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2022-03-31-accounts

EIC APPRENTICE SUPPORT

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 3

Contents

1. MESSAGE FROM THE CEO 5
2. MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN 6
3. 2021-2022 SNAPSHOT 8
3.1
Image with numbers		 9
4. STRATEGIC OVERVIEW 10
4.1
Our Mission
4.2 Our Vision
4.3 Our Values
4.4
Our strategic aims		 11
5. ACHIEVEMENTS DURING 2021-22 12
5.1
Implementing the CA Programme		 12
5.2
Development of an LMS system accessible to
every apprentice to undertake mental health training 14
6. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES & PROGRAMMES 26
6.1
Charitable Activities Summary		 27
6.2
Support Services		 28
6.2.1
Non-means tested:		 16
6.2.2
Means tested:		 17
7. DEMOGRAPHICS 29
8. HEALTH AND WELLBEING PRESENTATIONS TO THE INDUSTRY 32
8.1
Health Calendar		 35
8.2
Who We Helped In Numbers		 35
9. WORKPLACE PROGRAMMES 36
9.1.1-4 ASP, EFP, PSP & PPP 37
9.2
Case Studies		 38
10. FUNDRAISING AND PUBLICITY 42
10.1
EIC Wellbeing Champion Businesses		 42
10.2 PowerLottery 43
10.3 PowerBall 44
10.4 Challenge for a cause 46
10.5 INDUSTRY FUNDRAISING
10.5.1
Quarter 1		 47
10.5.2 Quarter 2 48
10.5.3 Quarter 3 49
1 0.5.4 Quarter 4 51
11. OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AWARENESS AND CAMPAIGNING 54
12. REGIONAL COMMITTEE FUNDRAISING EVENTS 60
13. OUR PR & MEDIA PARTNERS 64
14. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION 65
15. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT 66
15.1
The Role Of Council		 66
15.1.1
Council responsibilities		 66
15.12
Council Members and their statutory responsibilities		 66
15.1.3
Appointment to Council		 67
15.1.4
Council Members’ training		 67
15.2 Subgroups of Council 67
15.3 Management and Staff 69
15.4 Accommodation and Facilities 69
15.5 Volunteers 69
16. FUNDRAISING 71
16.1.1
Fundraising approach		 71
16.1.2
Fundraising standards		 71
16.1.3
Fundraising on our behalf		 71
16.1.4
Monitoring of fundraising activities and protecting
people in vulnerable circumstances 59
16.1.5
Complaints		 60
17. FUTURE PLANS 73
18. TRUSTEES’ FINANCIAL REVIEW 74
18.1
FINANCIAL POSITION		 74
18.1.1
Net Assets		 75
18.2 Investment Strategy 75
18.2.1
Investment objectives		 75
18.3 Risk 75
18.3.1
Attitude to risk		 75
18.3.2 Use of leverage 76
18.3.3 Currency 76
18.3.4 Liquidity Requirements 76
18.3.5 Time Horizon 76
18.4 Staff & trustees 76
18.5 Financial health 77
18.5.1
Principal funding sources		 77
18.5.2 Reserves Policy 77
18.5.3 Designated Funds 77
18.6 Auditors 77
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS
OF THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED 79
GROUP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 82
GROUP AND COMPANY BALANCE SHEET 83
GROUP CASHFLOW STATEMENT 84
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 85

EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 5

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1. Message from the CEO

What a year! Our first year in the era of ‘Living with COVID’, we bounced back with our first post-COVID event in the Midlands Region, with the Aston Woods Golf event. Every event faced new challenges in our new post-COVID/Brexit world, particularly regarding staff levels and the restarting of many of the venues with new staff. Our regional committee members stepped up to the challenges, going above and beyond to support at events. We all pulled up our sleeves and lent a hand where we could. The industry rallied behand us to come to every event and that really boosted fundraising at events.

A huge thank you to all of you have supported the Charity over the year. It is because of the industry we can continue to provide the critical support to those facing life changing circumstances. Together, as an Industry, we raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to support sector colleagues who have fallen on hard times. Personally, I would like to express my gratitude to all our supporters who helped to raise a record-breaking amount. After a difficult 19 months with limited fundraising and crowd numbers, it was incredible to see so many faces at our biggest fundraing event the powerBall and celebrate in true Parisian party fashion.

In 2021/22 there was a continued increase trend with mental health support and cooccurring disorders associated with addiction. 2021 saw a 217% rise in addiction cases, with powdered cocaine being the drug of choice. When you have both a substance abuse problem and a mental health issue such as depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety is never easy, and it’s even more difficult when you’re also struggling with mental health problems.

In co-occurring disorders, both the mental health issue and the drug or alcohol addiction have their own unique symptoms that may get in the way of your ability to function at work, maintain a stable home life, handle life’s difficulties, and relate to others. To make the situation more complicated, the co-occurring disorders also affect each other. When a mental health problem goes untreated, the substance abuse problem

usually gets worse. And when alcohol or drug abuse increases, mental health problems usually increase too.

Unfortunately, the industry isn’t disclosing this to the Charity when individuals seek support with their mental health, leading to longer treatment times and sometimes ineffective treatment plans. Understanding how addiction impacts our mental health and how we can stop the infinite link between the two, in 2022 the Charity highlighted co-occurring disorders with addiction and mental health. With the levels of addiction increasing so much in 2021/22 it is inevitable that support from the Charity will be needed to assist those living with addiction and a co-occurring disorder. By highlighting the link between addiction and mental health the Electrical Industries Charity want to ensure that sector colleagues are getting the support they need and that more importantly as an industry we are highlighting the dangerous relationship between addiction and our mental wellbeing.

Although we faced continued demand on mental health support, I’m proud to say that the numbers in crisis intervention went down. A sign that continued training on mental health awareness and spotting the early signs mental health deliration is key. It’s been my great honour to support our industry over the year and I look forward to introducing you to your new MD in February 2023.

Tessa Ogle, CEO

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 7

2. Message from the Chairman

Dear Electrical Industry Charity Supporters,

Well, the end of my term as President of the Electrical Industries Charity is now upon me, after three years in the position of President of our Charity, extended by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been an honour, privilege and pleasure to represent our Charity supporting all aspects of the electrical industry.

The position has certainly opened my eyes with respect to the different levels of difficulty some of our industry colleagues face, physical and mental health, finance and debt, homelessness, and bereavement to name but a few. I am tremendously proud of how the Charity handles every case on its own merits with empathy and professionalism.

This year we are dealing with a cost-of-living crisis, which will no doubt have a significant impact on the Charity and the work that they do. Although events are back in full swing, there’s no doubt that there has been a decline in attendance for some of the events as bank accounts are stretched. I’ve no doubt though that the Charity will be there to support all those in need and that industry friends will rally around together to keep supporting the Charity.

The last three years have been challenging for us all. powerBall 2019 was our last major event prior to the lockdown hitting the UK. The major fundraising activity of the Charity is social events, hence lockdown threatened the Charity. We prepared for the worse and took all actions we could to ensure we still had a future. However, the incredibly generous nature of the industry, supply chain, institutions, and associations from all areas meant that our ability to continue to look after those within our industry was met. Our results for 2019-2020,

2020-2021, and 2021-2022 have been pleasing and allow us to continue to meet our challenges.

This year saw our first Challenge for a Cause take some brave and adventurous participants to America as they cycled from the Grand Canyon, across the Nevada desert to the bright lights of Las Vegas! It was one of our hardest challenges to date, and the group raised a record-breaking amount of over £165,000. The support from the industry and for the challengers was incredible and will truly make a big impact across the sector.

The impact on the Charity over the COVID-19 period has not only been financial, with the changing face of the industry leading to fresh challenges. The new ways of working have brought new stresses to home life, such as not having a regular place of work, causing isolation and loneliness. Over the COVID-19 period, one in two cases we have dealt with has encompassed mental health issues, and tragically there were seven suicides by apprentices with a particularly disturbing trend among the younger generation.

We have not yet seen the full impact of COVID-19 on society, the fallout, and the issues it will bring.

The Charity remains strong and ready, and I am happy to confirm the results within this AGM review and show that we are in a good place and ready to meet future challenges; it is only with your continued help and support that this can be achieved.

We have continually strived to look at new methods of funding the Charity, and enhance our the stewardship of all our income streams.

The electrical industry associations and institutions that continue to support the Charity and all its fund-raising events, business or social Schneider Electric Limited for their support in allowing me to carry out the role

powerBall 2021 – This was an enormous success for us, and we really • want to do even better this year; we have a great night in store at our new venue the Old Billingsgate Market. This is our flagship event with • the theme this year being ‘The Secret Garden’. Please contact us for further information.

I now hand over to Jeremy Saunders and wish him all the very best in his term as President of the Electrical Industries Charity. I know he will do well and the Charity will enjoy continued success.

Training – One such route that is well underway is that of training in Mental Health. It is essential that we fully support all our people, and I would ask that you seek information from your organisation.

I now step down as President and will continue on the Board of Trustees. Please keep up your support of our unique Charity that looks after our electrical industry.

Commercial Partnerships – We have created an opportunity to enter partnerships with the Charity to donate to the funds aligned with the offers of the partner.

Thanks to you all for your support and help.

Regional Committees – We continue to rely on our volunteer regional fundraisers, and new ideas and events are welcomed for regions that have no coverage.

Onwards and upwards!

2021–2022 has been a further good year for the Charity, helping record numbers of electrical industry colleagues and their direct families. Please rest assured that we continue to invest, of every pound given to the Charity we give back £1.47.

I would like to go on record to thank the teams involved that make it all happen, including:

Stewart

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 9

3. 2021-2022 Snapshot

The summary financial information shows the income raised, the cost of fundraising and the amounts spent on our charitable activities. The information is taken from the full financial statements for 2021-22.

----- Start of picture text -----
2%
2%
5% 3%
16%
15%
26%
24%
12%
31%
16%
16%
25%
7%
Where money came from Income How we spent the money Expenditure
Donations & legacies £546,434 Direct financial assistance £305,936
Lottery proceeds £340,073 Support, helpline, advice & information £603,536
Regional committees events £528,977 Lottery prizes & administration £136,194
powerBall £511,348 Regional Committees events £302,026
Fundraising at HO £32,767 powerBall £239,241
Realised investment income £95,430 Other fundraising £297,312
Other fundraising £38,218 Governance and management £63,925
Total £2,093,248 Total £1,948,170
----- End of picture text -----

*In 2020/21 accounts, unrealised gains were excluded from the pie charts. For consistency, unrealised gains/losses are excluded from this set of accounts too.

£900,000 84 GIVEN BACK TO THE INDUSTRY VIRTUAL & FACE-TO-FACE WELLBEING PRESENTATIONS delivered on 17 topics £66,000

delivered on 17 topics to 5,324 people

of training delivered in Mental Health Awareness and First Aid

35,157 INTERVENTIONS 11% increase on previous year.

people reached through our services, business programmes, 1.3 training, and MILLION interventions.

For every £1 donated the Charity gives back £1.47 Mental health training sessions delivered to 27 companies , training over 7,500 people and generating revenues of just under £70,000

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 11

4. Strategic Overview

4.1 Our Mission

Our mission deserves nothing less than our best. We will strive to develop and guide the lives of the people we support and the industries we serve.

4.2 Our Vision

We will be the leading provider of preventative and high-impact solutions, genuinely meeting the wellbeing needs of the electrical and energy industries. This vision will serve the industry for the next 100 years.

4.3 Our Values

An industry charity for industry people, providing a hand up to those in need.

Solutions which transform the lives of the people and businesses we support for the longer term.

A charity that can truly say every £ invested goes back to our industry.

An industry charity sized to cater for growth in the sector by increasing the number of people that we support year-on-year.

A charity designed to support the industry with clear leadership and wellbeing programmes geared towards addressing industry issues. Trustworthy, truthful and honest about all our activities. Dependable and available now and in the future.

4.4 Our Strategic Aims

Community – We are 1.3M people

Supporting the workforce and businesses through wellbeing programmes

Approach

     - Working collaboratively with business and trade organisations to reach as many people as possible so they know where to turn in times of need.

  - as many people as possible so they know where to turn in times of need.

  - • Becoming the key provider of support services to people in our industries.

  - • Promoting mental health awareness across businesses in our sector.

Helping those in retirement

Tactics – Early Intervention – Health & Wellbeing

the industry.

Securing support for our work

  1. The introduction of virtual awareness training through digital media (having already made the step-change to utilise technology in the provision of assistance).

  2. Sustaining and growing financial and products support.

  4. provision of assistance). •

    1. Strong messages on commitment to outcomes with emphasis on • ‘Stories & Numbers’. •

  6. Assisting apprentices to stay in the industry • • Supporting their often-difficult transition from adolescent to young adult. •

  7. • Providing appropriate bursary support when they are caring for family members due to death, illness and incapacity. •

  8. Building a strong and vibrant regional fundraising network. Developing effective communications that engage our supporters and raise awareness.

  9. Developing volunteers across the regions we operate in. Securing commitment in annual training budgets from business to deliver mental health training.

  10. Drive Commercial Participation Agreements to support alternative income streams in the manufacturing and wholesale sectors.

  11. Secure models for funding with Associations such as an option for 10% of the membership fee to go to the Charity.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 13

5. Achievements During 2021-22

5.1 WELCOMING OUR BRAND-NEW COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT INITIATIVE

Undeniably 2020 was one of the toughest years in living memory for many of us. Our entire lives were turned upside down, the way we met changed, the way we socialise is completely different and for some of us our lives may remain a little different. Like all of us, the Charity was significantly impacted by the pandemic.

Among the biggest revenue streams for the Charity are industry events, and due to ongoing social distancing guidelines, the inability to host large-scale events and not being able to physically connect, the Charity lost £1.3 million in revenue. The impact of the pandemic has proved the need to re-focus and diversify revenue streams, so Charity services are future proofed.

To diversify revenue streams and move reliance away from events to fund EAP services to the industry, we have introduced Commercial Agreements (CA).

What is CA?

CA is a legally binding agreement between a corporation and the Electrical Industries Charity which gives a portion of the sales from a product or product range as a donation to the Charity to support sector colleagues. CA means all it takes is the sale of a switch, a cable, a battery or even a service to make a difference to our industry.

CA is not a new concept. Charities like Grocery Aid rely on CA with supermarkets to help fund their services to retail workers. You may have seen in catalogues or supermarkets that a percentage of products sold are donated to charities, certain cakes for MacMillan Cancer Support or T-shirts for Comic Relief; it is exactly the same for the Electrical Industries Charity

financial sustainably of your industry charity for future generations to come and most importantly promotion of the support services to customers who need it the most.

CA. You can select a product line or individual item where for every sale a pre-determined percentage is donated to support the Electrical Industries Charity.

What do EIC offer you in return for becoming a CA partner?

Why become a CA partner?

To keep our free and confidential services available to the industry we rely on organisations and individuals, such as yourselves to help the Advertising: Charity in many ways. With the demand for services growing tenfold it is likely now more than ever that an industry colleague, an employee, - An ‘in partnership’ Charity logo to be displayed with chosen products or a customer you know has had or needs support from the Charity. By - Your company logo will be displayed on screens at Charity events becoming a CA partner, you are ensuring the Charity can support more - You will be thanked in all event table brochures industry people in need when they are faced with challenging times. As - You will receive a targeted social media campaign where we will a Charity we know how vital your financial support will be, so to make promote your support through CA on all our platforms the process as simple as possible we have created model partnership - You will be featured as a CA partner in weekly Charity email agreements, standardised partnership marketing materials and have a campaigns CA partner team ready to assist you at any time. - You will receive an A4 spread in the Charity LiveWire magazine annually By becoming a CA partner, you are ensuring your organisation, no - You will be thanked quarterly in the Charity LiveWire magazine matter its size, consumer or product range, is fulfilling its corporate - You will be featured on the Charity website home page in a rolling social responsibility to nurture and better our sector and its entire banner. supply chain.

An ‘in partnership’ Charity logo to be displayed with chosen products Your company logo will be displayed on screens at Charity events You will be thanked in all event table brochures You will receive a targeted social media campaign where we will promote your support through CA on all our platforms You will be featured as a CA partner in weekly Charity email campaigns

You will be thanked quarterly in the Charity LiveWire magazine You will be featured on the Charity website home page in a rolling banner.

You also receive:

Through this partnership you are gaining additional Charity support services for your employees and their immediate family members should they need it. However, most importantly you are becoming an industry leader, you are showing the importance of giving back to our community and specifically our industry charity.

As a CA partner you get profile from the Charity, a true partnership that supports the full supply chain of the industry, a focused CSR initiative that encompasses your entire supply chain, the ability to change the

CA is a simple way to support our industry charity and colleagues while showing your clients you care for them and their environment.

