As good as it debts
In 2017-2018, our in-house charity, the Rowland Hill Fund (RHF) gave £500,000 to colleagues past and present.
The RHF aims to continue to make financial grants to those who need it, helping them with council tax arrears, medical expenses, disability aids, funeral expenses, household items and more - issues that can affect all of us at any point in our lives.
The Fund can only continue helping our people in this way with your fundraising support. Throughout this week’s RHF Fundraising Week, we’ll be bringing you stories of serving and former colleagues, who have benefitted after requesting help from the Fund.
Joanne Rutter has worked for the business as a postwoman at Lydney Delivery Office, since 2014. She lives with her 16-year-old daughter, Karis and approached the Fund for support, when she fell behind with her council tax and utility bill payments.
Joanne had fallen into arrears with her priority debts as she has been off work since 3 May 2019 due to Karis having recently being diagnosed with Lupus. The impact on her basic rate of pay as well as the additional costs of travelling to the hospital for Karis to receive medical treatment meant that she fell into arrears on her utilities and council tax.
After seeking help from the RHF, she received a £701 grant to pay the arrears.
How can you help?
If you would like to contribute to the Fund regularly through your pay or pension, please visit: www.givingonline.org.uk (colleagues) or www.charitycheckout.co.uk/207479/Donate (pensioners).
Anyone can get involved and support this week’s RHF Fundraising Week:
- Invite the Fund to come to your unit and present on the work of the charity at a WTLL
- Request a charity bucket from either shan.lawrence1@royalmail.com or mary.jeffery@royalmail.com
- Run a cake bake, office quiz, or take part in a sponsored sporting event
- Use the fundraising pack, leaflets and poster in your units.
If you think you or a colleague may need help, call the Rowland Hill Fund confidential helpline on 0345 600 4586 to start the process. If necessary, you can also call on a colleague’s behalf to help them take the first step.
The RHF helpline is available 8.30am – 17.00pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; and 9.00am – 17.00pm on Tuesday. If you call outside these hours please leave a message and one of their advisors will call you back.
You can also contact them directly at rowland.hill.fund@royalmail.com or follow the Fund on Facebook or Twitter.
