Librarians and information professionals and their families are liable to suffer from the same difficulties and misfortunes as other groups of people. They may fall ill, become unemployed or be faced with unexpected bills which they are unable to pay.
CILIP is fortunate in having an active and caring Benevolent Fund which for many years has been able to help colleagues and their families who have fallen on hard times or have been faced with unexpected financial difficulties.
What help can the Fund give?
It can help with any unusual or unexpected expenses that may be causing anxiety and hardship. For example, urgent house repairs; the replacement of necessary household equipment; unexpectedly large heating bills which a retired member might find it impossible to cope with; bank overdrafts or other debts that have accumulated unavoidably on account of illness. These are, however, only limited examples from the very wide range of difficulties which the Fund has been able to help resolve.
The Fund's help is given in the form either of grants of money or interest-free loans. Repayment arrangements for loans are agreed individually with recipients to minimise difficulties for them.
The Fund, as a result of its considerable experience, has built up contacts with a wide range of charities and other bodies, and has been able to supplement the help it gives members by additional help from these other bodies.
What help is it not able to give?
The Fund cannot provide a regular pension or regularly supplement a member's income,neither can it make very substantial grants as to do so would soon drain its limited financial resources and dispose of its entire capital.
Neither can it help librarianship or information studies students with tuition fees ,accommodation or maintenance. However, CILIP has the Mitchell Memorial Fund that may be appropriate for such needs and it can also offer advice on other sources of assistance to students.
Who is eligible for this help?
The Fund is a registered charity and as such has a Trust Deed, approved by the Charity Commission, which gives the Trustees authority to assist members and former members of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and their dependants. This includes former members of The Library Association and the Institute of Information Scientists who may not have chosen to become members of CILIP.
Where does the money come from?
The Fund is a charity in its own right and as such is separate from CILIP, although its Trustees are appointed by CILIP Council. Its income derives principally from donations made by CILIP members, many of whom add a sum for this purpose to their annual membership subscription. The Trustees for their part also from time to time write to members seeking donations. If these donations are gift aided by members, the Fund is able to recover income tax on the sum donated from the Inland Revenue.
Members also make bequests to the Fund in their wills ,and this has in recent years become an increasingly important element of its income. A separate leaflet - A Will to Help - giving advice on how this may be done is available from the Secretary.
A large part of the Fund is invested and this brings in further income from dividends and interest.
How do I apply for help?
The Trustees meet on only three of four occasions during the year, but have made arrangements so that they can act immediately and urgently between meetings.
The usual procedure is for applicants to write to or telephone the Secretary, outlining their difficulties. An address and telephone number is given below. It is important to emphasise that the business of the Fund is conducted with strict confidentiality. With the agreement of the applicant, a visit is arranged to discuss the difficulty with him or her, and the way in which the Fund can best help resolve it. On the basis of this visit and the information derived from it, the Chairman , after consulting fellow Trustees, will take a decision, usually within a few days.
Requests for help should be sent to:
Eric Winter
Secretary
CILIP Benevolent Fund
7 Ridgmount Street,
London WC1E 7AE
Tel: 020 7255 0648
Email: eric.winter@cilip.org.uk
How can you as a CILIP member help?
The Trustees ask all members to help them in the work they do, first of course by contributing to the Fund. Without this help from members the Fund would be unable to operate. You may do this by adding a sum to your annual CILIP membership subscription, or by completing the attached form and sending it with your donation to the Fund Secretary.
But we also ask members to look out for colleagues who may need our help, and to encourage them to approach us. Not only older, retired members but many younger colleagues in financial difficulty could benefit a great deal from the Fund, yet may not think of applying to it.
If such members are encouraged to make their needs known, perhaps life can be made a little easier for them.
Even a small sum given as a grant can be disproportionately beneficial.
Click here to download a donation form.
Alternatively, you can make a Benevolent Fund donation using a special section of the Direct Debit Form.