Signed up to the CA programme in 2021/22:

EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 15

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CASES

LINK TO INDUSTRY ISSUES

TITLE

An example of how debt crisis can inversely affect mental health. 85% of all mental issues are linked into financial distress.

1. ALI My poor mental health landed me with debts I couldn’t pay, and it affected my mental health.”

5.2 DEVELOPMENT OF AN LMS SYSTEM ACCESSIBLE TO EVERY APPRENTICE TO UNDERTAKE MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING

health and wellbeing?

providers platforms in the UK.

For over 100 years the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) has recognised that providing individuals with access to the right support is the catalyst for creating better workplaces and industry communities. Our vision is to be the leading provider offering preventative and high-impact solutions, genuinely meeting the wellbeing needs of the electrical and energy industries.

Apprenticeships are premised on the basis that the apprentice lives at home, but often we see deterioration in their mental health when the apprentice is being relied on for financial support in the household when one of their parent’s falls ill. Often, they are providing a carers also. This leads to performance issues at work and further pressures and deterioration of their mental health. We see a lot of socioeconomic issues with our apprentices in particular benefits access changing when the apprentice turns 18 and they are asked to move out of the family home.

2. CORMAC “Being my mum’s main carer led to a deterioration in my mental health”

As well as working closely with the major training providers, we will also raise the awareness of the training with apprentices via targeted marketing campaigns. We will be launching a new platform and methods that are popular in this demographic, to ensure the widest reach.

3. CRAIG “I was made homeless by my drug addict mum”

This case touches on racism, exclusion and stereotypes and how this impacts, work, home and mental health.

4. DAKSHA “My colleague’s racism led to my mental health illness”

Powered cocaine use in our sector has taken over from marijuana as the number 1 drug of choice in the last few years. What we are seeing is increased cases of depression and addiction issues because of recreational use.

----- Start of picture text -----
5. DAVE “My recreational drug taking spiraled out of control” Powered cocaine use in our sector has taken over from marijuana as the number 1 drug of choice
in the last few years. What we are seeing is increased cases of depression and addiction issues
because of recreational use.
6. JOHN A “Hiding my sexuality damaged my mental health” In the last year 2 of the suicides touched on issues around sexuality and the process of coming out to work colleagues.
7. JOHN B “How a workplace sexual assault caused me to This touches on a person’s background story and why the reaction to what people say on site
might be deemed messing about for person and a trigger for another. The concept is about
take an overdose” spotting the signs.
8. KYLE “I struggled with my mental health for years but never ” We see this a lot the ‘suffer in silence out of fear of losing their apprenticeships and ultimately losing face’; stigma about mental ill health is an issue within our industry and by show that talking
asked for any help about it and asking for help can positively change your circumstances.
MIKE “When two of my friends completed suicide, I tried to manage my own grief” What we see through-out the industry and startling numbers around the high suicide rates. Why we need to talk about it and how to access support.
NEIL “The constant and often inappropriate banter It’s often the case that the person on the receiving end of this ‘banter’ feels like they can’t speak out about it because it may seem like they can’t take a joke. Nobody wants to be seen as the
at my work made my depression worse” person at work who can’t take a joke. The case looks at what the impact to someone who is
already struggling with their mental health.
SAM / PETE “My boyfriend took his own life and we don’t know why” This look at me mental health struggles when you are left behind. It reenforces the importance of reaching out early.
SCOTT “How workplace bullying damaged my mental health” This looks at site culture of banter and how apprentices are often forgotten about how old they are. Some as young as 15 coming into the industry and exposure to banter and bulling on job sites.
SIAN “My undiagnosed dyslexia resulted in a deterioration Undiagnosed learning difficulties can have a significant impact on mental health and confidence.
of my mental health”
TOM “Being bullied at school left me with an undiagnosed When young apprentices are coming into the workforce often issues from childhood tend to come up in unexpected ways, this is about early intervention and spotting the signs of common teams
mental health illness” that come up for apprentices.
TYRONE “How I Nearly Took My Own Life” This looks at the pressures of a relationship, financial struggles and how it can all build up leading to crisis.
----- End of picture text -----

Learning takes place through a mix of

presentations, animations, and real-life case studies of apprentice stories.

The format and case studies are real life examples of what has happened to apprentices and makes learning interactive which is different to any of the awareness training available on the market. The training modules have been designed to be 15, 10-minute sessions that an apprentice can do on a smart phone. It was important to deliver this training in a way that is relevant to apprentices, and this demographic prefer to consume material virtually via smart phones.

The pandemic has triggered and exacerbated mental ill health within our industry, particularly among apprentices who experienced significant hardship. Tragically, we lost 13 apprentices to suicide during the lockdown. There has been an upward trend of mental ill health across the industry this past year, and with the help of our industry supporters we have set out to deliver mental health and stress awareness training to apprentices.

The 15 case studies are real life stories of apprentices in our industry, and they cover a range of issues that affect apprentices and have been specially selected based on the experience of both EIC and JTL.

It is designed to give an understanding of:

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 17

1. ALI

My poor mental health landed me with debts I couldn’t pay, and it affected my mental health

Ali’s 19, he’s been an apprentice for two years and loves the mix between going to work and college. Before he started his apprenticeship, he had some health problems that made it less straightforward to get and keep his apprenticeship. Ali tells us about his rare heart condition, where only half of his heart works properly. Ali had an operation to help increase his heart’s capacity, but this meant he had to take a lot of time off work. After his operation, he was taken on a medical trial where he was analysed for a number of different heart defects. Ali was given some new medication which has really helped him, although he tells us that his family doesn’t have much money and that he has had to cover some of his travel expenses. His issues with money worsened after he turned 18.

Ali’s mum had poor health and was on benefits, and if Ali had continued to stay with her, she would have lost her entitlement to some of those benefits. Ali and his friends found a place to live and moved in together; he could just about cover his bills and still had a little bit left to go out with. Things started to get trickier for Ali when the doctors on his medical trial wanted to see him more often, which meant paying to travel down to London three times a month. Ali was struggling to pay his rent, and he took out a payday loan. He tried to take on extra hours at work, but his heart condition caused him to feel tired more easily, which prevented him for taking on the extra hours. Ali started to get into debt, which affected his mental health. His sleep was interrupted and his thoughts were consumed with his financial problems.

Ali’s work has always been very supportive of his

heart condition and the effects it has had on him. When he talked to them about the trouble he’d gotten into with his payday loan, they directed him towards the EIC, who they knew could help with problems such as Ali’s. Ali tells us that ringing the EIC was the best thing he could’ve done. He was given his own caseworker, and he shared all the details of his situation with them. He explained that he was struggling to find the money to travel to London for his medical appointments, and he discussed the effects that his financial difficulties were having on his mental health, which in turn damaged his physical health.

Ali was provided with a therapist who supported him and worked with him to develop coping strategies to manage his stress. He was now able to better control his anxiety about his money problems and was able to get a better night’s sleep. Since Ali was less stressed about money and his sleep had improved along with his overall anxiety, meaning his blood pressure went down and he didn’t have to worry about his heart condition as much, everything was coming together. Ali hadn’t originally known that he could get financial support until he contacted the EIC, but they provided Ali with a grant, relieving the pressure that had built up from his financial situation.

The EIC provided Ali with the money to pay one month’s rent, which allowed Ali to get his money in order. They also suggested he contact StepChange to help set himself up with a repayment plan while also receiving financial guidance. Ali also received some suggestions on how he could get help with covering his medical travel costs. This meant he didn’t have to worry about having to stop his treatment. He tells us that he’s feeling much better about things now; his anxiety is down and his health is on the up. Ali’s continued with his therapy sessions, which have helped him to feel better about himself. Ali’s advice to anyone who is struggling with ill health, debts or work would be to speak to someone about it. He tells us how grateful he is to have the EIC as a safety net in the industry.

2. CORMAC

Being my mum’s main carer led to a deterioration in my mental health

Cormac’s lived in Northern Ireland his

whole life. He loves it there and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. He lives with his mum, Fiona, who has breast cancer. Cormac describes his mum as a proper warrior. Fiona has had operations and chemo to try and treat the cancer, but she became so poorly that she could no longer work and Cormac became her main caretaker. Cormac was not only looking after his mum, but he was also the only breadwinner, which was a struggle as he was on an apprentice wage.

Cormac was 21 at the time that he became his mum’s main caregiver and provider. His apprenticeship was going well and was really important to him, but he needed new equipment, so he decided to get another job. The money was great, it helped him to pay the rent, the food shop, and to buy his new equipment, but doing two jobs was too much, and he started to make mistakes at work that affected his performance. Cormac was always tired and constantly worried about his apprenticeship and his mother’s health. He became stuck in a cycle of not getting enough sleep, working too much, and worrying about his mum. Some days he felt so lost and helpless that he struggled to get out of bed, hoping everything would go away.

Cormac knew he was at a point where he needed help. He stopped his second job so he was able to focus on his apprenticeship, and he also actively started looking for help with his personal struggles. But it was Cormac’s mum that found out about the Electrical Industries Charity. Fiona told him about the Charity and how they could help with bursaries for people who were struggling to make enough money to support themselves. He filled out a really easy form and tells us that the bursary programme is designed to make sure young apprentices get the support they need, as they want to keep people like him in the industry.

Cormac also had counselling sessions. They

really helped him at a time when his mental health was low and he was struggling with feeling burnt out. He was given advice on the benefits he and his mum could access, to help ease the financial pressure. During his therapy sessions, Cormac picked up some great coping strategies to help out with his anxieties surrounding his mum’s health and opened up about how difficult he had found looking after her. This helped him to manage his emotions and reduce his stress levels.

Now, Cormac’s really enjoying his apprenticeship and wants to complete it. He knows how much it’ll help to secure a better future for himself and his mum. He also knows that you can’t always do everything yourself, and the EIC has been a vital form of support for him when he needed it most. Cormac says he’s learned that you should never be afraid to ask for help.

3. CRAIG

I was made homeless by my drug addict mum

Craig’s an apprentice electrician. He’s currently on a big project, wiring new builds with his team. He’s about to go into the third year of his apprenticeship, but his second year hasn’t been great for him. He tells us that usually when he tells this story, people don’t tend to believe him.

behalf, and straight away Craig was booked into a B&B. He now had a safe place to eat, wash and sleep.

Craig knew his stay at the B&B wasn’t permanent, but at least he no longer had to sleep in the shed in his garden. The EIC helped him to find somewhere permanent, and he now lives in a flat of his own. The EIC helped him to apply for the relevant benefits to cover some of his rent and assisted with some bits of furniture too. While things were looking up for him, Craig says that things got so bad with his mum’s addiction that his father had to come back to take care of his younger brother and sister. He thinks that they would’ve ended up in care otherwise.

Craig grew up in the highlands of Scotland with his mum, dad, little brother and sister. When he was 14, his parents got divorced. Craig tells us that he didn’t see much of his dad after this. His mother started to abuse drugs. It got worse over a period of time, so Craig had to take on the role of his parents and look after his little brother and sister. Craig’s mum was still in the picture, but he couldn’t rely on her and she had her own problems that Craig had to navigate around, all while looking after his younger siblings. His mum was now asking him to pay rent, but Craig knew she wasn’t going to use the money to pay the bills; it would go on drugs.

Craig was able to carry on with his apprenticeship, which is massively important to him as it provides him with financial security. He knows that after he completes his apprenticeship he’ll be able to apply for a well-paid job.

At this point, Craig was bottling details about his home life away. He was juggling work, looking after his siblings, and studying. Although he never missed a day at work, people had started to notice that something was off with him. At this point things at home had started to get worse. After he gave his mother his wages, she would often lock him out of the house. Craig started sleeping in the garden and had to go down to the local swimming pool to try and keep clean, but he was struggling to keep himself and his clothes tidy. One of Craig’s college lecturers noticed something was wrong and contacted his work, which led to his boss sitting him down and asking if everything was ok. Craig opened up about his struggles. Craig’s HR department contacted the Electrical Industries Charity on his

Craig says that juggling work, studying, and looking after his younger siblings left him with little time to think about how damaging and stressful his experience has been, especially his relationship with his mum, who Craig felt had completely rejected him at this point. The Charity arranged for him to speak to a therapist, to work through his trauma, and to rationalize his thoughts surrounding his mum and how she treated him. Craig has big plans for his future; he wants to buy a house similar to the ones he’s working in with his team, and he plans to have a family and to see his brother and sister more often. He knows he has a brighter future ahead of him.

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4. DAKSHA

My colleague’s racism led to my mental health illness

Daksha’s 20 years old and is a second-year apprentice working in financial controls for a lighting wholesaler. Daksha tells us about her work colleagues: she was close to two in particular, but she was a part of a larger group of about six boys and two girls, and they’d talk about anything and everything. After a few weeks on the job, a new guy called Chris joined the team. Chris took an unhealthy interest in Daksha, asking her personal and inappropriate questions about herself and her heritage, and it made her feel uncomfortable. Daksha tells us that she’d never dealt with prejudice before this, so she laughed it off, along with her other workmates. As time went on, Chris’ comments became worse and at this point Daksha was feeling disrespected, uncomfortable and very self-conscious when she was around him.

to help manage her feelings took a weight off Daksha’s shoulders. The same day, Daksha received a reply from an EIC caseworker. They wanted to arrange a call to discuss Daksha’s situation and to see what actions could be taken to help.

Soon after the incident on the work night out, Daksha’s boss started to notice a decline in the quality of her work. He asked if anything was wrong, but Daksha kept her feelings to herself. She hadn’t experienced a situation like this before and didn’t know how to respond to it, and she was also worried about what her colleagues would think about her. Was she overreacting, or taking the jokes too seriously? Daksha was doing really well with the college side of her apprenticeship; she didn’t want to make things difficult for herself or be seen as a troublemaker for speaking out.

Two days later, Daksha received a call from her caseworker. Daksha was encouraged to explain her worries and her reasons for calling the Charity. She told her caseworker Sarah that people had started to notice the quality of her work declining, she didn’t feel like a valued member of the team anymore, and her anxiety was growing about the inappropriate comments that were being made about her Indian heritage. With Daksha’s permission, the EIC contacted her boss to help them understand what was going on. They also offered Daksha sessions with a therapist to help manage her anxiety.

Daksha’s home life was affected by her problems at work. She has a big family who like to discuss their day around the dinner table, but her family had noticed that she wasn’t acting like her usual self; she was quiet and withdrawn. Daksha’s anxiety surrounding Chris was growing. She dreaded bumping into him at work and hoped he would be moved to another branch. She was worried that the more she saw him, the more opportunity he had to make hurtful comments towards her.

Daksha became more withdrawn from her work group, often eating her lunch in her car to avoid any new comments from Chris. The group would often have work nights out, and Daksha decided she wanted to drive on this occasion, so she wasn’t drinking. Daksha explains that Chris

Soon after, Daksha’s boss addressed the issues with her work colleagues, not naming names but still making it clear that the treatment Daksha had experienced couldn’t continue. Six months on and Daksha is still working at her job, her situation with Chris has improved dramatically, and she even received a genuine apology from him on a night out after everything had been addressed at work. Daksha recognises that when something is wrong, the best thing to do is try and put it right so that it doesn’t affect your work or home life.

started to make a big deal about her not drinking, not accepting her reasons for it, and saying that she lacked commitment to the company, with others joining in. The tone and the subject of the conversation really got to Daksha, and after that night she was unsure if she wanted to continue working there.

Daksha found an email from her college with information about the Electrical Industries Charity. She saw that they offered counselling support and help to anyone working in the industry. Daksha got in touch with the Charity to ask about their mental health support services. The very act of taking the first step

5. DAVE

My recreational drug taking spiraled out of control

Dave starts by telling us that he came from a good home, that his mum and dad were hard workers but that this meant that they were out of the house a lot. As a teenager, Dave thought this was great – as soon as his parents went out, he’d invite his friends over. At first, he started casually smoking weed when his mates were there, but by the time he was 16 he was smoking it every day, which he says wasn’t the smartest thing to do as he’d just started an apprenticeship.

Dave was hospitalised for three months. He went on a long detox programme and underwent therapy to try and help with his mental health throughout the process of becoming clean. He says that getting off the drugs and detoxing was the easy part; it was the decline of his mental health that was now a real challenge for him. Dave puts his care and quick diagnosis with a psychiatrist down to the Electrical Industries Charity, whom his company got in touch with on his behalf. The Charity was on the case straight away; they organised a psychiatric assessment as a starting point, and they’ve been present in Dave’s life ever since. Alongside his detox programme, the Electrical Industries Charity organised for Dave to have therapy sessions, where he could manage his mental health and help to stabilise his addictive behaviour.

