The Benevolent Fund was established in 1936 and since then, the Fund has been helping Institution members, former members, and their dependants, encountering financial and personal difficulties as a result of circumstances such as unemployment, illness, accident or disability, family problems, difficulties during retirement and bereavement.
Richard Bowdler
How did you hear about the IStructE Benevolent Fund?
I originally heard about the IStructE Benevolent Fund from the IStructE, following an initial enquiry I made about how to maintain my Chartered status despite poor health making it difficult to keep up CPD commitments. The Institution’s CPD department put me in touch with the Benevolent Fund, who proactively contacted me and sent me an application form.
What encouraged you to reach out and seek support?
I was seeking support following a concussion, which left me unable to continue my work as a Structural Engineer. As designers our mind is our main tool however, following the concussion I was suffering protracted headaches and brain fog, which made design work virtually impossible. I've learnt that 80% of concussions resolve within 2 weeks of the event, but the remaining 20% leave persistent symptoms that last weeks, months or even years. Unfortunately, I've been in the 'years' category, so, despite exponential improvement, I carry a background headache, which hinders mental agility. Despite my employer being extremely supportive, after 6 months on sick leave, an attempted return to work proved too much, so I resigned and was left unemployed. The income from my wife's job alone was insufficient to cover our expenses, so we became in need of financial support.
How did the support from the Benevolent fund help at the time you needed it?
The support from the Benevolent Fund was holistic and empathetic. I felt listened to following an initial phone call with the vice-chair of the Benevolent Fund, who recommended a variety of potential avenues of support. Then, following a straightforward application process, the following month we were offered a very generous grant from the Benevolent Fund, which covered our financial gap.
How has support from the fund improved things for you/your family?
The grant from the fund kept us financially afloat for 12 months while I started to recover. It enabled me to take small steps back into employment, including a paper round and volunteering at my local library. With the financial pressure removed, I could take the required time to adjust to work. Eventually my former employer kindly offered me a zero-hours contract as a Structural Technician, initially just 12 hours a week, allowing me to slowly build up resilience in the workplace, and increase hours and take on more responsibility. Without the support of the Benevolent Fund, I doubt this sustainable return to work would've been possible.
Would you recommend the fund to other members of IStructE who may be in need?
We often think we're in control of our lives. But some events in life show that in reality we have very little control. In my experience, the Benevolent Fund was a critical safety-net at a time when life did not go as planned. I would encourage other members of the IStructE to reach out to the Benevolent Fund if they are in need. The help I received was prompt, empathetic, holistic and practical.
Was the application process easy?
The application process was detailed but straightforward. Total financial transparency was required from me.
How has this support improved things for you or your family?
Big picture the Benevolent Fund provided for me and my family at a time when I was unable to provide for them myself. It provided the time required for recovery and ultimately enabled me to get back into work as a Structural Engineer.
Would you encourage others to seek support?
We live in a culture that prizes strength and independence, often overlooking those who, through no fault of their own, have not the strength nor means to support themselves. One of my main takeaways from my (ongoing) 'health adventure' has been that community is key to recovery. For me that was family and church, as well as the IStructE. I found the Benevolent Fund to be a key component of the community that supported me through this difficult and unforeseen situation. If any other IStructE member finds themselves in a similar position, I would strongly encourage them to reach out to their Structural community in the form of the Benevolent Fund for practical and effective assistance.
We offer a range of support to help those affected by issues like illness, accident, disability, unemployment and bereavement and the range of support available can include one-off grants to deal with an emergency or to pay for a specific item; regular payments to meet continuing needs; a loan for a specific purpose; referral to organisations offering specialist assistance and more.
Help is available to current or former members or their dependents, wherever they are in the world and assistance is given according to each person’s needs, regardless of age, class of membership (or former membership), country of residence, and, importantly, there is no requirement for an applicant to have donated to the Benevolent Fund. Support is available to current and former members of the Institution, typically from Graduate membership onwards, and their dependants.
*For Graduates, after one year of initial Graduate membership.
If you’re in need don’t hesitate to get in touch.
We’ll quickly assess your application, arrange for a representative to contact you, and help where we can.
Contact the Benevolent Fund
To request support, please contact the Benevolent Fund team with your name and membership number.
We will carry out an initial eligibility check before requesting any detailed personal information.
If you are eligible, you will be provided with a secure application process and a Benevolent Fund representative will contact you to discuss your situation and how we may be able to help.
This approach ensures that we only request detailed personal information where necessary, in line with data minimisation principles.
In times of increasing demand, the Benevolent Fund relies on the generosity of members and supporters to continue its work. Donations of any size help us provide vital assistance to colleagues and their families facing difficult circumstances.
Many supporters choose to leave a gift to the Benevolent Fund in their will. This can be done when drafting or updating your will with your solicitor or legal adviser.
All contributions are used to provide direct support to those in need, ensuring the Fund can continue to support members and their families in the future.
To make a donation or contact the team, please get in touch.
If you’re a UK taxpayer, you can increase the value of your donation at no extra cost. Simply complete the form below and send it to [email protected], and your donation will be boosted by 25p for every £1 you give through Gift Aid—helping us provide even more support through the Fund.
Gift Aid form
Donate
The Benevolent Fund works in partnership with specialist organisations to provide holistic support to members and their families.
These partnerships enable access to expert advice and services beyond financial assistance.
Anxiety UK provides access to mental health support, including therapy and wellbeing assessments.
Chiumento offers professional coaching and support to help individuals navigate personal and career challenges.
Better With Money provides financial guidance and tools to support budgeting, debt management, and financial resilience.
If you contact us to request support from the Benevolent Fund, any personal information you provide will be handled in accordance with data protection legislation.
We will only collect the information necessary to assess your eligibility and provide support. Information is treated as strictly confidential and is only accessed by relevant staff, trustees, and, where appropriate, trusted support partners with your consent.
A full privacy notice will be provided before any sensitive or detailed personal information is collected.