Frank Payne, the CEO of the Bank Workers Charity, has been blogging! 

This month he tackles Christmas Stress, with tips on how to enjoy the holidays.

Click here to read his entries

Our project manager also has a blog and her new post can be read here

We’ve been working with BWC to produce a short film called Secret Millions. The title refers to the £1.5 million per year the BWC have to help banking people and their families who are in need. The film shows the stories of different people that have been helped either with cash grants or services delivered through BWC charity partners like Leonard Cheshire Disability.

Take a look at the short film: Secret Millions 

Julie Garner's oldest son, Oliver, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer approximately nine years ago. The nature of Oliver's treatment necessitated living in isolation for lengthy periods and during this time he developed a heightened sense of creativity and an interest in photography.

When introduced to LCD Oliver expressed an aspiration to go to university.  Julie was concerned about her son's ability to physically cope with university so LCD’s Distance Mentor Kim Dalton worked with Julie and Oliver to identify assistance and funding available to disabled students. A disability assessment at Middlesex University resulted in access to a significant support package. An additional £1350 in grant funding from other sources was also awarded. From September 2011 Oliver will take up Photography at Middlesex University with the right levels of support. 

George, Julie's youngest son who has dyslexia, also had Kim’s support to discuss suitable career paths.

LCD’s support has also facilitated Julie in securing a part time one year Teaching Assistant post at her local primary school. The income generated will ease the household budget.

With limited financial resources the Garner's were resigned to another year without the benefits of a family holiday but a BWC grant enabled the family to have a respite break in July 2011.

Julie says: "Thanks to LCD’s knowledge and expertise it has meant that both my sons have been able to make choices for their future education, taking into account both their situations. All the help and advice from LCD and BWC has made such a big difference to our lives."

23rd August 2011

"LCD were able to cut through bureaucracy and deliver results quickly. They are professionals who care; their hard work has helped to reduce the stress of being a carer".

Adrian Singh, Manchester

“My conversations with my LCD mentor gave me the ability to cope; I have become open to ideas and found I can deal with things better because we talk them through.”

Name withheld

"I would like to say thank you very much to the LCD project for all that they have done for the whole family. With my mentors knowledge and expertise it has meant that both my sons have been able to make choices for their future education, taking into account both their situations. All LCD’s help and advice has made such a big difference to our lives."

Julie Garner, carer of a disabled son.

 “Being part of this project made me more aware of my rights at work. I know what support I should have and who I can contact for help. My general well-being has definitely improved.” 

Mrs Cassey, County of Durham.

“Well, I thought I have nothing to lose by giving this a go. My advisor was very good at listening about what I had to say, we would discuss an issue then she would make a recommendation and take me through step by step what I needed to do next. She put me on the right track and now the debt agreement is set up I feel less stressed and in control. My conversations with my advisor gave me the ability to cope; I have become open to ideas and found I can deal with things better because we talk them through.”

Name withheld

Richard Evetts from Stansted in Essex works for Barclaycard at Canary Wharf in London. Richard and his wife Mel have three young children, their six year-old son Thomas has cerebral palsy, severe epilepsy, Global Development Delay and is blind.  Richard and Mel discovered they could get assistance from Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) which was funded by the Bank Workers Charity after finding out about the initiative from his employer.

The couple were introduced to LCD Distance Mentor Kim Dalton who speaks to Mel on a regular basis.  Thomas is stimulated by music and Richard and Mel wanted this incorporated in his education statement. Initially the request was rejected by the local authority during Tom’s last annual review.

Mel said: “Music is the one thing that gets through to Thomas like nothing else, it is his love. He likes Kathryn Jenkins, the Proclaimers and Mozart calms him down.  Up to the age of five we did not know he had the ability to communicate, but now with music he knows he has the opportunity to make choices and has only just started to do so.”

“A vast part of my day is spent chasing up things for Thomas, Kim has been able to give me sound advice that has saved the family time to make our lives simpler and easier.  Kim has been my back up she has helped to take the stress away.”  

Kim said: “Due to the unsuccessful attempts of the special educational needs coordinator in identifying a suitable music practitioner for Thomas. I contacted the Association of Professional Music Therapists and obtained a list of practising therapists. Although the number of individuals working in the family’s area was somewhat disappointing Mel has been able to work with the contacts we made so Thomas can continue to develop his communication.  The project specialises in providing 1 to 1 personalised, tailor made support with a holistic approach.”

Thanks to Kim, Richard and Mel have received assistance for Thomas with setting up a personalised payroll for his care under Direct Payments. Kim has also recommended an alternative speech and language therapist and she has also helped Richard and Mel speed up their decision to purchase a new Motability vehicle by suggesting they attend the Mobility Road Show at the East of England showground in Peterborough. This enabled the family to test several different models in one day and identify the one which met their collective needs.

Support is given to clients in a wide number of areas like employment, benefits, enterprise, finances, independent living, law, grant funding & statutory funding – Disabled Facilities Grants, health and wellbeing, housing, transport, mentoring, support groups, holiday, leisure, sport and disability specific information.

Jill Champion* works part-time for a bank in Nottingham but has a mental health condition that leaves her anxious and feeling unable to cope. Jill discovered she could get assistance from Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) after being referred by the Bank Workers Charity (BWC, formerly Bankers Benevolent Fund).

She found it difficult to deal with paying creditors and coping with work which left her morale and self confidence at rock bottom. Jill was introduced to LCD Distance Mentor Kim Dalton who helped identify and address these issues by speaking with her every two weeks. Kim helped Jill to address the debt by referring her to her local Citizens Advice Bureau where they implemented an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA) to repay her creditors.

She said: “Well, I thought I have nothing to lose by giving this a go, Kim was very good at listening about what I had to say, we would discuss an issue then she would make a recommendation and take me through step by step what I needed to do next.

“With the IVA, I didn’t know such a thing existed, Kim put me on the right track and now the agreement is set up I feel less stressed and in control. My conversations with Kim gave me the ability to cope; I have become open to ideas and found I can deal with things better because we talk them through.”

Kim said: “Jill’s IVA means the emotional burden of being pursued by her creditors is now a thing of the past. When you see people succeed and you’ve had input into that, it’s a good feeling. The LCD project specialises in providing one two one personalised tailor made support with a holistic approach.”

Thanks to Kim, Jill has received assistance with her tax credits, been referred to a Job Centre Plus Disability Employment Advisor who is looking at ways to overcome her existing work-related problems and consider other employment opportunities. With help from a BWC grant funding application Jill and her teenage son were able to take a self catering holiday in North Yorkshire.

* Real name withheld for privacy reasons.