Low sector support forces Charity Employees Benevolent Fund to close1

Fundraising | Vibeka Mair | 30 Jul 2012

The Charity Employees Benevolent Fund has announced it is to close in September after failing to foster enough financial support from the charity sector.

Reacting to the news, president of the Charity Employees Benevolent Fund (CEBF), Sir Stuart Etherington, says he hopes a benefactor will come forward to save the organisation.

CEBF, which launched in 2009, has helped around 260 charity employees and their families. However, it has had difficulty in building support from the charity sector.

CEBF’s trustees say they are dismayed that, with some notable exceptions, charities have not yet acknowledged the need for a benevolent fund of last resort for the 650,000 people they employ; when almost all industries and professions have their own charities supported by employers and employees in the sector.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “CEBF’s beneficiaries include past and present employees of several large charities which have refused to support CEBF on the grounds that they look after their own staff.

“It has so far proved impossible to generate a sufficiently large and regular income stream from the charity sector to sustain the growing number of applications for assistance from the fund.”

The fund launched a survey last month to ascertain support levels for a charity sector benevolent fund. After four weeks it generated just 27 responses, although 91 per cent of these agreed there should be a fund.

CEBF’s charity supporters include the NSPCC, New Philanthropy Capital and Victim Support, which have pledged £1 or £3 per employee to the charity.

Private sector supporters have included charity law firm Bates, Wells & Braithwaite, and Prospectus which have given lump sums.

The organisation is due to close when all financial obligations are met. Any balance remaining will be distributed to a charity for the relief of poverty.

But, CEBF president Sir Stuart and the charity’s trustees are hopeful a philanthropic organisation may save the charity. Sir Stuart said: “I think the trustees have taken a very difficult decision,” he said. “It is a great pity this resource is no longer available for charity employees; I hope that some benefactor will come forward to assist the fund.”

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Maxine Verschoyle
3 Aug 2012

I would just like to say how deeply saddened i am to hear the news that the above charity organisation may have to close. I am even more saddened that Charities have not acknowledged the need for the benevolent fund and the sector feel that there is no need for this organisation to exist.

This organisation helped me when no-one else could or would, after being made redundant (from a charity that had to close due to funding cuts). They did not just help financially but also they genuinely cared and were at all times professional in their advice and guidance, they helped me regain my dignity and pride and contributed to helping me regain my confidence, as i am sure they have with many other people.

There is a great need for this organisation and I truly hope another organisation will step in and help them.

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