Dave got on well with the boys at his apprenticeship. They were of similar ages and also like to smoke weed. They’d smoke together and go out most Thursdays and Fridays, but for Dave, it didn’t stop there.

On the weekends he’d drink and take drugs, so by the time Monday came around it was almost impossible for him to get out of bed and get himself to work. As he was doing it so much, Dave felt like he needed to up the amount of drugs he was taking just to get the same high. His work started to suffer, which led to him making a serious mistake on the job. Dave was called into HR to discuss the incident, and he dealt with the stress by taking three Es and smoking weed, which resulted in him needing to go to the hospital where he was diagnosed with druginduced psychosis.

Dave says he feels really lucky to be here today and to be able to tell us his story. He doesn’t think he’d be alive if his company hadn’t stepped in to help by contacting the EIC. Dave’s due to start work again in the next couple of months, and he can’t wait. He’s completely off the drugs and alcohol now. He didn’t know he had an addictive personality until someone told him. His motto now is “David, do you know when to stop?” and his answer today is now yes.

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6. JOHN A.

Hiding my sexuality damaged my mental health

We meet John at his place of work. He’s nearly 21 and in the third year of his apprenticeship. He says it’s great, he works for a large contractor who does big electrical supply installations. John tells us that he realised he was attracted to both boys and girls when he was around 13 years old. He tried to ignore it initially, thinking it might be a phase. John would distract himself with his hobbies and playing football as a way to take his mind off of his feelings. As time went on, John realised his feelings hadn’t changed – his sexuality wasn’t a phase. He didn’t feel like he could talk to his religious parents about it as they didn’t agree with it, but John was able to confide in a few college friends, who were accepting of his sexuality.

he even worried that if he didn’t join in with the “banter”, he would become a target himself, as his colleagues would think he was hiding something or decide that he was gay too. The messages became even more homophobic towards the QS and John didn’t want to be included in the conversation, but he became more and more anxious about his colleagues

he even worried that if he didn’t join in with the with the Electrical Industries Charity, who “banter”, he would become a target himself, found him an expert therapist. John worked as his colleagues would think he was hiding with the therapist on sexual identification something or decide that he was gay too. The communication, and he was given tools and messages became even more homophobic advice which would allow him to feel more towards the QS and John didn’t want to be comfortable opening up to his family and included in the conversation, but he became girlfriend about his sexuality. John tells us more and more anxious about his colleagues that in time, he gained enough confidence to finding out about his sexuality, and outing open up to his friends and family about what him. He worried it would ruin his job for him, had happened. He tells us how difficult the that he would lose the people he loved most conversation was. – his family and friends, and that his girlfriend would leave him. After a night out with his John talks about his family’s adjustment to the work colleagues, who were still targeting the news and how it took a bit of time for them QS during their conversations, John got so to understand it. John’s dad took the longest, worried about the possibility of his sexuality he says, confusing John’s love of football and getting out that he overdosed. the fact he also likes girls and thinking this

John talks about his family’s adjustment to the news and how it took a bit of time for them to understand it. John’s dad took the longest, he says, confusing John’s love of football and the fact he also likes girls and thinking this meant he was straight. Overall, John says his experience was an overwhelmingly positive one; he felt a sense of relief to share what he was going through with the people he loved and cared about. John’s self-confidence has increased, and he’s no longer worried if people find out about his sexuality. He also feels confident to call out homophobic language in the workplace, acknowledging that the industry still isn’t as open-minded as others. What some people think is banter can have a hugely negative impact on the lives of others. John’s advice for anyone struggling with their sexuality is to ask for help. He says to ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” and go from there, one step at a time.

The overdose came as a shock to John’s friends, family and place of work. Naturally they were curious as to why he had taken

Work was a different story. John describes the industry as being “very blokey”. John had a girlfriend and so assumed the boys at work thought he was just like them. He liked football too and thought this fitted the image his work friends felt comfortable with. After an incident on site, John became anxious that he would be outed by some of his work colleagues. John was working away on a big job, where there was a dedicated quantity surveyor (QS) attached to the build. A number of John’s colleagues became aware of the QS’s sexuality, and this started a string of homophobic messages on the work’s group chat. John became more and more uncomfortable with these messages popping up on his phone, and

such drastic action. As far as they knew, John hadn’t shown any signs of mental ill-health and wasn’t in danger of taking his own life. John describes what happened as sort of a cry for help. It was all too much for him, the idea of his life unravelling around him. John had lots of people come to visit him at the hospital, which was great, but he tells us that it just caused another set of problems. He didn’t want to have to tell everyone about his sexuality; he saw it as his own business and didn’t want to be labelled or judged purely based on who he is attracted to. John’s work got him in contact

6. JOHN B.

How a workplace sexual assault caused me to take an overdose

like he couldn’t talk to anyone about this, and that he had nowhere else to turn to, so he took an overdose. Luckily, someone had called an ambulance and he was admitted to the hospital. When he was discharged he was told to contact his GP for further help.

about what had happened to him.

John’s 18 and from Scotland. He started his apprenticeship straight from school when he was 15 years old. Since he’s been old enough, he’s worked on some really big jobs. John got on well with the guys he works with; he said that some of the older guys used to look out for him, which he quite liked as

John tells us how good his employer was about what had happened and how it was dealt with really quickly. They removed the guy who had touched John from sight straight away and suspended him from work until they had completed an investigation. John’s work was shocked by the news that he had told them, but how many other times had this man done this in the past, and to how many people? The investigation resulted in John’s abuser getting sacked. The police were involved and he was charged with sexual assault. He’ll be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

John’s GP didn’t call him back, so he decided to get in touch with the Electrical Industries Charity who arranged an urgent mental health assessment for him and also booked him in with a therapist, to talk through his overdose and his mental health. The relief John felt after his therapy session was huge, and he even spoke about the abuse he’d suffered from his uncle. It was the first time he’d spoken to anyone about it since it happened around ten years ago.

he never really knew his dad. One day, while John was working on a big site, an older man came up to him and hit his genitals. When John confronted him, the man just laughed it off as it if was nothing. The next day the same thing happened again, with the guy telling John to “take it like a man”. John is visibly upset at his point in the video and asks to take a break.

John was loving life before all of this happened, so he’s glad that he’s back on track and working again. The EIC helped him get back to work within four weeks and he’s even back on a big job. Things are coming together for John; he’s still having therapy sessions as he finds them helpful, and he tells us that the Charity has said he can have as many sessions as he needs for the next 12 months. He’s taking it one day at a time. Sometimes when you’re new at a job, you don’t always ask for help when you should. John says he’s learnt to never be afraid to reach out.

This kept happening at work, and the more wound up John got, the more the guy did it. This started to cause him anxiety about going to work, which really stressed him out. His sleep suffered and he started calling in sick more. John tells us that the reason this had stressed him out so much was that he had been abused in the past by his uncle. He had told his family about it and John never saw his uncle again, nor did his family ever speak about what had happened that day. One day, the guy at John’s workplace took things a step further, touching his genitals inappropriately. John didn’t know what else to do, so he left the site. He drove for a while in his van, he pulled over and cried. John felt

Working through his issues with a clinical psychologist was hard for John, especially talking through issues from his past – like his uncle. He recognised that there wasn’t any other way for him to feel better about himself without going through that process, and every time he attended a session, his confidence and self-worth grew. John was encouraged to report what had happened to him at work, and he felt strongly about not letting the guy who caused him a lot of pain get away with it, especially as work is meant to be a safe space for everyone. The EIC contacted John’s employer and told them

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8. KYLE

I struggled with my mental health for years but never asked for any help

Kyle’s a first-year apprentice. He is 16 but he says he looks older than his age, which has some advantages and disadvantages. He tells us that he never used to be open about his mental health and kept all of his feelings to himself. He says that his mental health declined the most during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. He shows us a picture of the deserted streets of Liverpool and says how he felt as empty as the place in the photo. He says he still feels like this.

see his friends or even go to work made things feel pointless to him. He bottled up his thoughts and emotions which meant he was left alone with them, and that’s when his bad thoughts started. When he called the Electrical Industries Charity, he made sure he was out of the house as he didn’t want his parents to know what was going on. When he got through to a caseworker, Kyle was surprised that they encouraged him to speak to his parents about his suicidal thoughts and his feelings of distress, but he then did speak to them. The Charity also contacted Kyle’s parents to talk about his mental health, along with his GP who prescribed him medication to help with his moods.

After the lockdown ended, Kyle went back to college and work, which was great for him, but his social life consisted of being around a few of the older apprentices at this point. His older friends were nice enough, but because he looked older than his age, they thought he could handle the same level of drinking as them, and Kyle felt pressured to keep up. Drinking made Kyle feel down about himself, and he would wake up the next day with increased anxiety levels. At this point, Kyle was feeling low and lonely, but he was keeping his feelings to himself as he felt ashamed for feeling this way. He hadn’t even told his parents. Kyle continued the cycle of drinking, and feeling anxious and lonely. It had become so bad that he had thought about ending his life.

Kyle has stopped drinking, which he says has helped him massively. He didn’t know at the time, but he’s found out that alcohol is a depressant, so drinking would only have made him feel more unhappy. The Charity had also arranged therapy sessions for Kyle with a psychotherapist. He’s had three sessions so far and he says it has really helped him to feel better about himself. Kyle tells us that his parents are now really tuned into his moods and ask him how his mental health is. They were scared when they first found out about Kyle’s struggles as they thought they might lose him. They’re more relaxed about Kyle’s situation now and don’t feel like they have as much reason to be as worried as they were before. Kyle is grateful for contacting the EIC; he says that his caseworker tells him it was a brave thing to do, and Kyle says that he doesn’t know if he’d be here today if he hadn’t called.

While he was in college, Kyle saw a leaflet for the Electrical Industries Charity and took it home with him so that he could get in touch. He tells us how that leaflet was the start of everything for him. Kyle tells us how the lockdowns affected his mental health. Not being able to go to college,

9. MIKE

When two of my friends completed suicide, I tried

to manage my own grief

10. NEIL

The constant and often inappropriate banter at my work made my depression worse

Mike is currently 18 and is doing an

was feeling. Mike’s girlfriend wasn’t supportive and

going through and told him about the Electrical Industries Charity. Mike sent the Charity an email after looking through their website and resources. By the next day, Mike had been assigned a caseworker and soon he got help through our psychiatric assessment service, where he was diagnosed with Moderate Recurrent Depressive Disorder and prescribed medication to help stabilise his moods.

apprenticeship in Birmingham. He has lost two of

the two broke things off. The break-up triggered even more negative emotions, and he was now grieving his relationship as well as the loss of his friends.

his closest friends to suicide in the past five years. Mike never thought that this would happen to his best friends. He struggled to deal with this, and it had a huge impact on his mental health. He tried to deal with it on his own; he closed off his emotions and kept quiet about how he felt, trying to move forward.

Mike acknowledges that shutting out his feelings and trying to ignore his emotions has done him more harm than good. It has negatively affected his relationships, job and health. Mike had stopped getting pleasure from things he used to enjoy, associating them with the friends he lost. He was at a point where he knew he needed help to fix things.

his relationships, job and health. Mike had stopped Mike has had lots of sessions with his grief counsellor, getting pleasure from things he used to enjoy, and he’s been given lots of strategies to help him associating them with the friends he lost. He was at cope with his mental health. Mike says that he is a point where he knew he needed help to fix things. sticking to the treatment in his friends’ memory, and also for his own health and wellbeing. Mike says he’s One of Mike’s managers took him aside for a chat feeling better and he takes each day as it comes. He’s after work. He knew a bit about what Mike had been slowly getting there.

Mike couldn’t stop thinking about his mates, thinking about them during the day and then struggling to sleep at night as his thoughts raced through his mind. The only person Mike thought he could talk to was a mutual friend of his two best mates, as he knew that he could relate to how he

Neil’s 19 and he’s in his third year of his electrician’s

colleagues who again just brushed him off, making rude comments about him. It felt like no matter what he did, Neil just couldn’t get through to them. At this point, his mental health had taken a real hit, and his anxiety about taking time off for personal reasons was high. Neil knew he needed to take action – his feelings were overwhelming him and he knew that he needed help before he harmed himself in some way.

Neil acknowledges that he’s suppressed his feelings and emotions in the past because he was brought up to think that strong men are meant to do this. He says that the therapy sessions were an eye-opener for him, and he talks about what he’s learned from those sessions – that he had always boxed away his problems and that he needed to change the way he viewed strength. Talking about your weaknesses is a sign of strength, and from this you can start to deal with your feelings before they cause you problems.

apprenticeship. Neil likes his job, he works hard but the hours aren’t always the most sociable. Neil describes the guys he works with as “dinosaurs” – they’re old school in their approach to ‘banter’ and it used to be nonstop. Although Neil expected banter when he started working in the industry, he says that the problem worsened because of his depression. When Neil was a child, his parents used to drink regularly, so it was Neil and his brothers who were left to look out for each other. Neil mentions that he hasn’t dealt with a lot of the issues from his past. He hasn’t talked to many people about it and thinks that talking about his past wouldn’t sit well with most guys. He feels as though he’s being judged when he takes days off work when his depression is bad.

Neil had seen an EIC poster in the staff canteen and feelings before they cause you problems. decided to get in touch with the Charity who said that they would find someone close to where he lived, Neil’s now spoken to his HR department about his to help Neil with how he was feeling. Before he got colleagues and their ‘banter’, just so it’s on their radar. in touch with the Electrical Industries Charity, Neil Neil feels much happier and more equipped to deal was struggling to keep his emotions under control, with his colleagues; he says that he won’t stand for but within a week Neil had an appointment with a their bullying anymore and that he feels confident therapist. The sessions provided Neil with coping to call them out for it when it happens. Neil still likes strategies to manage his emotions and to help him feel to have banter with his colleagues, it makes the day better about himself. Neil outlined what he thought more enjoyable, but he knows that there’s a line, and caused him the most anxiety and stress – most of banter that has a negative effect on others just isn’t which he realised was triggered by the negative work acceptable. Banter can turn into something far more culture, where talking about your feelings was seen as a harmful than was intended and can really impact sign of weakness. someone’s mental health.

There are two guys in particular that would make a point of questioning Neil about where he’d been and why. When he’d tell them why he’d been off, they would mock him and call him weak for needing time off to deal with his personal problems. One day, Neil had had enough of the ‘banter’ – he confronted his

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12. SCOTT

How workplace bullying damaged my mental health

We hear from Scott’s mum, Beth. Scott is an only child and means the world to his mum. Scott’s mental health suffered when he was a teenager, although he did get some help for this and was put on medication. This helped him get back to his normal self. Scott couldn’t wait to leave school, and at 16 he got an apprenticeship at local electricians, to train to be a qualified electrician.

From day one, problems started with his colleagues – constantly winding him up, day in, day out. Things got really bad on Scott’s 18th birthday. He went out for a drink with the boys from work but ended up being humiliated. Scott was tied up naked in a public park. People would tell him it was just banter, and his colleagues would act as if nothing had happened, but this carried on for the next two to three years. Scott’s anxiety and stress levels were rising, and one day in the works car park he accidentally clipped another parked car. His colleagues hounded him about it, saying he was going to lose his job. Scott felt like he couldn’t take it anymore; he knew he had to do something about it now.

Scott was proud of himself for sticking with his job for all those years, and he liked the work he was doing, but it got to the stage where he wasn’t enjoying working there anymore. His mental health was being affected by his work environment. Scott made the decision to quit. The abuse had got out of hand, he was angry and upset and nothing anyone said helped to ease Scott’s problems. Beth, Scott’s mum, informed his college of his situation, and a tutor informed Scott of the Electrical Industries Charity and its services. At first, he was apprehensive about getting in touch, but Scott started having 1:1 counselling sessions. The Charity also helped Scott find another company to work for, as he didn’t finish his apprenticeship.

Scott’s still going to his counselling sessions and feels as though they’re really helping him. Once he starts work again, he’s looking forward to completing his apprenticeship. Scott thinks that his age at the time he started his apprenticeship didn’t help the situation – he was young, it was his first job and he didn’t really know how to handle the situation that he’d been thrown into. He says that if it happened to him again, or if he saw it happening to someone else, he’d call it out.

13. SIAN

My undiagnosed dyslexia resulted in a deterioration of my mental health

Sian is 19 years old, she lives with her dad in Port Talbot and is currently doing an electrical apprenticeship. Sian loves the responsibility of her job – it’s high stakes and an error could cost the company lots of money. Sian wishes her old school teachers could see her now, as she thinks they thought of her as “thick”. Sian says that she finds recognising words and reading difficult, and she always felt stupid because of this. She didn’t know it at the time, but she has dyslexia, a learning difficulty that mainly causes problems with reading, writing and spelling.

