By Lesley Cooper, former Chair, ASCL Benevolent Fund

When I retired from headship in 2006, I had only vague ideas of what I might do next. So, when the opportunity to work for SHA - about to become ASCL- arose, I embarked on a second career as a Union Officer. Nine years later I retired again and had the good fortune to join the ASCL Benevolent Fund. Now that I am finally cutting my 19-year ties with ASCL and standing down from the role of Chair of the ASCL Benevolent Fund (ABF), I want to use this as an opportunity to write about the Benevolent Fund and its work. 

How does the fund work?
The ABF is run by a committee of 11 trustees and serviced by the Finance and Corporate Admin teams of ASCL. The committee is made up of four officers: the Chair, Vice Chair, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, and seven trustees of whom three are nominated by ASCL Council. One of these trustees is, by practice, a serving ASCL member support officer, currently the Director of Member Support, Mike Smith, and one is usually the Vice President from the Presidential Trio. 

ABF has an investment fund, managed by Harris Allday, who provide regular statements and an annual performance report. Currently we have about £1.5 million invested, income from which, together with the annual donation from ASCL of £1 per member, enabled us to provide grants totalling just over £76,000 in 2024. Recently we were delighted and surprised to receive a considerable donation as a bequest from a late member’s will, and there are a few regular donors from the days of “passing the hat round”!

Requests for support
Requests for support come in directly from a member or ex-member or from a Field Officer working with the member. The Chair and Honorary Secretary take the lead in the process. The first step is to allocate the applicant to one of the trustees who speaks to the person or a family member or ASCL officer and ascertains what is needed and the financial circumstances of the applicant. This trustee then acts as the link between the ABF and the applicant, building up a relationship which can last some years. 

Once there is sufficient information and depending on the amount required, one of three routes may be followed:

• Chair’s action for quick payment of sums under £1,000 
• full consultation by email with all trustees for amounts under £10,000 
• an online meeting of all trustees for amounts over £10,000 

Most applicants fall into the middle of those categories where the amount needed at the time is under £10,000 but further grants may then be made over a period which is when the relationship between the link trustee and the applicant is most important.

How we have helped members and their families
We help quite a few people suffering from stroke and its aftermath with more regular physiotherapy than the NHS can provide or with adaptations to their home such as a downstairs wet room and mobility aids. We are usually involved in assisting where the problem is immediate access to finance rather than absolute poverty. However, we have had applicants where savings have become depleted due to ill health of one or more family members and/or the where the main breadwinner has had to relinquish their leadership post due to caring duties for a child or partner. It came as a surprise to me how quickly this descent into actual, rather than relative poverty occurs and, in these situations, the ABF has proved to be a lifeline, both for financial assistance and the personal support offered by the named trustee.

We recently provided a lifeline to help Sian Lacey and her family deal with a series of sad and unfortunate events. You can read Sian’s story and how the ABF was able to provide support in this article in Leader. 

Your legacy, their future
Have you ever wondered about the impact you could leave behind? By remembering the ASCL Benevolent Fund in your will, you can ensure your kindness continues beyond your lifetime, supporting educational leaders in times of hardship. Whether it’s a specific amount or a portion of your estate, every legacy helps provide vital assistance when it’s needed most.

You don’t have to wait to make a difference, you can also support us with a one-off or regular donation today. Every contribution, big or small, helps us continue our vital work.

To learn more or donate, visit ASCL Benevolent Fund.