Our Charity’s AGM 2025
A big thank you to everyone who attended our Annual General Meeting last Friday 16 May.
Ben Fund Chairman, John Williams opened this year’s event by welcoming our Patron, the Chief Constable Craig Guildford QPM VR DL, and fellow members to Guardians House.
John started the proceedings by recapping on last year’s special anniversary celebrations. You can view our video here.
With the celebrations now over, we have been busy fulfilling our promise of providing the best level of support to members.
So far this year, we have pushed forward with improvements to our website and to our membership benefits;
- Our Death in Service Grant has increased to £4,000
- Membership subscription fees frozen for 13 years with significant improvements to our benefits
- Holiday home prices frozen for another year for both our seaside properties, Peel’s Retreat in Dorset and Court Cottage in Dartmouth.
- Enhanced treatment for members at St Michael’s Lodge, including Residential Physiotherapy, Wellbeing and Mental Health Support
We have provided much needed treatment and care to sick and injured officers and police staff and during last year
Chris and Sharon give thanks
alone, £38,280 was spent on providing specialist treatment and mental health support for members. A further £7,160 was given out, through our sickness voucher scheme, to members currently off work.
Additional improvements so far this year include:
- A change to our rules, making it possible for retired colleagues to re-join our charity and continue to benefit from our services, providing they meet a set-criteria.
- Re-introduced the weekend B&B offer for members at St Michael’s Lodge
- New features on our website make it easier for serving officers and police staff to notify us if they are nearing retirement so that we don’t lose them as members
- A new members testimony page now shares the special thanks we receive from some of those we help.
As well as improvements to our website we have branched out across the force to provide new posters about our benefits. The posters feature in 20 Wellbeing rooms across the West Midlands Police, with similar posters displayed around Lloyd House and Tally Ho! If you’re not already a member of the Benevolent Fund why not look out for our poster and scan the QR code to join!
From our Operation’s Committee, we said goodbye to Mick Braycotton who is leaving us to enjoy his retirement. Mick always put the needs of others first and was dedicated to supporting our wider police family when they needed it most.
We are grateful for his valuable contribution over the years and wish Mick all the very best in his retirement.
Over the course of last year we gave out, £335,563 to support our members.
Here are some of the grants given by the Charity from applications received.
- £4,071 granted to a retired member for a specialist mobility wheelchair
- £12,000 granted to a retired police officer member for a walk-in shower bathroom conversion following
Steve and Sam grateful for adaptations to their home
progressive Dementia and mobility illness
- £2019 granted to a serving staff member for rent and key money to move following domestic violence
- £5,440 granted to retired member for a stairlift following mobility issues caused by cancer
- £3,480 granted to purchase two funeral drapes for use by the Force and NARPO
- £225 granted to retired member for rise and fall chair whilst in financial hardship
- £106 granted to retired member suffering severe dementia for a specially designed dementia radio because ofhis love of music and calming effect it brings
- £16077 granted to a retired member for internal lift, driveway work and specialist ramps who within 3 years of retirement suffered MND onset which has progressed very quickly
“I am glad we have been able to show our support again this past year,” explained Chairman, John Williams.
“This would not be possible without the continue support of our members. We are steadily growing in numbers and are hoping to celebrate a new membership figure of 10,000 towards the end of the year!”