In school, English lessons were especially difficult for Sian, and when she got to college level she began to fall behind on her work. Sian’s college tutor asked if she was dyslexic, and at the time Sian didn’t know, so her tutor encouraged her to get a dyslexia test, providing her with the number for the Electrical Industries Charity.

The Electrical Industries Charity organised for Sian to have a dyslexia screening. She worried that if she found out she had dyslexia, she would get kicked off her apprenticeship. When Sian’s results showed she was showing signs of dyslexia, the Electrical Industries Charity provided a full assessment. They also assured Sian that nothing bad would come from her diagnosis and that help would be provided. The Electrical Industries Charity contacted Sian’s college and employer on her behalf, to explain her situation, and also her strengths and challenges.

Sian felt relief when she was given a formal diagnosis of dyslexia, as it helped her make sense of everything she’d experienced. Sian received help and support from an occupational health therapist, she was allowed more time to complete work and was given ideas as to how she could manage her modules to better suit her. Being diagnosed helped lift a weight off of Sian’s shoulders and motivated her to get through her college work. She acknowledged that she learns differently from others but says she is confident in her abilities and has stopped putting herself, and her achievements, down.

14. TOM

Being bullied at school left me with an undiagnosed mental health illness

Tom is from Yorkshire and is doing an electrician

apprenticeship. Until he started his apprenticeship, he’d struggled with mental ill-health and had thought about taking his own life. Tom had struggled with depression for eight years. It started in school, where he was bullied. The bullying had gradually got worse, Tom had received death threats and the police had to be involved. Tom didn’t know why he was getting bullied. His anxiety around school increased and he felt isolated.

Tom’s life got worse when he started high school. The bullying got worse and his self-worth was low. Tom tried to take his life on more than one occasion, with his friends stepping in to stop when they noticed something wasn’t right with him.

After Tom left school, the bullying stopped but his mental health was still affected by his past. He kept things bottled up and didn’t speak about them to anyone, which Tom knows wasn’t good for him. Tom remembered his tutor telling him about a charity dedicated to the electrical industries. He knew he had to get help and so decided to contact the Electrical Industries Charity for support. He was put straight through to a welfare officer who set him up with counselling sessions. So far the Electrical Industries Charity has paid for Tom to see his counsellor over 20 times, and this has lifted a weight off of Tom’s shoulders.

As part of seeing his counsellor, the Charity arranged for Tom to have a full psychiatric assessment, where he was diagnosed with Recurrent Depressive Disorder and suicidal thinking. The diagnosis sounded scary to Tom at first, but after he spoke through it and rationalised it with his counsellor, he felt better. These days, Tom doesn’t need counselling and feels in a much better place after being given the necessary skills and tools from the sessions to manage his thoughts and feelings.

15. TYRONE

How I nearly took my own life

Tyrone is 19 years old, and he explains that his story begins three years ago, when he was 16. Tyrone had a normal life, he enjoyed spending time with friends, playing football and playing on his games console. Tyrone lived on a council estate with his mother and younger sister. Tyrone has never known his dad. His mum suffered from mental ill health and couldn’t work much, so money was tight.

Towards the end of his time in school, Tyrone applied for an apprenticeship and got it. He worked for a locally run, small family electrical business. But two years in, Tyrone’s personal life had produced some challenges. At 17, Tyrone’s girlfriend Michelle had become pregnant, which came as a massive shock to Tyrone. Tyrone didn’t want his child to grow up without a father, like he had done, and he wanted to make sure Michelle wasn’t left to raise the child by herself as his mother had with him. He took out a payday loan in order to put a deposit down on a flat. The repayments on the loan were high and Tyrone struggled to find the money to repay the debt. He then took out an additional loan as he felt this was the only way to pay off the original loan.

Arguments with his girlfriend became more common, and Tyrone’s work suffered. Tyrone’s debt was becoming unmanageable, and as a result of the stress, he started to have suicidal thoughts as he thought this was the only way out.

Tyrone started to think about how Michelle would manage on her own, and how the baby would be if he wasn’t around.

This realisation motivated him to seek out help. He had heard about the Electrical Industries Charity at college, so Tyrone got in contact and spoke to the wellbeing team. Tyrone was offered professional help, so he could speak to someone about how he was feeling and get assistance in sorting out the issues that had taken over his life. Tyrone had help to manage his debt repayments. The Electrical Industries Charity helped Tyrone with his flat deposit, along with additional support for Michelle and the baby.

Tyrone acknowledges the dark period of his life but says he is now is out the other side and doing much better. Tyrone is now a fully qualified technician and is earning a good wage. He can provide for his family – the baby is now two years old and is doing great. Michelle, Tyrone’s girlfriend, has started back part-time as a hairdresser.

Tyrone says that he would tell his 16-year-old self not to worry and that everything will turn out fine. It’s hard when things don’t turn out how you want them to, but it’s how you deal with it that matters. The best thing to do is talk to someone – family, teachers, or colleagues – there is always someone who is willing to listen and help.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 27

6. Charitable activities & programmes

6.1 CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES SUMMARY

In 2021/22 we provided a record 35,157 instances of intervention support, a 11% increase on the previous year. This reflects the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. It’s also a reflection of the work we have carried out to raise awareness of the support we provide to colleagues in the electrical and energy sectors.

35,157 INSTANCES OF INTERVENTION SUPPORT

Community detox options for people suffering with alcohol addiction proved the single hardest service to find publicly for those in our industry with two- to five-year waiting lists.

16% of cases utilising the EIC mental health services reported telling their employer, an increase from 13% the previous year.

One in two cases we have dealt with has encompassed mental health issues , similar to the previous year.

Wait time for psychiatric support in the NHS , post attempting to take their life increased to over a year across the UK with Northern Ireland 18 months.

Typically, we see the highest number of relationship breakdowns

in January following a strained Christmas and New Year period. This year in June we saw the highest numbers of advice requests on how to initiate a divorce . Interestingly, most relationship breakdowns happened in marriages of 10 to 15 years.

91% of cases asking for mental health support had never been seen or diagnosed by a psychiatrist. This remained consistent with previous years.

PEOPLE AT CRISIS POINT 2,471

down from 5,746 the previous year. The worst affected sector was Electrical Wholesale & Distribution.

ADHD

Was the number one neurodiversity diagnosis across the industry. NHS wait times for assessments can take two years.

38[%]

34[%]

INCREASE

INCREASE in terminal cancer cases

in cases of gambling addiction and mental ill health

Powdered cocaine remained the number one drug of choice in the industry

48 321 SUICIDES ATTEMPTED SUICIDES

This year we have dealt with 48 deaths by suicide. Up on the previous year by 5 (43 deaths by suicide).

up from 287 the previous year

If you are working in our industry you are 2.7 x more likely to complete suicide than the national average. The worst affected age group was the under-30s in our industry with 8 suicides by apprentices (down from 14 the previous year).

STRESS

both workplace and personal, became the number one reason people reach out for support

FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES

the number one reason apprentices reached out for support was financial difficulties and mental ill health due to financial destress.

In 53% of our mental health cases, financial difficulties are present, increasing from 42% the previous year.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 29

7. Demographics

6.2 SUPPORT SERVICES

As an industry charity it is more important than ever to not only help support those in the industry with physical and financial wellbeing, but also their emotional wellbeing. We know that intervention requires a holistic approach and that each person will have their own unique requirements.

6.2.1 Means tested:

Mental health support 1247
Reskilling & training 83
Food / Immediate needs 74
Legal Advice 52
Multi-reasons
Financial assistance for serious illness
Medical - not covered by the NHS		 30
27
26		 Count of grant reason
Travel associated with medical treatment 10
Household Items 9
Homelessness 8
Disability adaptations / repairs 7
Fuel Poverty 3
Funeral Grant 3
Mobility & other Equipment 3
0 300
600		 900
1200
1500
Travel associated with medical treatment £770
Funeral Grant £922
Fuel Poverty £2,190
Legal Advice £2,880
Homelessness
Household Items
Food / Immediate needs		 £3,127
£5,107
£7,071		 Sum of grant amount
Reskilling & training £9,760
Mobility & other Equipment £12,611
Financial assistance for serious illness £15,408
Disability adaptations / repairs £15,9119
Multi-reasons £19,379
Medical - not covered by the NHS £23,171
Mental health support £187,622
0 50,000 100,000
150,000
200,000

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 31

Gender by programme

Marital status

----- Start of picture text -----
PSP 14 3% 4%
(PENSIONER
SUPPORT 2
PROGRAMME)
32%
EFP 841 40%
(EMPLOYEE AND
FAMILY SUPPORT 467
PROGRAMME)
Divorced
ASP 157 5% 16% MarriedPartner
(APPRENTICE
SUPPORT Separated
PROGRAMME) 101 Male Single
Female Widowed
----- End of picture text -----

Age demographic

Eligibility

----- Start of picture text -----
1% 1%
1%
1%
4%
Deceased Partner
Dependent
Family Member
92% Husband
238 164 217 247 204 136 195 81 48 52 Partner
Self
Wife
1-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 51-55 56-60 61-65 66+
----- End of picture text -----

Sector by grant count

Region by grant value

Wales £6,130 Electronics 2
Northern Ireland £7,762
North West £14,658 Telecoms 2
Scotland £16,913
North East £19,993 Networks 9
East Midlands £21,811 Generation & 300
Yorkshire & The Humber £22,256 Renewables
East of England £28,992 Manufacturing 311
South West £35,009
London £40,146 Construction 358
West Midlands
South East		 £44,067
£48,198		 Electrical Wholesaling
& Retailing		 600

Sector by grant values

Region by grant count

Northern Ireland 17 Electronics £29
Wales 35
North East 91 Telecoms £1,448
Scotland 92 Networks £2,335
North West 99
East of England 129 Manufacturing £55,648
East Midlands 131
South West 153 Construction £57,741
Yorkshire & The Humber
London		 157
182		 Generation &
Renewables		 £67,933
South East
West Midlands		 228
268		 Electrical Wholesaling
& Retailing		 £120,803

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 33

8. Health and Wellbeing Presentations to the Industry

Mental health issues can occur for many reasons, from stresses at work and financial worries to family-related stress. In our sector, stress and depression are among the most common matters to deal with, but 95% of people in the industry never discuss feeling depressed with a significant other.

Our mental health and wellbeing courses are aimed at helping organisations put mental health and wellbeing at the heart of their future strategy.

Now more than ever, people are starting to understand the importance of looking after their mental health, not just their physical health. Health issues can cause a significant number of stresses and strains on individuals and families. By having the tools to understand and manage mental health problems, we can support people in our industry that need our help.

Throughout 2021, we heard from industry experts about their experience with a range of topics. The pandemic saw us reviewing the effects of lone working, financial wellbeing, and managing relationships. In 2022, we’ll look to another exciting line-up of expert speakers, including an equality and belonging consultant and a highly soughtafter health and wellbeing expert and public speaker. In January we heard from Colin MacLachlan, a military veteran who served in the SAS for 18 years. Colin focused on the importance of mental resilience and emotional health in leadership and left attendees empowered by arming them with a toolbox of skills for overcoming adversity in both their professional and personal lives. In February, to coincide with Addiction and Mental Health Month in which we focused on these cooccurring disorders, popular psychotherapist Daniel Fryer spoke about letting unhealthy anxieties go and valuing healthier thought patterns so we can lead healthier and happier lives.

We’re working to raise awareness and provide guidance to those that struggle with their mental health. By doing this, we can provide a brighter future ahead for those that can’t see the light. Our health calendar is a great tool for providing you with information, stats, and guidance on the services we can provide to you, a family member, a colleague, or an employee.

In March we discussed the importance of sleep to benefit our lifestyles and heard from Dr Neil Stanley, sleep expert and founder of EIC partner service Sleepstation.

You never know who around you is suffering from the effects of health problems and who needs support to help them get back on their feet. The Electrical Industries Charity is here to help because if you work or have worked in our industry, you will never be alone.

EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 35

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Jan Feb Mar April Understanding stress Lone working The impact of social Caring for elderly media parents on mental health 2021 2022 Understanding Stress Help Someone Stay Warm this Winter May June July August Lone Working Co-occurring Disorders: Addiction & Mental Health The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health Nutrition and Health Mental Health Month It’s OK to be you Financial Wellbeing Relationships Caring for Elderly Parents Understanding Autism Mental Health Month Mental Health Month It’s OK to Be You It’s OK to Be You Financial Wellbeing Relationships Relationships Healthy Heart, Happy Body Healthy Heart, Happy Body Save a Life Women’s Month Women’s Month September October November December Men’s Month Men’s Month Healthy heart, happy body Women’s Month Men’s Month Your Retirement Your Retirement Financial Wellbeing

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----- Start of picture text -----
9. Workplace Programmes
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
% of count of grants
----- End of picture text -----

The Electrical Industries Charity is proud to be a full-service support provider to our stakeholders. To extend our outreach to the working population we have packaged our free and confidential services in a suite of programmes. These are designed to comprehensively serve our market demographic, clearly outline the benefits for users, and be easily understood and adopted within the workplace.

----- Start of picture text -----
to the working population we have packaged our free and
confidential services in a suite of programmes. These are 1% 16% ASP EFP
designed to comprehensively serve our market demographic, PSP
clearly outline the benefits for users, and be easily understood
and adopted within the workplace.
PSP EFP ASP
(PENSIONER (EMPLOYEE (APPRENTICE
SUPPORT AND FAMILY SUPPORT 83%
PROGRAMME) SUPPORT PROGRAMME)
PROGRAMME)
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Gender by programme % sum of grant amount
ASP
14
Male
PSP EFP
2 Female 3% 13% PSP
841
EFP
467
157 84%
ASP 101
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
9.1.1 Apprentice Support
Programme
The ASP delivers financial grants and
practical assistance to apprentices and
their families.
----- End of picture text -----

An apprentice going through a rough patch at home that puts their work performance at risk needs support to allow progression, and to achieve a lifetime of productive, satisfying work. Supporting the industry through education is a key focus for the Electrical Industries Charity and the launch of the Apprenticeship Support Programme is designed to help young people deal with some of the key challenges that affect them as they embark on their career.

----- Start of picture text -----
ASP
----- End of picture text -----

9.1.2 Employee and Family 9.1.4 Practical Participation Support Programme ( EFP ) Programme ( PPP ) The Employee and Family Support Our invaluable stakeholders within the Programme (EFP) is our flagship electrical and energy industries are programme, developed specifically for perfectly placed to support this initiative. the working heartland of our industry. When handing out financial grants to It is designed to make an immediate people in need of building rectification or and sustainable positive impact on your modification to assist with disability access, business and your people. we often require practical assistance in Staff productivity is a critical factor for any terms of building materials, engineering organisation but equally as important is and installation skills and equipment recognising the personal life of employees. to support the upgrades. Another way our industry can support the Charity is Staff productivity is an important factor for to participate in our Practical Support any organisation but equally as important Programme , which allows individuals is recognising that the personal life of and companies to provide services and employees is central to their wellbeing. materials on a voluntary basis and as a When things go wrong the Electrical result dramatically reduce the cost of these Industries Charity is here to help with a projects. range of services which address issues such as family or relationship problems The Practical Participation Programme through to debt advice, ill health and harnesses your specialist skills in terms of disability. time, equipment and materials – providing 9.1.3 Pensioner Support practical help where it is needed most. Programme ( PSP ) You will work alongside the EIC (and EFP our leading charity partners) in solving or contributing to solutions, for those in For many people, being retired means desperate need of your help. Once you a reduced income which can leave have registered as a PPP partner we will individuals struggling to pay household approach you on an as-needed basis to ask bills, unsecured debts, or both. Any for your assistance. unexpected expenses, such as replacing a broken appliance, may become difficult to cover. PPP

Businesses adopting the PSP can reach out to their retired colleagues in need, often providing a vital community connection that can be lost in retirement. The Charity can provide a hand-up with financial grants and assistance services. To achieve the best outcomes for our PSP clients we work seamlessly with a broad range of professional charitable and service providers across the community, health, welfare, legal, financial and psychology spectrum.

----- Start of picture text -----
PSP
----- End of picture text -----

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 39

9.2 Case Studies

SUPPORTING IN EVERY CAPACITY WITH EIC

Dealing with the traumatic bereavement of a baby can be different for both men and women.

When a baby passes away because of stillbirth or neonatal death, it’s very sad. There’s no right way for you and your partner to feel or to grieve the death of your baby. People deal with this grief in their own ways.

Men generally grieve differently to women, and whenever a miscarriage happens, or stillbirth, many men feel they must be the stable rock, the provider who keeps the family going. Women are much more open with their grief; they talk to friends, they lie on the bed and cry. Men tend to be more internal; they keep themselves busy with work or physical activity, for example. Recent research suggests that men are more likely to engage in increased alcohol consumption to deal with the loss. Furthermore, men tend to engage in behaviours of avoidance which can lead to a relationship breakdown and prolonged grief.

