Automotive industry charity Ben says the number of people seeking its support for mental health and money concerns has increased. It adds that demand will continue to grow as the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. The charity has created a ‘Coronavirus hub’ on its website, with specially developed online tips, advice, and tools for managing money, coping with stress, and facilitating home working now available.
The automotive industry charity Ben is extending its digital, telephone and face-to-face mental health services. Ben says the extension will offer “more choice for individuals seeking support with mental health and wellbeing issues including stress, anxiety and depression.” The expansion responds to its latest insights about the needs of automotive industry people. Mental health is the most common reason why people reach out to Ben for support, with 52 per cent contacting its helpline last year due to concerns with their mental health. Ben adds that its new services will help it to reach and support more people in the automotive industry.
Automotive benevolent fund, Ben, recently conducted a survey which found that automotive industry employers identified stress as a major issue affecting employees.
A total of 70 per cent of respondents to the employer survey said stress had most affected their employees’ health and wellbeing – particularly those in the manufacturing and retail sectors. This was also reflected in the latest employee survey, with 57 per cent saying they are stressed at work, 47 per cent are stressed at home and 35 per cent are stressed at work and home.
This year’s Ben Charity Cricket Match, sponsored by FPS Distribution, is taking place at Dorridge Cricket Club on Thursday 12 September 2019. The organisers states that it has been pleased with the initial response, but would welcome more participants.
Following the closure announcement relating to Honda’s Swindon plant as well as the closure and scaling back of production at a number of other automotive factories and their suppliers, Carol Keller, communications director at Ben – the charity and support service for the automotive sector – extended the charity’s offer of help to those affected:
Melksham Motor Spares, one of the South West’s largest independent motor factors, has announced the grand total of its 50th Anniversary fundraising campaign is £17,500. The company, established in Melksham in 1968, wanted to put fundraising at the heart of its 2018 anniversary celebrations to help mark its milestone birthday.
Hundreds of people from the automotive world gathered in London and helped raise £102,000 for Ben at its annual Christmas ball. The money was raised during the Ben Ball, which took place at Grosvenor House on Park Lane, goes towards helping Ben continue its vital work supporting people from the automotive industry who face some of life’s toughest challenges.
Hats on 4 Ben is taking place on 10 October 2018, World Mental Health Day. The automotive industry benevolent fund is asking all in the automotive industry to wear a hat to work on 10 October and donate £2 to Ben to help keep their life-changing work running. Ben states that this will help its campaign to transform mental health support across the industry.
The National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA) held its annual AGM on the 28 April in Lisbon, Portugal. A charity auction in aid of BEN – the automotive industry charity, took place following the AGM, raising £14,150.
Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket (UK) was proud to join fellow members of the automotive industry in raising money for the automotive charity, BEN – by wearing hats to work to promote awareness about the growing potential for mental health issues to affect industry colleagues both at work and at home.
The National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA) held its annual AGM on 20 May in Belfast. A charity auction in aid of automotive industry charity BEN took place following the AGM, raising a record-breaking £17,450.
Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has announced it will once again be hosting its Team Golf Challenge, which will take place on 5 July at Worsley Park, Nr Manchester, and 10 August at Forest of Arden in Meriden, Warwickshire in aid of automotive trade charity, BEN.
The IAAF raised more than £8500 for automotive charity BEN at its Annual Awards and Dinner Ceremony held at the ICC on 15 December.
Collecting more than £6000 on the night from guests and £2500 during IAAF’s support of BEN’s ‘Hats on for BEN’ campaign and IAAF golf days, IAAF is continuing on its mission to raise awareness of the worthy charity throughout the independent aftermarket.
Ben has releases its Q2 figures that show a 51 per cent increase in requests for help from last quarter, which includes calls to Ben’s helpline, emails and referrals from other organisations. The report highlights an increase from 466 enquiries during April to June to 909 enquiries during July to September. This latest quarterly update outlines the reasons why people have contacted Ben over the period and details that 84 per cent of people seeking Ben’s help are of working age and currently working in the automotive industry.
