Benevolence Define: Benevolent Funds

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Benevolent Funds

Benevolent charities that have their roots in helping the widows and orphans of Victorian professions and trades may seem like a thing of the past, but a new initiative aims to prove they still have a valuable role to play 100 years on.

Last week, 31 benevolent charities joined forces to raise awareness of what financial and other support they can offer people in need. They have set up a website (benevolencetoday.org) where users can type in their job, profession or trade and find out which of 200 benevolent funds and friendly societies can help them. The charities supported 26,000 people last year by, for example, making cash grants or helping with care needs, but they say many more people could benefit if they understood what a benevolent fund does.

"A lot of people aren't aware of benevolent funds, while others think they are not for them because they think they should have paid into a scheme, still be working or be a member or something,