John completed a psychiatric assessment and was diagnosed with a mood disorder. John’s circumstances were further complicated by relationship difficulties which had started due to past intermittent substance misuse and a previous history of personal trauma.

However, now dealing with the severe trauma of losing their child, John and his wife had found they were struggling with their relationship even more so. John had communicated that he and his wife had always been turbulent; however, the relationship had become dysfunctional. Couples try to ‘be strong’ for one another, sometimes inadvertently distancing one another at the very moment they most need to be together.

Their destructive relationship persisted until after months of therapy, John decided he felt strong enough and able to break the cycle. He unfortunately left the family home and found a space of his own, he also limited

communication with his now ex-partner and maintains a civil relationship for their daughters’ sake.

John has periods of ups and downs, but he is managing well, and the Electrical Industries Charity sourced further assistance for John in the form of EDMR therapy, which is defined as “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy”, for which he attends regular sessions. This is an interactive psychotherapy technique used to relieve psychological stress. During EMDR therapy sessions, you relive traumatic or triggering experiences in brief doses while the therapist directs your eye movements.

The EIC maintain regular communication with John, and he recently completed his psychiatric follow-up. These follow-ups are important as it allows us to track changes and progress. John is doing much better and feels more in control of his life.

Thanks to support from the industry, every year the Electrical Industries Charity is able to offer hundreds of our industry colleagues both practical and emotional support during their time of need.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 41

A night out, a terrifying moment, can change a life traumatically

in the ambulance and his subsequent admission to A&E indicating post-trauma amnesia for less than 24 hours. James was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome described as “a complex disorder in which various symptoms, such as headaches and dizziness, last for weeks and sometimes months after the injury that caused the concussion” and fatigue.

Assault is the third most common cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI), after falls and road traffic collisions. TBI can lead to multiple long-term physical, cognitive and emotional problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Suffering a traumatic head injury is a terrifying ordeal, with serious implications for the way we live. Our brains are miraculous and mysterious things. Everything we are and do, everything we feel and believe, is the product of electrical signals in our neural pathways. When something catastrophic happens to our brains, such as a car accident, stroke or physical assault, our personalities become rearranged.

This was the case for James who was tragically assaulted outside a nightclub and sustained a minor brain injury, following a celebratory night out with his friends on his birthday. James was attacked from behind and struck with a fist in the side of his face/ jaw. He lost his balance, hit his head on a wall, losing consciousness and falling and hitting his forehead above the nose on the kerb edge.

Consequently, James suffered physical, cognitive and psychological problems, some of these symptoms were headaches, poor balance, difficulty closing his eyes, poor short-term memory and poor sleep. It is evident the assault was traumatic for James and it was affecting his daily functioning and mental wellbeing.

Approximately 1 million people per year attend UK Emergency Departments (EDs) with a head injury. Roughly 900,000 of these people will only have sustained a brief period of unconsciousness or no unconsciousness at all.

The effects of moderate to severe TBI can be long lasting or even permanent. While recovery and rehabilitation are possible, most people with moderate to severe TBI face life challenges that will require them to adapt and adjust to a new reality.

While most such patients will be fine eventually, many will have sustained a minor brain injury. They may experience postconcussion symptoms for a number of days or weeks and a significant number will have persistent, long-term difficulties. Services to help these people are limited in most areas of the UK.

Moderate to severe TBI can cause permanent physical or mental disability. Because polytrauma is common with moderate to severe TBI, many patients face additional disabilities as a result of other injuries. Even patients who appear to recover fully may have some long-term symptoms that never go away.

Following the assault, James was in and out of consciousness for two to three hours and had no recollection of being transported

Challenges with work and completing tasks that were once routine can be much

more difficult than before the injury. Some patients find that the skills and abilities that they used before the injury to meet these challenges are not as sharp as they once were.

Through its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which is funded by powerLottery, the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) provides people within the electrical sector with a wide range of support services to help them overcome any physical, emotional and financial challenges at hand. The Charity sourced and funded the support of an occupational therapist who visited James and completed a functional and vocational assessment. The EIC were then able to assist James using the report from his assessment to recommend support options for his employer to consider in relation to the new environmental, psychological and cognitive demands James now required assistance with.

The EIC also arranged for James to attend therapy sessions focusing on trauma support and learning methods of coping with his experienced cognitive and physical changes. He found the therapy very supportive and the sessions have enabled him to manage his newfound experiences with everyday life better.

James unfortunately has sustained a nasty scar from the assault above his eye which he will have for the rest of his life. He is learning

to cope with this everyday visual reminder

and has said to the EIC:

“ Although dealing with my scar is an ongoing issue that’s really never going to go away due to it being my eye line, the therapy sessions have helped me understand how to manage my anxiety and insecurities around it and my perception on how people see it and me.”

“ Before my sessions with the therapist I was an mess, my temper was short and my mood extremely low. I took this out on my friends and family, and I was not a nice person to be around. The therapy has enabled me to open up, and we have walked through each of my issues step by step. I was then able to start to face my insecurities on my own in a positive way”.

In spite of James experiencing a traumatic event which has affected him cognitively, emotionally and physically, he is improving and feeling stronger in himself – this is fundamental for the Charity and our support objective and philosophy.

Thanks to support from the industry, every year the Electrical Industries Charity is able to offer hundreds of our industry colleagues both practical and emotional support during their time of need.

Serious injury at work

We know that a healthy diet and lifestyle are vital to maintaining our wellbeing. Nutrition and health – both physical and mental – are all areas the EIC can help our industry colleagues with.

Holly and her husband both worked in generation and renewables, but her husband had experienced significant trauma as a child. He suppressed this trauma until he became unable to cope but refused to seek professional help, thinking instead of suicide as his only way out.

Holly turned to controlling her eating as a way of managing her emotions at a difficult time. As a result, her weight dropped at a concerningly fast rate and, in a very short period of time, she lost nearly 9 stone. She was suffering from an eating disorder – a mental health condition whereby she used the control of food to cope with challenging situations.

Through her job, Holly was made aware of the EIC and the support available. Holly spoke with the Charity and opened up about the struggles her husband was experiencing. We explored possible support for her husband and professionals were sourced. For Holly, we sought help for her through sessions with both a dietitian and therapist. With them now receiving the necessary support, Holly and her husband were able to turn a positive corner in all aspects of their lives.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 43

  1. Fundraising and Publicity

10.1 EIC WELLBEING CHAMPION BUSINESSES

To keep our free and confidential services available to the industry, we rely on organisations to help promote our fundraising initiatives across the sector by becoming an EIC Champion Business.

of the electrical industry. To implement the workplace lottery, staff are given access to a portal to register, and a payroll contact is delivered a deduction report for the monthly payroll. For as little as £1 per month, staff could win up to £1,000 a month with 40 cash prizes plus a mega prize draw of £10,000 to be won twice a year in June and December.

fundraising initiatives into their organisation to support our industry and our industries Charity.The three fundraising initiatives are the Charity Stand Down Hour, which works on the premise of each member of staff donating just one hour of their salary to EIC. It is facilitated completely through the company payroll and will be automatically deducted as a one-off donation annually.

We launched our Champions campaign two years ago, and it has been well received by the industry. For the coming year we will be focused on growing our business champions to ensure we remain visible to the industry and maintain the new revenue stream for our support services.

EIC Day is a fundraising day which can be implemented across the business with the aim of each employee fundraising or donating just £10 to EIC. EIC Day can happen in the form of a trivia night, a dress-down day, a bake sale or a fancy-dress day. Our industry has a lottery that funds the health and wellbeing services

As an EIC Champion Business, they receive monthly health presentations from EIC discussing our health calendar and have access to a wealth of materials online, as well as the same support our whole industry is entitled to. To become an EIC Champion Business we ask them to implement three

In addition to powerLottery, we have in place a workplace lottery. For companies to set up the payroll process they will have to qualify with the below outline requirements:

10.2 The power of £1

• Minimum of 150 employees/staff members

Company lottery schemes and the Electrical Industries Charity’s powerLottery generated gross proceeds of £340,493. powerLottery is EIC’s number-one fundraising stream, and it helps us provide support to apprentices, pensioners, employers and their families at the toughest times of their lives.

• HR portal in place

• HR portal is linked to their payroll system, as the number of members of the powerLottery or their details could change every month, so they will need to have the ability to run the administration each month.

The powerLottery provided the Charity’s only source of annuity funding during the pandemic. We aim to continue to encourage large industry companies to implement the workplace lottery, allowing them to expand the free-of-charge services available to their employees, through the Charity’s services.

----- Start of picture text -----
Society lottery all draws
2021/22 £340,493
2020/21 £366,544
2019/20 £391,211
2018/19 £376,639
£0 £100,000 £200,000 £300,000 £400,000
----- End of picture text -----

44

A big thank you to our entertainment sponsor WAGO for your generosity, which allowed our guests to experience the astonishing snakecharmers and sword swallowers, and for the music that encouraged them to dance the night away to the sounds of Roxanne, Diamonds Are Forever and many more classics! We also saw so many winners as raffles and prizes galore were won, which couldn’t have been possible without our amazing sponsors Glen Dimplex, Schneider, Hager, Edmundson Electrical, Group B and Rexel.

Last year, we saw the return of the highly anticipated powerBall, for an incredible evening of champagne, the can-can and the essence of Parisian charm, for one night only at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

The powerBall fundraising event was originally created to support families in the industry who had lost loved ones in the 1918/19 flu pandemic. 2020 was the first year since World War II that powerBall had been postponed. With this in mind, we wanted to make sure that the return of powerBall 2021 was a spectacular night of dancing, charm and an abundance of joyous faces, which I’m happy to report was, in fact, the case!

The event’s festivities wouldn’t have been possible without headline sponsorship CEF, after-party and drinks reception sponsors Aico and VIP drinks reception, and centrepiece sponsor BELL Lighting, again, thank you for your contributions, without which we could not have produced the fabulous evening that our guests experienced.

Our guests were able to indulge in a scrumptious feast from menu sponsor Legrand. The indulgent delights included goat’s cheese and butternut squash tart, beef fillet, and a indulgent desser that oozed French feeling. The room was draped in an elegant display of fragrant roses, balloon arrangements and the beautiful decadence of Moulin Rouge.

A huge thank you to all our donors to proceedings and attendees; thanks to everyone’s support, we raised a record-breaking £272,107 to support sector colleagues in need.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 47

10.4 Challenge for a Cause

ARCTIC ADVENTURE

In March, a group of courageous explorers from the electrical industries had taken on the EIC’s breathtakingly beautiful, yet physically demanding Challenge for a Cause – Arctic Adventure! This adventure has taken its participants across the icy pond to the Finnish wilderness.

Challengers have immersed themselves in cross-country skiing; they have learnt how to ‘drive’ a reindeer, cook on an open fire in the great outdoors and build their own functional igloo. They were given the opportunity to test their craftmanship and spend a night

in their own handmade shelter, brrr! There’s more! Challengers were able to experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities such as husky sledding through the deep Lapland Forest and ice fishing to catch their supper. They might even have been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

This year, the challenge raised over £23k in individual donations and £20k net profit, which is an incredible amount that will make a huge difference to the industry. A huge thank you to everyone involved.

10.5 Industry fundraising

10.5.1 QUARTER 1

Thanks to ECA Newcastle for supporting our

sector colleagues in need

Thanks to ECA Newcastle for their donation to support sector colleagues in need. ECA are huge supporters of the Charity, and we could not continue to offer our services to the industry without them.

Thank you, ECA Newcastle!

IBA makes a difference with donation

Thanks to IBA for coordinating activities to fundraise for sector colleagues in need. The team have been getting up to all sorts of fundraising fun to raise as much money as they can for the EIC welfare team. Together they raised an incredible total – a huge thanks for your support.

Thank you to WAGO

WAGO are huge supporters of the Charity and over the festive period held a Christmas raffle in support of EIC and our industry colleagues in need. We would like to thank them for their donation of over £1,100 to support industry colleagues, and for their continued support of the Charity.

Thanks to RWE for continuing to support sector colleagues

RWE have always supported the Electrical Industries Charity in a big way, and with their ongoing assistance we have been able to help more industry mates in need than ever before. To keep their superstar

fundraiser flags flying, RWE have donated over £900 to help ensure that our industry continues to be the best it can be. Thank you to everyone at RWE for their ongoing support.

Thank you to Centsure for their fundraising efforts

Centsure have started the year off with a bang by donating over £5,000 to the Charity to ensure we continue to help those in our industry who need it most. Thank you, Centsure, for your ongoing support of EIC and unwavering dedication to our industry.

Thank you to the EDA

A huge thank you to Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) for their continued support to the Electrical Industries Charity, and congratulations on yet another successful EDA Annual Awards Dinner. Each year the

EDA host their flagship event for the Electrical Distributors’ Association, with 500 guests attending. The event brings together wholesalers from EDA businesses and their guests, including representatives from EDAaffiliated members. Guests eagerly arrived at Park Lane’s impressive InterContinental hotel for a night of dinner, dancing and drinks! The EDA kindly organised a raffle in the aid of EIC.

This year the EDA Annual Dinner raised £8,180 for the Electrical Industries Charity, with Stewart Gregory, EIC President, receiving the cheque from Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO of the Electrical Distributors’ Association.

Once again, thank you to all for digging deep for the raffle on behalf of the Electrical Industries Charity.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 49

National Grid give back to the industry

AWEBB Donation

10.5.3 QUARTER 3

Mark from AWEBB runs his way to a winning total for EIC

National Grid donation

A huge thank you to AWEBB for their extremely generous donation of £13,500. The company’s annual gala dinner was a tremendous success and a fantastic opportunity to celebrate among colleagues all while raising money for a worthy cause. The majority of the money raised resulted from the generosity of their members and suppliers. AWEBB has also kindly donated the money raised during their gala dinner raffle! Out of 85 members, each and every one has donated £100, and a further 92 suppliers have also donated the same amount. An incredible effort from members, suppliers and AWEBB for raising such a large amount of money for the Electrical Industries Charity. Thank you for considering us as your industry charity, your help is crucial to us.

Mark from AWEBB challenged himself to run a marathon a week for a month to raise funds for our industry colleagues as AWEBB’s normal AGM was cancelled due to the pandemic. Mark successfully managed to complete his marathon a week and raised an incredible £11,250 for EIC! A phenomenal total from a great organisation. We would like to say thank you to Mark for taking on this huge challenge and to all his supporters for helping him reach this amazing amount.

Edmundson Electrical Doncaster swing for success with golf day

On behalf of the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC), we would like to sincerely thank everyone at National Grid for the generous donation of £2,658.95. It is with your support from yourself and others that we can offer industry members complete support and assistance. Put simply, we couldn’t do it without you. The generosity you have shown not only has a significant financial bearing but also demonstrates kindness and compassion. We thank you very much

In August 2020, a team from Edmundson Electrical Doncaster took to the fairways to fundraise for the Electrical Industries Charity. They had a great day on the course and took a chance on longest drive, nearest the pin and a hole in one. Edmundson Electrical Doncaster managed to raise £500 for the Charity and our industry, and we can’t thank them enough!

for your contribution, from all at EIC and all those people who will benefit from your kindness going forward.

A huge thank you to Legrand Electric Ltd and Elle

Thank you to Voltimum and their Advent calendar supporters

The team at both Legrand Electric and Elle have clubbed together to raise an astonishing £5,000 for our industries charity. £5,000 will go a long way in supporting our industry colleagues who need assistance most and can help to fund 12 psychiatric assessments, 50 family shops, 84 nights of emergency housing and 72 CV revamps. We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone at both Legrand and Elle.

Over the Christmas period, Voltimum launched the 12 Days of Christmas Raffle, and to coincide with this raffle launch, Voltimum, industry supporters, helped to back this fundraiser with their own annual Advent calendar. With the support of Brother, Electrium, Ideal, the Electrical Distributors’ Association, Ansell, Greenbrook Electrical, ABB, Legrand, JTL, Ovia Lighting, CK Home Appliances, Schneider Electric, ECA, Keystone, Megger, Click Energy, Pro Certs, BEW, KNIPEX, Knightsbridge, B.E.G., Prysmian, Wiha, Signify and simPRO,

10.5.2 QUARTER 2

WAGO – National Three Peaks Challenge

Niglon – CA Partner one-year anniversary

We want to say a huge thank you to Niglon for donating £50,000 through being part of our Commercial Agreement (CA) Programme. Happy one-year anniversary! Your donation and generosity will make a tremendous difference to the Charity and to people in our industry that are going through challenging times.

