used to pay for training and retraining courses both in and outside the industry, as well as associated costs.

We also help with care and residential home ‘top up’ fees, training costs for people with special needs and independent living help.

With BPIF and Unite the Union, we sponsor the annual Print Futures Awards. These awards of up to £1,500 each are open to people aged 16-30 years to help them train for a job and future career in printing and the graphic arts. This year awards were granted to nine young people and you can read about them at www.printfuturesawards.com

Under Homes, we own and run two sheltered housing schemes, Beaverbrook House in Bletchley and Southwood Court in Basildon for people who have retired from the industry.
Our Links is a signposting function to other charities like SSAFA, the Stationers’ Foundation, and the Money Advice Trust that runs the National Debt Helpline.

Case Study – Jean Cullen

When Jean Cullen’s husband, a printer, died 15 years ago, her husband’s union representative referred her to The Printing Charity.

“Widowed with six children, I don’t know how I would’ve managed without the charity,” she confides. “It has been fantastic and the financial assistance I receive has helped one of my sons to go to university. I’m so proud of him – he graduated with a 2.1 degree last year.

“Everyone I have ever spoken to at the charity has always been so helpful and polite. They’re always eager to help in any way they can. I want to tell everyone how wonderful the charity is. It’s a shame more people don’t know about it. I think it deserves a medal for its work helping people like me.”

The charity covers so many occupations within printing and publishing, helping people of all ages, so please tell everyone you know about The Printing Charity. It’s your charity!

To find out more, please call 01293 542 820, email info@theprintingcharity.org.uk or visit www.theprintingcharity.org.uk