Page 10 - Combined folders HRHQEII - BPW UK Members Oct. 19th visit - E-news September 2022

MEMBERS’ EMERGENCY FUND

As we head into autumn then winter with the ‘noise’ of price hikes in utilities ringing in our ears it
is timely to remind members that MEF is here to help our members in whatever way we can – be
that a Grant up to £1,000 or a Loan with agreeable terms for repayment. We wouldn’t want to see
any of our members unable to keep themselves warm; unable to cook at least one good meal a day
and have regular hot drinks or be able to keep in touch with friends and family online or by tele-
phone so please apply for a Grant if this will make life easier for you this winter.

All applications, using either the form in the newsletter or by requesting a hard copy then sending
on either to the Trustee in your Region or the Treasurer and/or Chairman, are dealt with confiden-
tially with only the minimal details being shared with all Trustees in order to make a decision – we
attempt to give a decision as soon as possible, usually within seven to ten days of receiving an ap-
plication. If you are uncertain as to whether or not you would qualify for a Grant and/or Loan then
please contact a member of the Trustees who can talk things through with you in the strictest con-
fidence.

Following the last two years where COVID was often the top item in the news there may be BPW
members evaluating their work/life balance and looking to retrain or take up another line of work
– if you are that member and you could benefit from some financial assistance to either undertake
a course or promote your business then please consider applying to MEF for a Grant or a Loan –
everything is always considered by the Trustees even if at times we may not meet all the help re-
quested – if you don’t apply you won’t know what is feasible and what is not although we have
rarely turned down an application.

In addition to assisting our own members we are looking to give Grants to small, local charities
whose aims and objectives are to work with women and children – you will have seen from the An-
nual Report for 2021 that we assisted seven Charities last year so we are open to assisting a similar
number in 2022. If you know of a charity local to you that could benefit from a small Grant then
please get in touch, preferably by email as this makes it easier to circulate to all Trustees, and
give us details of the organisation; how it supports women and children; what a Grant would be
used for and details of a contact person so that if the Grant is approved direct contact can be
made to seek bank details etc.

If you have any queries about the above, please feel free to email me at eirmunro@gmail.com and
I will get back to you as soon as convenient. I will be out of touch for a week early in September
but after that I should catch up with correspondence in a day or two of receiving same.
In friendship,

Isobel Munro

Chairman