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Scafell Pike
Peak #2
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Our event partners WAGO are an enormous support to the Charity. Thank you for your donation of £439.10!

Voltimum have managed to raise £15,000 for the Electrical Industries Charity! This is an incredible total which will go such a long way in supporting our sector in the New Year.

NICEIC and ELECSA Contractors raise fantastic total for our sector

They’ve pulled together a brave team to tackle the National Three Peaks! Good luck to you all, we can’t wait to hear all about it!

A great big thank you from the Electrical Industries Charity to Edmundson Electrical Ltd North East Region for an amazing donation of £975. Your efforts are so well received, thank you! And to Edmundson Electrical Ltd East Midlands Region for the donation of £1,898.

The NICEIC and ELECSA Contractors have recently completed the ‘Your Voice Matters’ Customer Insight Survey and asked those partaking to donate to the Electrical Industries Charity. Together, they raised £1,083 for those in our sector who need a helping hand in the New Year. Thank you to both the NICEIC and ELECSA and their members for this donation.

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Three Peaks
Challenge for a Cause
8th -10th May 2020
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Thank you to EJ Parker Technical Services for their donation

Thank you to everyone at EJ Parker Technical Services for their donation of £2,000 to support the electrical and energy sector this New Year. £2,000 will go a long way in supporting those struggling with mental health as we transition into the New Year.

We were delighted to receive a whopping donation of £9,068 from the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA). We want to thank you for this amazing contribution to the Charity and to the industry. Your generosity will help so many people in the sector who need our help. Thank you!

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Race across Europe

While the pandemic may have put a stop to our worldwide in-person challenges, our first-ever virtual challenge finished with a bang! In June, seven teams including one made up of EIC staff completed a trip around Europe completely virtually to raise much-needed funds for our sector colleagues in need. The teams of five travelled from London to Paris, Paris to Zurich, Zurich to Munich, Munich to Prague, Prague to Amsterdam and Amsterdam back to London by bike, walking, running or swimming only. While the teams had six weeks to complete the 1,606-mile distance, lots of the groups whizzed through the mileage and had finished within three weeks.

The teams included AWEBB; Aico; The Southern Committee; Halifax Hounds, which featured three members from EEL Halifax, Lucy from JCC Lighting and James from ROBUS LED group; and two Certsure teams. All of the teams made a superb effort and helped to raise over £15,000 to support our sector.

Team AWEBB smashed the competition and raced into first place, closely followed by Aico, and in third place EIC’s own EIC Dreams. A huge congratulations to everyone who took part in the challenge and a massive thank you for raising much-needed funds for our sector.

Bonus ball gives EIC an added bonus over Christmas

A huge thank you to Darren Wetherill, who after the cancellation of Southern Christmas Lunch 2020 celebrated Christmas by hosting a bonus ball competition in the Southern region. Geoff involved some of the Christmas lunch regulars including Geoff Kerly from Kew Electrical, Daren Pool from Triple Star Fire & Security, Simon Millard – Phase Electrical Distributors, Andy and Adrian – Tunbridge Wells ECA, Andy Prager – Paine Manwaring, Dayna and Jess – Tungsten Training and Luke Crossley – AJ Taylor. Together they raised over £7,100 for the Electrical Industries Charity, which will go a long way in supporting our industry over the Christmas period.

A huge thank you to the ECA North East Region

In 2019, the Electrical Industries Charity received a brilliant Christmas present from the ECA North East Region. The North East region kindly donated £2,000 to the Charity this year to support vital services to our sector. The South Durham and North Yorkshire branch treasurer and secretary Barry Osborne and Mike Meynell donated their honoraria to the Charity totalling £450, and the West Riding of Yorkshire division have donated £250. A huge thank you to the ECA and their branches for their ongoing support of the Charity and our sector.

Professional Engineering Services donate to EIC

Professional Engineering Services have helped to support our sector into the start of the New Year with a donation of £1,000 to assist industry colleagues who need a hand-up. This will help to support 10 families needing a food voucher, 18 nights of emergency housing or 35 counselling sessions.

The season of giving from Legrand Electric

In the spirit of Christmas, 11 generous staff members from Legrand Electric have donated their Christmas bonus to support our sector colleagues who may need a hand-up this holiday season. Together they have donated £550 to the Electrical Industries Charity, which could support four families in getting their Christmas shop or assist 15 people with an emergency heating grant. Thanks so much to all of them!

Certsure staff ‘walk’ to New York for New Year’s Day

On Monday 23rd November 2020, Certsure staff took on a five-week challenge to boost their physical and mental wellbeing and raise muchneeded funds for EIC. There are 3,439 miles from their office in Luton to New York, which equates to 6,878,000 steps. Staff were walking, running, cycling, swimming, doing yoga and many other activities and exceeded their target on 1st January 2021 by 2,822,386 steps, leaving plenty of steps left over for ‘sightseeing’. In support of our industry, Certsure donated £1 for every mile their staff completed between Luton and New York, totalling £3,439, which will go a long way in supporting people in our industry. Well done to all and a huge thank you for supporting EIC!

Holland House Electrical help EIC

Thank you to everyone at Holland House Electrical who helped to spread festive cheer over the holiday season with a £500 donation to our sector Charity. Thank you so much for your ongoing support and for helping us to assist our industry colleagues who need it most.

10.5.4 QUARTER 4

Thanks to RWE Generation UK for continuing to support sector colleagues

RWE Generation UK have continued to support the Electrical Industries Charity in a big way, and with their ongoing assistance we have been able to help more industry mates in need than ever before. To keep their superstar fundraiser flags flying, RWE Generation UK have donated over £10,000 this quarter to help keep make our industry the best it can be. A huge donation like this has a massive impact on the assistance the Charity can provide. £10,000 means a family in need can be fed, someone searching for a new role can get the CV support needed to boost their career, a grieving widow can get the therapy they need and someone struggling to get a diagnosis can receive a sourced and funded psychiatric assessment. Thank you to everyone at RWE Generation UK for their ongoing support.

The Elle at Legrand UK LTD make a difference with donation

Thanks to The Elle at Legrand UK Ltd for coordinating activities to fundraise for sector colleagues in need. From a bake-off to a bike ride, the team have been getting up to all sorts of fundraising fun to raise as much money as they can for the EIC welfare team. Together they raised £2,626.89, an incredible total from an incredible organisation. A huge thanks for your support.

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Aico get spooky to support

Aico are consistently being highlighted in our quarterly newsletters as charity champions within our industry, and their support just does not stop. To celebrate Halloween, Aico hosted a themed fundraiser within their head office with a pumpkin-carving competition and costume parade. Prizes were offered for the best pumpkin and the best fancy dress meaning fundraising really did bring the fun. Getting into the spooky spirit, Aico raised over £300 for the Electrical Industries Charity.

A huge thank you to them and all those who attended.

CEF host golf day to hit a fundraising hole-in-one

A lot of industry organisations host golf days to support the Charity and those we assist every day. CEF hosted their own golf day in October to raise funds for sector colleagues this quarter. Industry attendees gathered on the golf course to try their luck in a Stapleford competition with trophies and pride up for grabs. Through fundraising activities the day raised over £800 for sector colleagues, and we cannot thank everyone at CEF and the golf day attendees enough.

Throwing a party to support sector colleagues

Sometimes fundraising can be as simple as throwing a celebration and asking attendees to chip in to support a good cause. That’s exactly what Aico did with their party fundraiser. Over drinks, games and some snacks, colleagues got together to celebrate after a tough 18 months and raised over £780 for sector colleagues in need. Why not take lead from Aico and host your own party fundraiser for EIC? Thanks to Aico for their fundraising and support.

Thank you to ERMA

ERMA has existed for more than 30 years as an association for former members of staff of the CEGB and the Electricity Council/Electricity Association. Due to the effects of the pandemic, the association has had to wind up their activities, an annual lunch and AGM, and have donated the remainder of their funds to the Charity. Thank you for their donation of over £1,200 to the Charity to support industry colleagues. Thank you for their support over the last 30 years and thanks to their association members.

Edmundson Electrical head to the fairways for fundraising Another industry golf day which helped to support colleagues this quarter was the Edmundson Electrical Northeast Regional Office Golf Day, which swung off in October. Sector chums got together to hit a hole in one and raise much-needed funds for EIC. They played two competitions. One is for lower handicaps, the Brooke Trophy, dating back to 1939 and won by Jack Rushworth H/C 2 and Joe Black H/C 7. The other trophy is the Prentice Cup dating from 1934, won by Elliott Mercer H/C 12 and John Williamson H/C 21. Together they raised over £1,340 for industry colleagues in need. Thanks to Edmundson Electrical and those who attended.

Stearn pound the pavements to raise the pounds

Last edition we featured Stearn Electric where 14 Stearn teams from up and down the UK took part in a 500-mile walk, taking a chunk each to raise much-needed funds for industry colleagues in need. The walk aimed to raise awareness and funds for EIC and was organised by Nicky Pearce from Stearn Leighton

Buzzard after the EIC welfare team supported Nicky and her son. In total the teams raised over £7,000 for the Charity.

Thank you to VINCI Energies for their virtual fundraising efforts

VINCI Energies launched a virtual mission which covered 16,000km raising a total of £1,250 for EIC.

On 20th September, they teamed up with My Virtual Mission to challenge their community of incredible people to a 4,000km virtual race for charity. Nearly 200 people took part and were split into four teams depending on their four respective perimeters: Actemium UK (Industrial Perimeter & Automation Perimeter), Omexom UK and RoI and Axians UK.

The teams raced along our pre-designed 4,000km route, which linked key Omexom, Axians and Actemium locations around the UK and RoI. Their positions in the race determined their chosen charity’s share of the prize money. Teams raised over £1,250 for EIC, and we can’t thank them enough.

Thank you to the EDA

The EDA really got back into the swing of events and on top of their awards dinner at the InterContinental, London, they also hosted a function at Gleneagles in Scotland. There they celebrated the achievements within the electrical industry and fundraising for the Electrical Industries Charity. Dinner attendees fundraised more than £2,881 for the Charity, a huge thank you to the ECA and dinner guests.

Thank you to the ECA

With awards dinners, events and more kicking off again, the ECA hosted their awards dinner to celebrate those who have gone above and beyond in our sector. As well as celebrating the accolades of our industry, they also fundraised for the Electrical Industries Charity. Through a raffle the awards dinner raised over £5,800 to support sector colleagues. Thank you to the ECA.

EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 55

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11. Our Social Media Awareness and Campaigning

#powerLottery #workplacepowerlottery

Become a hero like @EDA and save industry members lives! Play today

https://bit.ly/2IVBqNM

workplacepowerlottery #electricalcharity

Enter the #powerLottery and watch your chances of winning £1,000 times by 12!

www.electricalcharity.org/index.php/lottery

ElectricalCharity #powerLottery

Fancy an extra £1,000 this month and every month We all go through ups and downs and can get Do you know what being mindful is? It’s a simple way after that? With the powerLottery you can have anxious about things happening in our lives. Break to improve your wellbeing just by breathing! Focus exactly that, you just need to sign up for your the circuit by doing something you enjoy – read a on your breath and only your breath for a couple of chance to win book, go for a walk, hug your spouse – whatever minutes and flick the switch on a happier life! eases your mind! www.electricalcharity.org/index.php/lottery https://bit.ly/2IVBqNM

www.electricalcharity.org/index.php/lottery #ElectricalCharity #powerLottery

https://bit.ly/3uc27Dp

workplacepowerlottery #electricalcharity

ElectricalCharity #MentalHealth

#MentalHealthAwareness #ElectricalCharity

A one-hour mental health virtual training session Becoming a mental health first aider will make could help you manage stress levels better during your workplace a better place to be. Sign up today: this challenging time. This is just one of many https://bit.ly/2GCguh1 topics covered during our courses. Sign up today: https://bit.ly/3ftikyO #mentalhealthfirstaid

8.2 million people in the UK suffer with an anxiety disorder. Don’t suffer alone; contact our assistance line confidentially – we can help! https://bit.ly/3ARW8Yz

MentalHealthAwareness #ElectricalCharity

MentalHealthAwareness #ElectricalCharity

‘Being off work while going through cancer treatment had a massive impact on our finances. My friend told me about EIC. They helped me pay the essential bills, so I don’t have to worry about my family’s wellbeing’ Andrew, 52 https://bit.ly/3kmmCYy 3kmmCYy #ElectricalCharity #EFP

What if… Life is unpredictable. See how we can help you or you can help others through those unpredictable moments. https://bit.ly/2A3hxCE

ElectricalCharity #EAP

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#PowertomakeaDifference

Now is the time to plan your next adventure! Get your work team behind you and sponsor Sign up to one of our challenge events and your boss to work in a role ‘down the line’ start training for a trip of a lifetime with for a day. Surprising and fun-filled day for all added value guaranteed. Funds raised could make a big difference in someone’s life. https://bit.ly/33lAu38 #PowertomakeaDifference https://bit.ly/33lAu38

https://bit.ly/33lAu38 #PowertomakeaDifference

ElectricalCharity

ElectricalCharity

Check out our ‘Fundraising in 15’ handbook with loads of simple ideas you can take on to raise funds for EIC! You don’t have to climb Everest or run a marathon; it can be as simple as eating a cake:

https://bit.ly/33lAu38

fundraisingin15 #ElectricalCharity

#EICChampions #CAPartners

As a business do you have structured wellbeing programmes that your staff know about and use? It’s your chance to be part of one! Sign up to EIC Wellbeing Champions Programme today: https://bit.ly/3gvFo0F

EICChampions #ElectricalCharity

@JTL are supporting our industry through EIC Wellbeing Champions Programme while having access to a valuable wellbeing programme for their staff. Join forces with EIC today: https://bit.ly/3gvFo0F #EICChampions #ElectricalCharity

As a Commercial Agreement partner, you are not only supporting your industries Charity to be sustainable for future generations but also gaining a partner who is leading industry change. Find out more here:

https://bit.ly/3EGgxll #ElectricalCharity

Shout out to our Commercial Agreement partners @VoltimumPLus. Thank you for helping us to provide more support to industry members going through challenging times. Join forces with us: https://bit.ly/3EGgxll #ElectricalCharity

Which of the below services do you think EIC offer? • Legal support • CV support following redundancy or job loss • Dyslexia support Check if you’re right by visiting https://bit.ly/3gvFo0F #ElectricalCharity #Services

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#10for10 #EICDay

#RaceAcrossEurope

This EIC Day we invite you to complete a challenge of 10 for £10 on 10th September – swim 10 lengths, run 10k, do 10 sit-ups or eat 10 cupcakes. It can be anything! Raise your £10 and donate them to EIC here: https://bit.ly/3hqtHtb

ElectricalCharity #10for10

‘I had always struggled with reading and writing and never thought much of it. When I had to take my new edition assessment, I realised I couldn’t do it. I reached out to EIC and they funded a dyslexia assessment. I got the extra support I needed and passed my assessment first try.’ Lee, electrical apprentice https://bit.ly/3okMibi #ElectricalCharity #Services

We all need sleep to function at our best, but how much do you need and are you getting enough zs to sustain you? To start your sleep journey click here: https://bit.ly/3qyAnql

Sleepstation #ElectricalCharity

Join us in celebrating EIC Day on 10th September. Organise a day of fundraising and fun to support your industry colleagues who need it most https://bit.ly/2TtWMdo

EICDay #ElectricalCharity

This year, to celebrate EIC Day, we’re offering you a chance to win three fabulous mystery prizes to the value of up to £500. To participate in the EIC Day raffle and have a chance to win all you need to do is buy your ticket here: https://bit.ly/2TtWMdo #EICDay #ElectricalCharity

Team ‘Not Fast, Just Furious’ from @Certsure LLP are working hard to reach their first checkpoint in Paris. Give them some encouragement by donating to their fundraising page: https://bit.ly/3vTnaeL

RaceAcrossEurope #ElectricalCharity

Six weeks, 7 Europe’s landmarks, 1601 miles, your team of 5 people, dedication and a competitive spirit – this is what it’s going to take for you to become the champion of EIC Race Across Europe. Sign up today: https://bit.ly/2OwDgLt

Sleepstation #ElectricalCharity

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12. Regional Committee Fundraising Events

----- Start of picture text -----
||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |2021/22| |2020/21 - Covid lockdown| |£8,212|2019/20| |Eastern|£0|2018/19| |£14,107| |£17,830| |£17,572| |South West|£18,870| |£28,356| |£29,242| |£18,145| |London|£-225| |£14,077| |£18,613| |£49,404| |Midlands|£7,584| |£41,646| |£27,950| |£-30| |£-800| |Northern Ireland| |£11,734| |£19,937| |£61,016| |£-663| |Glasgow|£72,001| |£59,433| |£11,829| |£-316| |Edinburgh|£23,110| |£17,273| |£11,863| |Southern|£-1,357| |£57,769| |£45,805| |£14,703| |£0| |Tyne & Wear|£16,428| |£12,117| |£24,648| |£0| |Yorkshire|£24,310| |£21,489| |£19,457| |£4,463| |Western|£14,367| |£8,197| |£|£10,000|£20,000|£30,000|£40,000|£50,000|£60,000|£70,000|

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Our Regional Committees organise and host over 30 events throughout the year. From golf days to dinners, and fishing days to glamorous balls they generate a big percentage of EIC annual income. Not only do these events and activities provide much-needed funds, but they also spread the message about the Charity’s ability to assist employees and their families as well as businesses.

