Posted 6th March 2013 | 2 Comments
Rail charity warning as contributions fall
A MAJOR railway charity is urging more rail staff to make a contribution to its work. The Railway Benefit Fund is currently in the red by £100,000 a year, and there is a warning that such an annual deficit cannot be managed indefinitely.
The charity was founded in 1858 as the Railway Benevolent Institution, and adopted its present title in 2006.
The RBF provides annuities as well as special grants to railway people in immediate distress or in need of equipment to overcome various forms of disability, but has been hit in recent years by the effects of the financial crisis and the depression of the markets.
RBF chairman Dominic Booth told Railnews that the present deficit must be abolished if the RBF is to survive in the longer-term.
He said: "Pride in our industry is second to none. We are a wealthy and successful industry, but we are struggling to get support for the RBF. We don't turn people away, who often think that they will never need us until they hit hard times.
"There are many reasons why people turn to us -- family breakup, bereavement, illness or simply an accident are just some of them -- but that' s why the RBF was formed. We know there's great and continuing demand for our help, but there are limits to how proactive we can be.
"Unless the situation improves, I give us another thirteen years or so at best."
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Hugh Gillies-Smith, Buxton
I seriously doubt whether the vast majority of people employed on the railway are aware of the RBF's existence. In BR days organisations like The Hospital Fund, Railway Bank, Staff Association etc. were brought to your attention from the start of your employment and there were plenty of notices displayed on railway premises. Deductions taken through paybill collection; extremeley convenient. Since and up to Privatisation they've either gone or there's no widespread mention and you really have a search to find any information.
Steve Alston, Crewe
If I remember right, their own 2011 annual reports state they had £3.2million in the bank in funds and trusts. When a charity runs short of funding, it should use some of those savings it has amassed.
To be fair to them RBF, compared to many other charities, they don't have many staff nor do they have executives claiming piles of remunerations.
Mind you, most of their executives are Tory politicians, and the charity wouldn't probably need to exist if they hadn't destroyed the UK in the eighties..