NEWS
Industry charity struggles to support record demand
Ben , the charity dedicated to supporting the people of the automotive industry , is making an urgent ‘ rallying cry ’ in a letter to industry leaders as it faces a 50 % increase in demand for services against a £ 1m income shortfall , following the cancellation of fundraising events including Ben Ball . Without additional funding , Ben may be forced to make difficult decisions about which cases to support .
Covid-19 is having an unprecedented impact on the health and wellbeing of the automotive workforce . More and more people are turning to Ben in financial hardship or are struggling to cope with mental health issues and other life challenges including bereavement .
In the open letter , Ben is asking companies to pledge to do three things : 1 . Be an advocate for Ben , ensuring the message of support is promoted widely within their business so everyone knows they are never alone
2 . Encourage colleagues to support Ben through
Payroll Giving , Ben ’ s Big Weekly Lottery and its fundraising products and events
3 . Dig even deeper as a business to help address the £ 1m shortfall .
Matt Wigginton , fundraising director at Ben , said ;
“ This is an urgent situation that we ’ re facing – our support teams are at breaking point , with more cases than ever before and we don ’ t see that changing . The issues people
Lynwood Court , Lynwood Village Rise Road , Ascot , Berkshire SL5 0FG
Tel 01344 298 100 Helpline 08081 311 333
www . ben . org . uk
Dear colleague ,
/ BenSupport4Auto @ BenSupport4Auto
Ben - Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund . Registered office : Lynwood Court , Lynwood Village , Rise Road , Ascot SL5 0FG . A charity registered in England and Wales ( no . 297877 ) and Scotland ( no . SC039842 ). A company limited by guarantee , registered in England and Wales ( no . 02163894 ). Registered with the Homes and Communities Agency ( no . LH 3766 ). are facing are more complex and more urgent than we have ever seen before . If we ’ re unable to fill this funding shortfall then we may not be able to support everyone who turns to us for help . That could have a life-changing impact on someone in your business .
“ The automotive industry is like a family ; we have to look after each other . People will remember what the leaders of our industry do in a time of crisis and I urge everyone
Our industry is facing challenges on a scale we have never seen . Covid-19 and the risk of a very hard Brexit are all weighing heavily across the sector , and these issues are deeply affecting our colleagues , too .
Perhaps unsurprisingly , we ’ ve seen a 50 % increase in the number of people turning to Ben for support compared to this time last year , many with mental health issues . Sadly , more people are at breaking point , feeling they have nowhere to turn .
For over 115 years , thanks to your generous donations and those from our industry , Ben has been there to provide that support . Together , we ’ ve helped our colleagues and their families to overcome significant challenges , and to find a way forward in an industry they love . Thank you for that support , it ’ s something we can be proud of .
But we are facing our own crisis . Our fundraising events have been cancelled . Our income is down , and we are facing a £ 1m shortfall . Yet more people than ever are relying on us to be there for them when they need us most . And that demand will only increase .
As hard as it will be , we may be forced to make decisions about the people we support , and those we do not . That is an impossible position for anyone to be in .
That is why we are asking you and other industry leaders to pledge to do just three things that will help Ben to improve the lives of even more automotive people and ensure no-one has to face life ’ s toughest challenges alone .
We desperately need you to :
1 . Be an advocate for Ben , ensuring our message of support is promoted widely within your business so that everyone knows they ’ re never alone
2 . Encourage colleagues to support us through Payroll Giving , Ben ’ s Big Weekly Lottery and our fundraising products and events
3 . Dig even deeper as a business to help us address that £ 1m shortfall
This is an urgent call for help . To talk about how you can show that support right now , please email our team at pledge @ ben . org . uk or call 01344 298135 . I hope the people of our industry can count on your support , they will certainly remember it .
Yours sincerely
Zara Ross Steve Nash Chief Executive Officer Chair of Trustees to consider how you can help ensure Ben is there for everyone , no matter what .
“ Amazingly , we have already received pledges for donations of more than £ 65,000 on the first day of this campaign . Every donation makes a huge difference to people ’ s lives and we ’ ll be celebrating each and every one publicly over the coming weeks . Thank you to those who have already pledged their support .”
If you wish to support you can email via pledge @ ben . org . uk or call 01344 298135 .
The letter from Ben ’ s chief executive , Zara Ross , and chair of the board , Steve Nash , outlines how the industry can help ensure noone faces life ’ s challenges alone . It is also being sent directly to industry leaders as an urgent plea for support , amd can be read in full on the Fuel Oil News website www . fueloilnews . co . uk
UKPIA response to end of combustion engine vehicles
In its aims to decarbonise transport the UK Government has announced plans for an end to sales of new conventional combustion engines from 2030 . UKPIA fully supports the decarbonisation of transport and will continue to work with its members to deliver that aim but believes that , as well as encouraging EV uptake in light vehicles , government should support the uptake of a range of technologies to reduce carbon emissions in light transport without a ban , but welcomes the acceptance that hybrids have an important role to play .
Stephen Marcos Jones , UKPIA director general , commented ;
“ The downstream oil sector recognises the need for action on climate change and will play an active role in the pathway to net-zero emissions .
“ UKPIA and our members know that a
10 Fuel Oil News | December 2020
range of technologies , including EVs , have a major role to play into the 2030s and beyond , and we will keep working with government to deliver this ambitious new target .”
To be ready for the end of the sale of new conventional combustion engines from 2030 , UKPIA believes that a holistic plan coupled with regulatory certainty is needed from the UK Government to enable the sector to meet this challenge . Stephen explained ; “ We also need to work with government to make sure that low carbon liquid fuels ( LCLFs ) continue to be developed . Harder to decarbonise sectors , like aviation , will rely on LCLFs , meaning we need to develop them now to ensure they are decarbonised for 2050 .” UKPIA will continue to work with government on creating a clear plan that ensures greenhouse gas emissions are reduced across all technologies in the most economically efficient way – taking a whole system-based approach with tailored policy interventions for difficult to decarbonise sectors such as aviation . Stephen concludes ; “ While internal combustion engines will still be in use for some time to come , it is important to deploy low carbon liquid fuels , like biofuels , into the fuel mix sooner as they offer significant carbon emissions reductions with today ’ s car fleet .”