Northern Ireland Regional

Eastern Regional Committee

Southern Regional Committee

Yorkshire Regional Committee

Committee

Eastern Regional Committee Andie Morris (Chairman) – Dimplex Martin Cordrey – ECA Dave Cowan – Schneider Electric Mark Grafflin – Edmundson Electrical Nigel Ford – TRILUX Ken Bird – Allied Services Nicola Pearce – Stearn Ben Wakeman – DPL Group Sean Stuteley – Lark Technology

Mark Mitchell (Chairman) – Kew Electrical Jo Stimson (Vice Chairperson) – Heat Mat Karen McAvoy (Chairperson) – Ireland’s Ian Lawson – Zumtobel Group Electrical Magazine Kevin Rolfe – Legrand Electric Adrian Coveney – Luceco Neil Chapman – Timeguard Paul Russell – Schneider Electric Chris Tolfrey – LE Installations Terri George – Ansell Lighting Daren Pool – Triple Star Fire and Security Daniel Lawrence – Eaton

Andy Roach (Chairman) Eric Dyer – EWS Limited Diane Bywell – Timeguard Matthew Barnett – Morgan Sindall Ian Dennon – Scolmore Group Graham Coxon – Edmundson Electrical Paul Hodgson – Edmundson Electrical Mark Ginn – Hager James Coss – City Electrical Factors Angus Long – Skanwear Victoria Steventon-Paterson – Skanwear

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|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |2021/22| |2020/21 - Covid lockdown| |2019/20| |2018/19| |31,464|28140|0|56185| |0|0|0|0| |Income| |28,493|138006|27404|57591| |28,878|103438|44845|56807| |22,760|16250|30|31537| |Expenditure|0|1357|800|0| |Region|13,965|79672|15390|32564| |10,072|57273|23852|34403| |492|26|0|0| |Expenditure|0|0|0|0| |HO|421|565|280|718| |977|360|1056|915| |8,212|11863|-30|24648| |Net Profit|0 14,107|-1357 57769|-80 11734|0 24310| |17,830|45805|19937|21489|

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 63

Tyne & Wear Regional Committee

Edinburgh Regional Committee

Glasgow Regional Committee

South West Regional Committee

London Regional Committee

Western Regional Committee

Midlands Regional Committee

Fred Dickinson (Chairman) – CP Electronics Fred Hood (Secretary) – McNally and Thompson

Derick Ramsay (Chairman) – Zumtobel Group

Isabel Smith (Chairperson) – Edmundson Electrical

Steve Vaslet (Chairman) – EDF Energy Dave Chalk (Secretary)

David Fielder (Chairman) – Edmundson Electrical

Gary Hutchins (Chairman) – City Electrical Factors

Stewart Gregory (President) – Schneider Electric

Neil MacEachern – Schneider Electric

Ken McQuaker (Secretary) – Rexel Barry McInally – Schneider Electric

Tina Hemmings – Edmundson Electrical Ian Young – Edmundson Electrical David Abrahams – Schneider Electric Lee Barry – Rexel Robin Tilling – CEF

Steve Mace (Vice Chair) Mick Brown – Kew Electrical Joanna Mee – 3Phase Recruitment Neil Crook – Kosnic Lighting

Butch Rai (Chairman) – IDS Electrical Belinda Colwell – BELL Lighting Paul McHale – Central Electrical Distributors

Dave Miller (Treasurer) – EDF Energy Roy Christie (Vice Chairman)

Alistair Maltman – Tofco CPP Ltd Shaun Harrison – Scolmore Kenneth Wilson – Rexel Derek Howie – Tetra Tech

Stuart Dickinson (Committee Member) – Rexel

Gerry Young – Siemens

Steve Jerram – Schneider Electric

Noel Plant (Committee Member) – Meldrum Facilities Ltd

David MacDonald – MACD Electrical Gregor Morrison – Aico

Tony Mills (Golf Chairman) Paul Meddings Tony Vearncombe Nicola Surman – Hager

Robin Weaving – Edmundson Electrical Lee Austin – Legrand Tracey Hazlewood – Hager

Karl Snowdon (Committee Member) – Park Electrical Distributors Ltd

Rachel McMurray – Zumtobel Group Ian Lawson – Zumtobel Group

Eddie Featherstone – H & S Electrical Wholesalers

Adrian Parry – Scolmore Jon Chamberlain – Marshall Tufflex Matthew Coulson – Schneider Electric Andy Procter – City Electrical Factors Graham Tasker – Unitrunk

----- Start of picture text -----
2021/22 2021/22
2020/21 - Covid lockdown 2020/21 - Covid lockdown
2019/20 2019/20
2018/19 2018/19
31125 31299 109309 29409 57747 42926 111373
Income 0 40179 -300 39129 -600123353 18875 41897 Income 0 49315 9859 43599 13960 93328
29732 32660 95736 43063 50351 34619 74338
16421 19457 48713 11702 39602 23568 61787
Expenditure 0 16 63 6 Expenditure 115 5396 6224
Region 22949 15944 51103 13402 Region 35142 28980 50700
16311 14288 35401 12844 31500 24732 45232
0 14 -435 135 0 -98 182
Expenditure 0 0 0 0 Expenditure 0 0 152
HO 803 75 249 140 HO 96 252 982
1303 1098 902 977 238 1690 1156
14703 11829 61031 17572 18145 19457 49404
0 -316 -663 18870 -225 4463 7584
Net Profit 16428 23110 72001 28356 Net Profit 14077 14367 41646
12117 17273 59433 29242 18613 8197 27950
----- End of picture text -----

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13. Our PR & Media Partners

The Electrical Industries Charity is fortunate to have close ties with many industry organisation’s PR and media departments, who generously provide opportunities to raise awareness of the Charity, Charity campaigns and fundraising initiatives. Our PR and media partners for 2021/22 included:

Building Services

Small contractors

Lighting

Electrical

BSEE Large contractors Building Engineer Cable Talk (Scotland SELECT) CIBSE Journal ECA Today Energy in Buildings & Industry Electrical (Ireland) (EiBI) Electrical Contracting News Modern Building Services Electrical Engineering The Energyst Electrical Review Smart Buildings Electrical Trade Magazine Building Services News, Voltimum Ireland

Electrical Times Professional Electrician RWE

LEDs Magazine RIBA Journal Lighting Industry Association Architecture Today Lux Magazine arc (Lighting in Architecture) A1 Lighting The Architectural Review Architects’ Journal Dezeen

Apprentices

Sparks

Electrical Wholesaler W&ED ERT

ERT Magazine JIB Newsletter Engineering Update

Highways Electrical News Architect’s Choice Innovative Electrical Retailing reNEWS

Voltimum

ECA Today

Process Engineering Trimble NAPIT Magazine NICEIC

14. Legal and Administrative Information

The Electrical Industries Charity Limited is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (No. 2726030) and a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (No. 1012131) and the Office of the Scottish Regulator (No. SCO38811).

Finance

Members of the Council

Patron

ExcluServ 73 Watling St London EC4M 9BJ

Mr S Mackenzie Mr A Simms (Retired November 2021) Mr T Foreman Mr D Gardiner Mr D Fielder Mr A Reakes Mr P Elliott Ms J Stimson (Independent Trading Company Director) Mrs A Chappell Mr D McDonald Mr G Fielder

Her Majesty the Queen

Council

The Electrical Industries Charity is governed by a Council which meets a minimum of four times during the year. The President is the Chair of Council, which consists of up to 12 Members including the President.

Investment Managers UBS 5 Broadgate Cir London EC2M 2QS

Members of Council

Statutory Auditors

Council comprises the following Members, who are Trustees and Directors, and who held office during the period:

Haines Watts Old Station House, Station Approach Newport Street Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3DU

Managing Director/CEO & Company Secretary Tessa Ogle

President and Chairman of the Council

Mr S Gregory Vice Presidents Mr J Saunders Mr N Hooper

Registered office

Solicitors

MacRoberts LLP Capella, 60 York Street Glasgow G2 8JX

Rotherwick House, 3 Thomas More St, London, E1W 1YZ

Bankers

National Westminster Bank plc Commercial Banking Centre 2nd Floor, County Gate 2, Stacey’s Street Maidstone, Kent ME14 1ST

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15. Structure, Governance and Management

15.1 THE ROLE OF COUNCIL

Council leads and controls the Electrical Industries Charity via the Managing Director to deliver the organisation’s aims and objectives and to set strategic direction and policy so as to uphold its mission, vision and values.

15.1.1 Council responsibilities

In directing the affairs of the Electrical Industries Charity, ensuring it is solvent, well run and delivering the outcomes for which it was founded, Council’s strategic and leadership responsibilities (which cannot be delegated) are to:

15.1.2 Council Members and their statutory responsibilities

The Council Members are responsible for preparing the Report of the Board of Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Operations Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the Council Members

to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Council Members are required to:

subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial

The Council Members are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as Council Members are aware:

15.1.3 Appointment to Council

All appointments to Council are subject to approval by Council. Names are put forward either to fill a vacancy on Council which arises during the year, as part of The Electrical Industries Charity’s retirement processes (as set out in the Articles of Association) or to fill a skills gap in Council. Council considers those individuals whose skills and experience meet the needs of the organisation in the following (broad) areas:

A President may be appointed by Council for a period of three years or more.

The President’s role is to chair Council meetings, to provide leadership and focus on the Electrical Industries Charity’s activities and to be the principal point of contact between Council and the Managing Director. The President may be assisted by Vice President(s) in furtherance of the President’s role externally, but not necessarily on Council.

15.1.4 Council Members’ training

Induction – a full pack of information relating to roles and responsibilities, strategic issues and reports on activities is given to new Council Members, together with one-to-one training and advice (usually by the Managing Director) as required.

Training can also be provided by:

15.2 SUBGROUPS OF COUNCIL

President’s Group – To discuss and review proposals presented by the Managing Director/CEO and review and make recommendations to Council on specific issues.

The President’s Group comprises the President and Vice Presidents and up to two Council Members and the Managing Director/CEO when required.

Welfare Audit Group – This subgroup provides independent assessment of the quality and effectiveness of the Electrical Industries Charity’s welfare care programmes. The Welfare Audit Group met four times in 2021/22. Welfare Audit Group members during 2021/22: J Ong (Chair), , J Leggot, A Boldero, B Venables, R Radford, S.Mooney M. Bullon, K Rolfe and M Dore.

Working Groups were set up during the year to provide specialist advice and support to the Managing Director and reports to the Council.

Finance, Business Planning, Investment and IT – The purpose of the Finance Working Group (FWG) is to oversee the systems, controls and processes that may have an impact on the Charity’s ability to meet its objectives. This Working Group reports to the Council on matters regarding their financial responsibilities including financial risk management. Its role includes Budgeting and Financial Performance, Internal Financial Control and Financial Risk Management, Financial Reporting and External Audit, Reserves and Investments, and IT Strategy. Members during 2021/22 – T Appleton, T Foreman, D Gardiner and T Lambeth.

Fundraising Committee – The purpose of the Fundraising Committee is to derive strategies for maximising Charity presences within the industry, as well as develop, grow and champion fundraising initiatives to maintain and increase our fundraising income stream. The Fundraising Committee met once in 2021/2022. Members during 2020-2021 – E Embleton, S Gregory, N Hooper, A Moseley and J Saunders.

EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 69

Tessa Ogle / Jess Vailima Managing Director/CEO

Desiree Edwards

Kate Adamczyk

Finance and Administration Marketing, Business Officer Development Director

Nicola Bane

Terrence Nell

Liva Ivanova

Communications Regional Events Graphic Designer Executive Manager

Jasmin Baines

Senior Event Coordinator

Rachael Morgan

Event Coordinator

Jamella Johnson Event Coordinator

Tessa Ogle

Team Manager, Welfare Services

Nikki Schackwitz

Senior Welfare Officer

Rebecca Jennings Senior Welfare Officer

Lucy Raemers

Welfare Officer

Marcella McArthur Welfare Officer

Grace Ellis Welfare Officer

15.3 MANAGEMENT AND STAFF

The Managing Director/CEO is the senior member of staff who reports to and is accountable to Council. The Managing Director is responsible for all operational aspects of the Charity’s activities and also has a leading role in devising the strategy and taking recommendations to Council for review and approval.

There are departmental functions for charitable (welfare) services, fundraising and marketing, employing nine staff. Financial processing and IT support are outsourced under contract with ExcluServ and TechQuarters. The Electrical Industries Charity has a Finance and Office Administrator who acts as the liaison with ExcluServ and supports the Managing Director and manages other aspects of office administration.

15.4 ACCOMMODATION AND FACILITIES

The head office is based in London in Rotherwick House, 3 Thomas More St, London, E1W 1YZ. The building is with other industry trade associations.

15.5 VOLUNTEERS

The benefit gained from a volunteer base with dedicated input into the Electrical Industries Charity’s activities is incalculable. All Council Members and subgroup Members are volunteers and devote considerable time and effort. The Regional Committees covering England, Scotland and Northern Ireland boasted over 100 volunteer Members who actively raise funds and awareness for the Charity.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 71

16. Fundraising

16.1.1 Fundraising approach

We rely on several different fundraising approaches in order to raise funds cost-effectively from a range of sources, raising awareness of our work and allowing supporters to contribute in ways that are most appropriate for them. This includes fundraising face to face at industry events, emails, online and press advertising, legacies and corporate partners. Most individual fundraising is done through online platforms such as Enthuse and JustGiving.

16.1.2 Fundraising standards

We are members of the Institute of Fundraising (IOF) and the Fundraising Regulator, and as such abide by the Code of Fundraising Practice as well as the rulebooks for event fundraising. We abide by the Fundraising Regulator’s Fundraising Promise, and strive to ensure our fundraising is open, honest, legal and respectful. We have moved to an ‘opt-out’ model of freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous consent for any email marketing only done at Charity or trading company-run events.

16.1.3 Fundraising on our behalf

As an industry charity we engage with our members to carry out fundraising on our behalf. This is done on a volunteer basis. They engage our industry in our industry event by discussing ways in which they can support us, appropriately and proportionately. Every year, we work with 11 regional committees across the country to fulfil this objective. At any event run by the trading subsidiary or the Charity our in-house fundraising team will be present, and both the staff and regional committee members will speak to potential supporters in this way. As a result of these conversations, many are inspired to start individual challenge fundraising, generating significant income that we direct to supporting people in crisis in our industry. We require any regional committee working on our behalf to adhere to our fundraising standards. All regional committees are issued regional income and expenditure reports every quarter to ensure transparency with our members. We don’t engage any professional fundraising organisations and don’t intend to in the future. We work with a number of strategic corporate

partners who support our work through financial and non-financial donations, as well as employee and customer fundraising. We also receive one-off support from companies, particularly as part of challenge-for-a-cause appeals. Our corporate partnerships are subject to our ethical policy.

16.1.4 Monitoring of fundraising activities and

protecting people in vulnerable circumstances

We have policies in place, endorsed by our Board of Trustees, which govern our fundraising activities, whether they are carried out internally or through our regional committees. We have regional reports in place to monitor our in-house teams and regional committee fundraisers, as well as the conversations they have on our behalf with both supporters and members of the industry. This includes thorough monitoring, regular interfacing with our fundraising staff and a policy for complaints and remedial actions. Our aim is to ensure that potential supporters feel informed, genuinely thanked and inspired by their conversation, regardless of its outcome. We are committed to ensuring that we always treat the industry sensitively and respectfully, taking special care to protect people who may find themselves in vulnerable circumstances. Our fundraisers trained in-house are aware of the signs of potential vulnerability in anyone they speak to on our behalf, as well as the steps we expect them to take on the rare occasions when they do have concerns.

This approach has been developed in consultation with our specialist welfare staff, and is in line with the requirements of the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005, as well as with the Institute of Fundraising’s Treating Donors Fairly Guidance.

