What is the Guild of Benevolence?
It is an organisation with the objective of granting assistance to persons from the marine community, and their dependents, who are in need.
What does it do?
The Guild provides assistance to persons who qualify under its rules by, for example:-
- Making regular grants to supplement a very low income. The current weekly grant should not affect either entitlement to state benefits or income tax liabilities.
- Helping with shortfalls in reasonable nursing home fees.
- Making single lump sum grants to assist in the purchase of items that are essential for the recipient’s wellbeing.
- Assisting with the cost of essential home repairs.
- Assisting with essential and reasonable funeral expenses in excess of any state contribution.
- Assisting the education of children of marine engineers through funding to the Royal Merchant Navy School Foundation.
- Assisting with costs of respite care.
- Assisting with debt relief.
Who qualifies for help?
- Past and present members of The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and
Technology (IMarEST) or of The Guild of Benevolence.
- Marine engineers who possess, or have possessed, Certificates of Competency or Certificates of Service issued by the relevant governmental department or agency, or equivalent qualifications.
- Past and present employees of the IMarEST or of the Guild.
- The wives, husbands, widows, widowers, dependent children or other dependent relatives of any person qualifying under any of the above categories.
The Committee has sole discretion to decide who are proper subjects for relief and whether or not they are covered by the above descriptions.
What to expect!
You will need to complete a form to confirm membership of the IMarEST or provide details of the sea service as a Marine Engineer of the person on whom eligibility is based. Supporting evidence of sea service (e.g. Discharge Book) helps speed up consideration of an application. You will also be asked to provide details of your financial status, including income & expenditure, any savings and other relevant information to enable the Guild Trustees to decide whether they can help. You should also expect to receive a home visit from a Guild representative who will assist you in completing the application form.
All information provided is treated in confidence and will not be passed on to others without your permission. If the Trustees find that you have a need with which the Guild cannot help you will be told and, if possible, advised of other organisations
that may be able to help.
Brief history of the Guild
The Guild originated from the Fund set up in 1912 by the Institute in co-operation with the Daily Chronicle to help families of the engineer officers of the RMS
TITANIC that sank on 15 April 1912, after striking an iceberg in mid-Atlantic. All 35 men from Chief Engineer to the Engineer’s Clerk, together with the ship’s designer and two engineers from Harland & Wolff lost their lives.
The ‘TITANIC’ Engineering Staff Memorial Benevolent Fund, administered by The Institute of Marine Engineers, was expanded in 1934 in response to bereavements and hardships resulting from the 1914-18 conflict and became The Institute of
Marine Engineers Guild of Benevolence. Since then the role of the Guild has further developed to assist more generally in the relief of hardship for marine engineers and
their dependents and in 2001 adopted its present name to coincide with that of the Institute.
In 1989 The Marine Engineers Benevolent Fund (MEBF) was incorporated
into the Guild. This was once a separate charity founded by the merger of three smaller charities, namely The Marine Engineers Association Benevolent Fund, the
King George’s Fund (War Fund) and the Inverclyde Bequest Fund. MEBF funds were exhausted in 2005. As a result the regular and one-off grants previously payable from the MEBF were transferred to the Guild during that year.
The Trustees
The Guild has twelve Trustees who form the Committee of Management, which manages the affairs of the Guild, and are elected by members of the Guild. The Trustees carry out the administrative work with the help of a secretarial assistant and
services provided by the IMarEST.
Where does the money come from?
The Guild receives donations from individual members and from branches of the Institute, in addition to donations made by companies. A regular income is also derived from the Guild’s investment portfolio. Occasionally the Guild is a beneficiary
of a legacy in remembrance of a loved-one.
Where do beneficiaries come from and how are they found?
Most of the people helped by the Guild live in the United Kingdom. However, as the IMarEST is an international organisation, an increasing number of Institute members resident overseas, or their dependents, have benefited from the Guild’s help.
The Guild of Benevolence is a constituent member of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) and frequently marine engineers and their dependents that are in need of help are referred to the Guild from other maritime bodies associated with the MNWB. Potential beneficiaries are also referred to the Guild by the Royal British Legion; The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – Forces Help (SSAFA Forces Help); Occupational Benevolent Funds Association; local social services departments and aid directories.
Recommendations are also received from IMarEST members who, in the course of their professional or social lives, become aware of hardship cases. The Guild also advertises its services via the IMarEST and directly through the medium of maritime
journals.
Guild membership
Membership of the Guild may be obtained by payment of an annual subscription, currently £12, or by being granted life membership for a one off payment of £120
How can I apply for help?
An application form for financial assistance
may be obtained from:
The Honorary Secretary
Guild of Benevolence of the IMarEST
80 Coleman Street
London EC2R 5BJ
Telephone: (+44) 020 7382 2600/2638
Fax: (+44) 020 7382 267
E-mail: guild@imarest.org
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