The Licensed Trade Charity Is Here To Care For People Like You
Over 1 million people work in the drinks industry and many more are retired from it. While the job is often invigorating and fun, there are downsides too. Long hours in a sometimes challenging environment, compounded by health problems, trauma or family breakdown can take their toll on even the most robust of us. We're here to help people in the trade, and retired from it, in times of need.
Every year the charity spends around £1 million helping people to get back on their feet again. We help all ages, from the children of working or retired people, to young adults and those who have long retired from the trade. In all our years of operation, we have listened to a vast range of problems and have done our utmost to help people get on with their lives.
Discount and Bursaries Available for our two Schools
The Licensed Trade Charity runs two, non-selective independent schools for girls and boys, from primary through to Sixth Form. As well as offering discounts to parents working in the licensed trade, the charity also helps many parents with bursaries through challenging times. The charity's Licensed Victuallers' School in Ascot also offers boarding, providing another caring environment for children when parents have to work long hours or move locations.
LTC Helps Family Secure A Safer Place To Live.
Sarah Collier has been working as a barperson for over 12 years both full and part-time. She lives with her two children, aged 12 and 8, in local authority accommodation.
Sarah suffers from depression for which she takes medication. Until recently she was struggling to manage her finances and had a number of debts including rent and Council Tax arrears. With the help of a housing support worker Sarah managed to address her financial situation and started making regular payments to reduce her debts.
However, she was still struggling to manage on her limited income. One of our regional visitors visited Mrs Collier and recommended that the LTC pay for her TV licence and purchase a washing machine which would help enormously with the care of her family.
The Welfare and Housing Committee agreed these recommendations and then, following another visit from our regional visitor, the committee agreed to fund a pay-as-you-go phone and pay for a new bed. In total Mrs Collier was awarded £760. The charity was then contacted by the West Country Housing Association on behalf of Sarah as she had been victimised by her neighbours. They were throwing eggs and stones at the house at all times of day and night causing enormous stress to the family.
The Housing Association wanted to help get her rehoused but she had rent arrears and the local authority would not consider anyone with arrears. Our regional visitor went to see Sarah again, this time she recommended that the committee consider clearing the rent arrears so the family could be rehoused. The committee agreed to award £387 to clear the arrears and got assurances from the housing association that the family would be rehoused.
"The LTC has been so wonderful to myself and my children, Thank you so much", said Sarah.
Safely Anchored To A New Home.
Mr Howard was a licensee for 5 years with Enterprise.
He was evicted form the pub earlier this year and was then homeless. He has accrued large debts, such as bank loans, credit cards, business rates and council tax which he could not meet. He was then declared bankrupt. The charity put his name forward to Anchor and he was housed very quickly. Following a visit from the regional visitor the Welfare and Housing Committee awarded him £300 for a new cooker.
"The Licensed Trade Charity were there when I needed them. So Friendly, so caring". "My life is now great", said Mr Howard.
LTC Brings Hope At Christmas
Mrs Trew has been a member of the charity since 1978. Her late husband was a pub licensee of two pubs in High Wycombe until his death from cancer. She lives in a warden controlled bungalow and is actively involved in the communities' activities (coffee mornings, bingo etc). She also enjoys gardening in her spare time. Mrs Trew has 5 children and her 20 grandchildren which she is very proud of and her bungalow is full of their photos. She has been one of the Licensed Trade Charity's regular beneficiaries since 1992 receiving a weekly allowance, a winter payment, a Christmas box and payment of her TV licence.
"When my husband died suddenly, it was such a great help that the charity paid for the funeral expenses and helped me have a comfortable life. As Bill died so close to Christmas, the gifts which I received were much appreciated, and took a great weight off my mind" said Mrs Trew.
LTC Enables Family To Take A Much Needed Break
Mrs Newman worked in the trade as an off-licence manager for eleven years. She lives with her 16 year old daughter, Stephanie who has Down's syndrome. Mrs Newman was divorced from her husband who then died in a house fire about 4 years ago. He had stayed very close to Stephanie and his death greatly affected her. She has been receiving conselling to help her come to terms with this loss. Until last year Mrs Newman and Stephanie received £380 from the Rowntree Family Fund to pay for a holiday. Unfortunately, once Stephanie had reached age 16, the funding was no longer available. Mrs Newman has not worked since Stephanie was born and they have had to manage on State Benefits, but she is hoping to retrain and get back to work.
Mrs Newman had arranged to go on a holiday with her family and had saved £300 for this purpose. However, her car needed urgent repairs and she had to use her savings to pay for the repairs to be done. The car is a neccesity as Stephanie attends college everyday and connot travel independently, so Mrs Newman has to drive her (100 miles per week). During the past few years Mrs Newman had got into financial difficulty which she is now addressing with the help of the Citizens Advice Bureau, but the repayment schedule leaves her with very little to live on. The Committee agreed to award a weekly allowance, a winter payment, a Christmas box payment and to pay their TV licence annually.
"The award given to me and my daughter allowed us to go on holiday this year, I am extremely grateful to the LTC for all their help", said Mrs Newman.
Help With Leaflets
The charity has written 5 leaflets to help with frequently asked questions from those working within the trade. The leaflets contain suggestions on how to help yourself if you should find yourself in any of these situations and recommends specialist organisations and charities that may provide further assistance. The 5 leaflets offer
- help with Housing problems
- help with Debt
- help with Relationship Breakdown
- help with Alcohol Related problems
- help with Planning for Retirement
- help with paying for care homes
You can read these on line or print them off, just click on click here