Working with the SoR 

Alaine is a Diagnostic Radiographer working in research at Imperial College London, investigating heart muscle conditions. This involves working with a few different patient groups, including people with schizophrenia, with cardiomyopathy and with pulmonary hypertension. 

She got involved with the Benevolent Fund after seeing an advert for the charity.

She explained: “I just thought it was something I could do. I’ve had a lot out of radiography, far more than I could have imagined. 

“I thought the fund would be a good way to repay some of that. I have learned a lot from my fellow trustees, and it is very gratifying to see how impactful the grants we make have been.”

While the Benevolent Fund is mostly separate from the SoR, Alaine said that the Society has done an “awful lot” for the charity.

The fund makes use of some of the Society’s accounting resources, including its financial advisors to manage their investment portfolio, and secretarial duties. Alaine added that Richard Evans, CEO of the SoR, has been a source of a great deal of guidance in helping keep the fund operational.

The Benevolent Fund has also had a presence at various events held by the SoR – Alaine was in attendance at the 2024 Annual Delegates Conference, held in Leeds in April at the Queens Hotel, and she will also be in attendance at UKIO and the Radiography Awards.

Alaine and the six other trustees on the board of the Benevolent Fund are all volunteers from various walks of life and some of these trustees are not radiographers at all, but rather experts who bring different skill sets to the table.

This includes experience in financial management and risk or a background in the benefits system.

The trustee roles involve reviewing applications, ensuring the charity is acting within its own policies, while the other key responsibility is management of the fund itself.

“We don’t always agree [on applications]. Sometimes these decisions are not unanimous, and that’s fine,” Alaine said. “And we obviously all want to manage this money responsibly. There’s a lot of really interesting stuff I’ve been learning. I’d certainly had no experience before this.

“Financial management, reserves, investment policies, managing our portfolio – that’s the added bonus of it, for anyone interested in becoming a trustee. When I first called, I thought I would just review applications. But it’s been really good to have that board experience.”

Brigitte Faubert, another trustee with the Benevolent Fund, explained how her background in industry and business, particularly sales, marketing, membership engagement, lobbying and corporate social responsibility, had given her a lot of tools for helping the fund.

She said: “Throughout my career, I've found volunteering to be incredibly fulfilling, and serving as a trustee is a meaningful way to dedicate my time and skills to charitable causes. Trustees play a vital role in leading charities and shaping their operations. For me, it's an opportunity to contribute to causes I'm passionate about while also honing strategic and leadership abilities.

“Over my nine-year tenure with the fund, I've developed a deep appreciation for those who selflessly dedicate themselves and their expertise to serving and caring for others. Knowing that my contributions can help alleviate distress during medical or financial crises, especially among retirees or the ill, brings me immense satisfaction.”

For anyone who thinks they’re struggling 

To highlight the support of the Benevolent Fund, SoR members who have received help from the fund recently took part in a webinar in April 2021 to help promote its work. 

Andrew Sloan has been a Therapeutic Radiographer since 2011 at Lincoln County Hospital. He worked in radiotherapy for four years, before transferring to clinical trials. Now he works in oncology, on various cancer research trials the United Lincolnshire NHS Trust is running.

Andrew explained: “Several years ago my wife sustained a spinal injury, and it meant that she was paralyzed from the waist down. We had to make a lot of adaptations to our home, and one of those adaptations involved laying a new driveway, because it was in such poor condition that she wasn't able to propel herself up and down it in her wheelchair. 

“I’m ex-Royal Air Force, so I knew there was a benevolent fund with them – I approached the RAF benevolent fund for some financial support for the driveway. They suggested I also approach the SoR, which I did. I knew they had a benevolent fund, but I didn't know it was something I could tap into. I had read about it, but I thought it was only for members who had been on long-term sickness. 

“When we contacted the SoR, and described my circumstances, I was very surprised to learn that we were eligible for some support from the SoR, and they were very generous in awarding us a financial grant to improve our driveway, which was in combination with another grant from the RAF benevolent fund.

“I could not believe how simple it was to do, actually. It was just a couple of emails describing our circumstances, outlining it very basically, and they came back with a couple more questions to get some information. It was very simple, there were no lengthy forms to fill out or anything like that, it really couldn’t have been easier.

“Anybody who thinks they’re struggling a little bit like we were, just go and email the Society, and see if you’re eligible for some support. We were very lucky, and we're very thankful to the SoR for their support. I’m sure if we’re entitled, and we were very kindly given this grant, then other people will be as well.”

During the webinar Peter Beeston-Taylor, a radiographer who qualified in 2007 from the University of Lancaster, explained how the Benevolent Fund helped him following his diagnosis with multiple system atrophy (MSA), a disease similar to Parkinson's disease. Peter had been working at a private hospital, Ramsay Fulwood Hall Hospital in Preston.

Peter, who has since passed away, said: “I heard about the fund through a Society of Radiographers study day in the North West. There were various lectures and fundraising – raffles and things like that, raising money for the Benevolent Fund. Various colleagues I’d not seen for quite a while had heard about my unfortunate disease, and they had set up a JustGiving page, to raise money for a trike, to help me with a mode of transport.

“They said it was worth considering applying to the Benevolent Fund. One of the Council members from the North West, Tom, a clinical tutor at the local trust, spoke to me about it and suggested I apply for it as well.

“MSA, which is the disease that I’ve got, is similar to Parkinson’s. It meant that I was struggling to balance, and I used to be a keen cyclist – I used to ride my bike every day to the trust and to the hospital I now work at. I found I couldn’t balance very well on two wheels. In fact, I broke my collarbone, so I looked into the idea of having three wheels, but [trikes are] quite expensive.

“The Benevolent Fund has really helped me out with a contribution for that, so I could have a mode of transport. I no longer drive a car, and don’t have a licence. This is a way of keeping me mobile and enabling me to get to work okay without having to use public transport.

“I have used it on every shift, and I use it every day. It is my main mode of transport. It’s been life-changing, being able to use it and not having to rely on other people to take me places. I can just do it myself. I’m safe on it, and I’ve had no problems in traffic. 

“The Benevolent Fund application process was very straightforward. You just go online and click on a few boxes, and that was done fairly quickly,  it just took the course of an evening. There were a fair few documents you had to scan and send in, but I found it very easy and straightforward and I couldn’t believe how quickly they looked at the application and gave me the good news.

“You’ve got nothing to lose. It’s been life-changing. Without it, my life would have been very different. I would have had to give up work, so it’s helped me immensely. I haven’t had to give up the job I love.”