The MAPS Benevolent Trust has made a grant of £10,000 to Asbestos Support Central England to help fund our on-going work. The Trust is very aware of the pressures being put on charities by the current cost of living crisis. The grant is intended to help us meet the increased cost of things like office rent, heat and light, and staff travel. Each year we receive about 230 new referrals. We visit most people in their homes, so these costs can be considerable and we are very grateful for this support.
How we will use the grant
Any money that is surplus to next year’s requirements will be used to expand our service. We are looking to introduce a new role of Follow-up Worker. The aim is to keep in touch with our service users more effectively after our initial support has come to an end.
Our main purpose is to help service users when they are first diagnosed. We do this by securing for them the benefits and compensation which they are entitled to receive from the government. We also signpost them to other services which can provide ongoing help and support.
However, people’s circumstances often change with time. This means that they could benefit from further advice and support. The Follow-up Worker would keep in touch with service users to see if there are further ways in which we can help them.
More about the MAPS Benevolent Trust and why the trustees are choosing to hep us
The MAPS Benevolent Trust receives its income from MAPS Medical, an organisation set up to provide medical expert witness evidence for legal claims for damages in personal injury, disease and clinical negligence cases. Experts provided by MAPS Medical often assist our service users in assembling their case for compensation. MAPS Medical donates its profits to the MAPS Benevolent Trust, so there is a pleasing synergy in the Trust working with us to help us give vital initial advice and support to our service users.
David Stothard, Managing Director at MAPS Medical said ‘Our work with expert doctors and lawyers brings us into regular contact with people who have developed an asbestos related disease. We see first-hand the devastating impact it can have on victims’ lives and for their families. We also see the tremendous work done to help those in need by specialist support groups like ASCE. We are delighted to be able to directly support the valuable work they do in providing this service across the region.’