Enquiries to BEN surge 81%

Enquiries to BEN, the charity dedicated to people within the automotive industry and their families, rose by a staggering 81% during 2015/6.

Its annual report found that more than 2,700 individuals sought held during the year, with 79% of enquiries from those of working age and 75% from men. The information also identified a north/south divide, with far more cases coming from the Midlands and the north of the country.

The overriding concern was financial, with 44% of cases focusing on money worries, while 33% of cases concerned challenges with physical well-being.

Meanwhile, the report also underlined the success of BEN’s various Care Centres across the UK, which reported 92% average occupancy over the year, with a focus on the provision of Dementia care.

David Main, CEO at BEN, said, ‘This information is extremely valuable, both to BEN and to our supporters, helping them to stay informed about BEN’s work. The increase in the number of people we have supported not only highlights the real need for our services but allows us to understand the reasons why people reach out to us, helping us to accurately predict how we can support others in the future.’

BEN adopts a holistic approach to each case, ensuring that the root causes to a person’s challenges are addressed and not just the presenting issues. This helps ensure long-lasting and positive outcomes.

The report also examined the influence BEN’s supporters have made. It found there were more than 12,000 individual donors who supported BEN, contributing £600,000. Fundraising events raised a further £461,000 indicating an 11% increase on the previous year, while £1.63m came from donations by the vehicle manufacturers through new car registrations.

David added, ‘BEN wouldn’t be unable to help anyone without the vital funds we receive from our supporters in the automotive industry, our corporate sponsorships, and the individuals who set out to fundraise for us.’