Automotive industry charity BEN seeks to raise tyre business profile
A walk around automotive industry charity BEN’s residential care centre facility – and former Victorian country house – Town Thorns in rural Warwickshire presents visitors with an inspiring vision of what the organisation has achieved since it was set up in 1905. The care home, alongside three others spanning the length of England and a day care centre in Coventry, provides shelter for the most vulnerable people with a connection to the British automotive industry, though BEN’s scope has an even greater remit, providing, in its own words, “practical, emotional or financial support” according to their needs. The charity also offers confidential welfare – including emotional in addition to financial support – providing care for the short-term as well as for the more long-term cases seen in the residential homes. BEN officers also receive back-up from “BEN Friends”, who usually keep in touch with beneficiaries. A recent survey suggests that one in ten people in the UK could be entitled to BEN support should the need arise, a number that could rise to one in three in the West Midlands.
In December 2010, BEN released its latest annual review, showing that it had managed to maintain its total income at £11.6 million, though fundraising had dropped from £5.3 million to £4.8 million. 88 per cent of total expenditure went on charitable activities – the care and welfare services offered by the charity – showing that, BEN says, “although charitable expenditure reduced in absolute terms following the review of staffing levels, it remained high… This underlines the commitment to maintaining the high standards of service delivery, whilst exercising strict financial controls.” Against this rather dry language of prudence, it is worth mentioning the numbers regarding tyre sector help dispensed by BEN: in the Tyre Manufacture and Import segment, the charity has 238 open cases, with over £208k spent on them so far, with 374 closed cases having received nearly £215k; in the Tyre Retailer segment, it has 82 open cases totalling nearly £78k expenditure to December, with 128 closed cases at nearly £76k.
Considering certain changes in Britain’s political philosophy after the 2010 election have thrown much government funded welfare into question, BEN could be seeing increased activity, encompassing in many ways the coalition’s idea of charity-led schemes replacing those formerly financed publically. Tyres & Accessories recently travelled to the British automotive industry’s traditional heartland between Birmingham and Coventry to meet with BEN’s regional development manager Jim Wright and press and communications executive Emily Bird, who were both keen to raise awareness in the tyre industry of the availability of care through the charity for people working in the sector.
Squeezed by the increased requirements and reduced funding generated by the economic downturn of 2008-9, BEN faces an interesting near future as it “attempts to create a sustainable income”, in the words of Wright. Though BEN was initiated (as the Cycle Traders Benevolent Fund) by advertising agent Arthur Wilson, whose clients included the Dunlop Rubber Company, Wright expresses a desire to rebuild the knowledge of BEN and its actions within the tyre business: “Over the years BEN has lost a bit of closeness with the tyre sector, though support was gained through manufacturers historically.” With a team of six – including Wright – looking to develop the charity across Britain, BEN is hoping to reverse this trend.
So how is BEN strategising to provide the “sustainable income” – a regular income aside from its special fundraising events – it needs to continue its successes in the current climate, where there is a squeeze at both ends (in an economic downturn, the requirements drift upwards, while available funds can diminish)? Wright cites a twenty year-old support agreement set up with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders as a model, in which a small donation on every car registered in the UK is made to BEN; this yielded 35p per vehicle when started, but now totals 65p – the product of inflation. BEN then suggests the dealer matches this figure.
Wright says BEN is now looking for ways to involve the tyre industry in this manner of support, though he acknowledges at least two major difficulties; it is less easy to secure support when management bases are outside the UK, as is the case with many tyre manufacturers, and the current cutthroat trading in tyres, smaller margins understandably leave little room for charitable donations. Wright says that the first way to achieve BEN’s objectives is to “secure the knowledge of what the charity does” within the tyre business. And one of the ways BEN exemplifies the work it does, is with the striking life stories that come from the people it helps (with beneficiaries’ permission, of course).
One example of the long-term care BEN can provide tyre industry workers is that of tyre fitter Dan Callum, his wife and car leasing call centre worker Fiona and their two sons. In 1998, Dan suffered a catastrophic heart attack, recovering against the odds, but unable to work again due to the damage sustained by much of his heart tissue. Fiona had to give up her job to become a full-time carer on a severely reduced income, which led to financial difficulties. Knowing about BEN, Fiona was able to get help from the charity with essentials, such as new beds for the boys and help with mobility – small gestures BEN says “made a huge difference to a struggling family”. Dan died in 2009, but BEN continues to provide support to the family, and even helped to give younger son Chris the chance to experience a track day with Ferrari at Silverstone. BEN’s ability to help in situations like these is testament to the automotive industry’s hardiness, allowing its workforce to retain its dignity and independence in the most difficult circumstances.
Related news:
Comments