When I was asked if I would consider doing a blog for the above Trust I must admit that, whilst I agreed, I had some apprehension, about it. Why? Well any who qualified as long ago as me –1971—had no comprehension of blogging. I believe it was not until about the mid 1990’s that blogging became an accepted means of communication. So, forgive me if what I am about to say does not meet the standards of the present day blogger but I hope the information I want to share has some meaning to those who will read it.
I have been involved as a Trustee with the Social Workers Benevolent Trust (SWBT) for some twelve years and have seen many changes as it has evolved into the organisation it is today. The fact that it has been prepared to adapt and evolve since its inception in 1971 on the initiative of BASW is, I believe, a testament to the continued willingness of Trustees to make the Trust, with all its necessary procedures and policies in order to meet its legal requirements, relevant as an organisation which remains faithful to its original purpose of helping Social Workers in times of need. It remains an independent charity to this day with its own Board of Trustees.
As you will see from our website at SWBT.org the Trust endeavours to help as many applicants, who hold a professional social work qualification, as we are able. The number of applications do vary at each bi-monthly meeting when applications are very carefully considered by the Trustees. The reasons why social workers need to apply to us are many and varied and some examples are quoted on our website.
In order to meet the request for grants ( and we are seeing an increase in requests—in July alone we received some 60 applications) Trustees have the responsibility to take account of our capital and reserves so we can continue to meet the need as best we are able as presented in the applications. Whilst we are very grateful to BASW members for their contribution to our work via the The Social Workers Benevolent Trust membership fee and to the Civil Servants Insurance Society for their generous donations we still need to be pro active in encouraging people to make donations if we are to continue as a viable charity dedicated to supporting and helping social workers with grants and it is with this that I appeal to you to give as generously as you are able so SWBT can continue with its work. None of us know when we may need help. The method of donating is well documented on our website under the ‘How to donate’ section.
Without financial support our work could not continue so my final plea is this:
‘Your SWBT needs you—please be as generous as you can so we can continue to help as many social workers as we can’.
Thank you.
Margaret Faulkner
Trustee