16.1.5 Complaints

We have a robust and well-established complaints procedure. In 20212022 we received no complaints from members of the industry about our fundraising activities. We have nothing to report in respect of failures and/or breaches, which we have taken to include complaints or breaches referred to, and upheld by, either the ICO or the Fundraising Regulator.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 73

17. Future Plans

Challenge 2025 outlines an ambitious but achievable plan to become the leading charity offering preventative and high-impact solutions that genuinely meet the wellbeing needs of the electrical and energy industries. Challenge 2025 is the roadmap for the future of our Charity and our commitment to serve our industry by continuing the ethos that has underpinned who we are and what we do for the last 100 years.

Our plans for the future are designed to be simple and meaningful. We will focus on becoming a leading provider offering preventative and high-impact solutions, genuinely meeting the wellbeing needs of the electrical and energy industries.

The most acute learnings that embody our future plans are as follows:

Future thinking

Every large case that we take on contains a multitude of quite separate problems. But when approached as complicated rather than complex, we can successfully address the parts of the whole in best helping our clients. EIC is quite unique in its ability to do this. We will capture and grow this capacity by taking a leading-edge position on pragmatic caregiving.

Future funding model

Large cases will now be funded under the Challenge for a Cause model, giving donors a direct and tangible role in the outcomes that are possible. And membership of powerLottery will be tied to the provision of extensive counselling options.

Using technology platforms to drive fundraising and capitalise on the COVID technical uptake.

New frontiers: advocacy + altruism

We are expanding on two fronts – altruism and advocacy. The EIC is moving into new territory with its advocacy on issues of major significance. So, outwardly, advocacy on issues of mental health, anchored by a growing internal focus on the giving aspect of altruism. This will be called the EIC Campaigns programme.

This will be decoupled from the ‘theoretical’ aspect of giving through the expansion of powerLottery as a unique identifier for industry members to define their own values and contribution.

Commercial partnerships changing our funding model

Our emphasis on partnering is a key feature of our future plans. Our internal partners – electrical firms, fundraising groups and committees – will be the high-density fabric of EIC. They will increasingly be seen as the conduit to our industry, and increased emphasis on their role will see new and stronger communities emerge.

Externally our partners will continue to grow year on year – providing umbrella coverage across both issues and communities.

Greater than>

Growth in our profile will be accelerated by and for the programmes. We will grow based on our leadership position in providing a ‘greater than’ return to our industry.

EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 75

74

18. Trustees’ Financial Review

18.1 FINANCIAL POSITION

The financial statements incorporate the results of the trading subsidiary Electrical Industries Trading Company Limited, the subsidiary-administered powerBall, Mental Health Training, and all regional industry events.

activity from £1.111m in 2019/20 to £1.9481m in 2021/22.

The cost increases were a direct result of event expenditure and more investment in services supporting those in the industry with mental health problems. The resources expended have been allocated to cost headings in accordance with the SORP.

Total income increased significantly due to COVID restruction on events being taken away from £1.122m in 2020/21 to £2.093m in 2021/22. This is largely attributed to the corporate donations and individual fundraising efforts, the Challenge for a Cause events pushing up both individual and corporate donations. Total costs increased due to event

Certain income streams of the Charity are seasonal while costs are incurred on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

----- Start of picture text -----
2%
2%
5% 3%
16%
15%
26%
24%
12%
31%
16%
16%
25%
7%
----- End of picture text -----

How we spent the money

Where money came from

Expenditure

Income

18.1.1 Net Assets

Net assets amounted to £4.774m as of 31st March 2022, which is slightly up on the previous year. Uncertainty in UK and US markets has refocused the asset allocations. We expect further decline in market conditions throughout 2023.

2021/22 2020/21

£4,774m

£4,638m

2019/20 £3,848m

2018/19 £4,663m 2017/18

£4,663m £5,465m

18.2 INVESTMENT STRATEGY

The Electrical Industries Charity is a benevolent charity managed by Trustees, whose purpose is to provide people in the electrical industries with a handup in their time of need. The financial objective of the Charity is to grow real value of the investment portfolio while generating a stable and sustainable return, to fund a shortfall of income and to ensure grant giving remains at 25% of total income or higher.

The inflation measure most relevant to the Charity’s expenditure is the Retail Price Index. The Charity has approximately £4m in a balanced investment portfolio with investment manager UBS. The Charity aims to distribute grants of between £400k and £500k per annum, but this can vary from year to year

depending on the number of financial grant applications and investment returns. The operating expenditure has remained relatively consistent over the last three years.

The Trustees of the Charity have delegated decision-making on investment matters to the Finance Working Group (Committee) in undertaking quarterly reviews and biannual reviews with our investment manager.

18.2.1 Investment objectives

18.3 RISK

18.3.1 Attitude to risk

The Charity relies on the investment return to fund shortfall in income. Financial grants have largely been operating at 20% to 27% of income for the last 10 years. The Charity approach to risk is to place risk where it is best placed to be managed, hence the appointment of the Independent Financial Advisor and retaining UBS to manage our investment with a clear mandate to obtain returns of 5% net per annum.

The Trustees are able to tolerate volatility of the capital value of the Charity, as long as the Charity is able to meet its commitments through either income or liquid capital assets.

*In 2020/21 accounts, unrealised gains were excluded from the pie charts. For consistency, unrealised gains/losses are excluded from this set of accounts too.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 77

18.3.2 Use of leverage

An independent investment advisor has provided cash-flow models showing the inclusion of leverage within the portfolio to increase the potential return without increasing the volatility of assets within the portfolio. Although the facility is in place it wasn’t utilised during the financial year.

In brief, UBS will provide a loan facility secured against the investment portfolio at a rate of 1.8% over the three-month LIBOR* (circa 0.5%), and these funds will be invested to provide income and capital growth.

The portfolio managers will alter the style of the portfolio to ensure cover is in place for interest payments.

Here is an example of how it works:

£5,000,000 original portfolio at 5% growth = £250,000

£2,500,000 cash from loan at 5% growth = £125,000

£2,500,000 loan at 2.3% interest = £57,500

Net profit from leverage = £317,500, which is an increased net growth of 6.35% over the original 5%.

Assets

The invested assets can be invested widely and should be diversified by asset class, by manager and by security. Asset classes could include cash, bonds, equities, property, hedge funds, structured products, private equity, commodities and any other asset that is deemed suitable for the Charity. The Finance Working Group will have the role of reviewing UBS (the Investment Manager) portfolio but will not direct investment decision. UBS are charged with agreeing a suitable asset allocation strategy with the Finance Working Group, which is set to achieve the overall investment objective. Annually the Finance Working Group will advise UBS of cash-flow needs. Additionally, an independent advisor will review the performance of UBS against both their own panelled peer group and against industry benchmarks.

18.3.3 Currency

18.3.4 Liquidity requirements

The Charity aims to distribute financial grants of between £400 and £500k per annum. This can be funded from both income and the investment. The Trustees wish to keep at least 25% of the assets in investments that can be realised within three months. To allow for volatility of capital values, the Trustees wish to maintain at least one year’s worth of budgeted grant making in liquid investments. A minimum of 10% of the total investment portfolio should be kept in cash or near cash investments at all times.

18.3.5 Time horizon

The Charity is expected to exist in perpetuity, and investments should be managed to meet the investment objective and ensure this sustainability. The Charity adopts a long-term investment time horizon focused on certainty over the next 10 years.

18.4 STAFF & TRUSTEES

The number of employees during the year whose gross pay and benefits fell within the following bands was:

Banding Group. Group Group
2022 No 2021 No. 2020 No.
£20,000 - £30,000 3 3 3
£30,001 - £40,000 4 4 7
£40,001 - £50,000 1 1 1
£50,001 - £60,000 1 0 0
£60,001 - £70,000 0 0 0
£70,001 - £80,000 0 0 0
£80,001 - £90,000 0 0 0
£90,001 - £100,000 0 0 0
£100,001 - £110,000 0 0 0


£110,001 - £120,000
£120,001 - £130,000
£130,001 - £140,000		 0
0
0		 1
0
0		 1
0
0
£140,001 - £150,000 0 0 0
£150,001 - £160,000 1 0 0

a) Remuneration

The pay of all staff is reviewed annually and normally increased in accordance with average earnings. In view of the nature of the Charity, the Trustees’ benchmark against pay levels in other benevolent associations and other charities of a similar size and consider industry experience. The remuneration benchmark is the mid-point of the range paid for similar roles adjusted for a weighting of up to 25% for any additional responsibilities. If recruitment has proven difficult in the recent past, a market addition is also paid with the pay maximum no greater than the highest benchmarked salary for a comparable role. The total compensation paid to Ms Ogle for services provided to the Charity was between £150,000 - £160,000. Ms Ogle brings substantial experience and skills in managing large and complex operations to the Electrical Industries Charity, strengths that are reflected in her salary, which is on a level comparable with that of others of like position in the sector. Our market research showed that, in the same year, the median pay of other charity chief executives was £149,500 and the median pay of industry managing directors was £167,000.

b) Trustees

Trustees were reimbursed expenses in 2021/22 to the value of £351 (2020 £0 was claimed). This represents travel and subsistence incurred in attending meetings and events in their official capacity. As permitted by the Articles of Association, the Trustees have the benefit of a qualifying third-party indemnity provision as defined by Section 234 of the Companies Act 2006. It was in force throughout the last financial year and is currently in force. The Charity purchased and maintained throughout the year Trustees’ and Officers’ liability insurance in respect of itself and its Trustees.

18.5 FINANCIAL HEALTH

Council is satisfied there are sufficient income streams and reserves to enable the organisation to provide for its current and planned welfare activities without jeopardising the organisation’s financial health. The Council has invested time in revising the investment strategy for 2021/22 and will seek independent financial advice to assist with managing UBS.

18.5.1 Principal funding sources

The principal sources of funds are:

18.5.2 Reserves policy

The Council considers the adequate level of unrestricted reserves to be 24 months’ worth of overall expenditure. The current level of reserves is in excess of this level, but a clear strategy is in design, to increase the level of activity in the organisation using the current reserves to fund such expansion, leaving the desired level of reserves and turnover ratio within the next five years. All funds held at the year end are unrestricted.

Free reserves (unrestricted reserves not tied up in functional fixed) assets are £4.666m against £4.540m in 2021.

18.5.3 Designated funds

Designated funds are part of unrestricted funds which Council have earmarked for particular projects, without restricting or committing the funds legally. The designation may be cancelled by the Council if they later decide that the Charity should not proceed or continue with the project for which the funds were designated. No funds were designated at year end.

18.6 AUDITORS

In accordance with the Companies Act 2006, it is proposed to re-appoint Haines Watts at the 2021 Annual General Meeting.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 79

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of the Electrical Industries Charity Limited (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiary (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the group Statement of Financial Activities, group and parent charitable company Balance Sheets, group Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in

the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group and parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report, other than the financial statements and our Report of the Independent Auditors thereon.

Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 81

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED GROUP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Report of the Trustees.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 66 to 67, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the group’s and parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either

intend to liquidate the group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue a Report of the Independent Auditors that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to both the charity itself and the environment in which it operates. We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements from our sector experience and through discussion with the directors and other management. The most significant were identified as the Companies Act 2006, UK GAAP Charity SORP (FRS102), Charities Act 2011 and relevant tax legislation.

We considered the extent of compliance with those laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related financial statements. Our audit procedures included:

Despite the audit being planned and conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) there remains an unavoidable risk that material misstatements in the financial statements may not be detected owing to inherent limitations of the audit, and that by their very nature, any such instances of fraud or irregularity likely involve collusion, forgery, intentional misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www. frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Report of the Independent Auditors.

Use of Our Report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members and trustees, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s [members and its trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members and trustees as a body and the charitable company’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Susan Plumb (Senior statutory auditor)

for and on behalf of Haines Watts, Statutory Auditor Old Station House Station Approach Newport Street Swindon

SN1 3DU

Haines Watts is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 83

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED GROUP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED GROUP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Company Number: 2726030

(incorporating the income and expenditure account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

INCOME Notes Unrestricted
Funds
£’000		 Restricted
Funds
£’000		 2022
Total
Funds
£’000		 2021
Total
Funds
£’000
Income from:
Donations and legacies 2 486 61 547 416
Trading activities at Branches
Trading activities at Head Offce		 3 177
418		 -
-		 177
418		 25
393
Trading activities from subsidiary
5		 818 - 818 183
Investments 4 95 - 95 92
Other income 38 - 38 13
Total income -----------
2,032		 -----------
61		 -----------
2,093		 -----------
1,122
EXPENDITURE
Raising funds 6
Raising funds at Branches
Raising funds at Head Offce		 73
301		 -
-		 73
301		 14
218
Raising funds by subsidiary 624 - 624 178
Charitable activities 6
Support, advice and helpline 469 61 530 415
Financial assistance (grants) 306 - 306 217
Other charitable costs 6 50 - 50 13
Other Costs
Other governance 6 64 - 64 56
Total expenditure -----------
1,887		 -----------
61		 -----------
1,948		 -----------
1,111
Net (losses)/gains on investments (9) - (9) 779
NET INCOME / EXPENDITURE -----------
136		 -----------
-		 -----------
136		 -----------
790
Transfers between funds - - - -
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS -----------
136		 -----------
-		 -----------
136		 -----------
790
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward 4,638 - 4,638 3,848
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 17 -----------
4,774
========		 -----------
-
========		 -----------
4,774
========		 -----------
4,638
========

There are no other realised gains and losses other than those shown in the above Statement of Financial Activities.

All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.

The notes on pages 85 to 91 form part of these financial statements.

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED GROUP AND COMPANY BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2022

Company Number: 2726030

22
Group 2022 Charity Group 2021 Charity
FIXED ASSETS Notes £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Tangible assets 10 18 18 7 7
Investments 11 4,396 4,396 4,205 4,205
Programme related investments 12 90 90 91 91
------------- ------------- ------------- ---------------
CURRENT ASSETS 4,504 4,504 4,303 4,303
Debtors 13 601 225 451 251
Cash at bank and in hand 613 317 578 256
-------------- ------------- --------------- ---------------
CREDITORS:Amounts falling 1,214 542 1,029 507
due within one year 14 (944) (272) (694) (175)
-------------- ------------- --------------- ---------------
NET CURRENT ASSETS 270 270 335 332
------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
NET ASSETS 4,774 4,774 4,638 4,635
ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITIES’ FUNDS ======= ======= ======= =======
Restricted 17 - - - -
Unrestricted 17 4,774 4,774 4,638 4,635
------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
TOTAL FUNDS 4,774 4,774 4,638 4,635
======= ======= ======= ======

Approved and authorised for issue by the Members of Council on 17th of November 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

Stewart Gregory Jeremy Saunders President and Council Member Vice President and Council Member

The notes on pages 85 to 91 form part of these financial statements.

84 THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED GROUP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 85

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED GROUP CASHFLOW STATEMENT AS AT 31 MARCH 2022

Company Number: 2726030

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

1. Accounting Policies

Company Number: 2726030

charitable company has taken advantage of section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 to not publish its own Statement of Financial Activities.

(a) Basis of accounting

2022 2021
Notes £’000 £’000
Cash fow from operating activities
Cash fow from investing activities
Payments to acquire tangible fxed assets		 18 252
(18)		 99
(1)
Payments to acquire investments (200) -
Receipts from programme related investments 1 9
----------- -----------
Net cash fow from investing activities 35 107
----------- -----------
Cash fow from fnancing activities
(Repayment) / receipt from overdraft facility - (1)
Interest paid - -
Interest received - -
----------- -----------
Net cash fow from fnancing activities - (1)
----------- -----------
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 35 106
Cash and cash equivalents at start date 2021 578 472
----------- -----------
Cash and cash equivalents at end date 2022 613 578
======== ========
Cash and cash equivalents consists of:-
Cash at bank and in hand 613 578
Overdraft - -
----------- -----------
Cash and cash equivalents at end date 2022
613		 578
======== ========

(c) Branch Accounting

The Electrical Industries Charity Limited is a company limited by guarantee in the United Kingdom. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity. The address of the registered office is given in the charity information on page 65 of these financial statements. The nature of the charity’s operations and principal activities are explained in the Trustees Report.

The financial statements include the assets and accumulated funds, and the income and expenditure of the branches and is accounted for centrally.

(d) Income and expenditure account

An income and expenditure account has not been prepared as the operating surplus would be identical to that shown by the statement of financial activities as shown on pages 82.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The surplus would be identical to that shown by the statement of financial financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting activities as shown on pages 82. and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial (e) Income Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the Income is accounted for on the following basis: United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2001, the • Subscriptions and donations are accounted for when received. Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 • Investment income is accounted for on an accruals basis. January 2015. • Legacies are accrued if the Charity’s legal entitlement can be confirmed and the sum can be quantified. The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention, • Other incoming resources are accounted for when received. modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements • Restricted income and expenditure is treated as restricted within the are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and terms of the agreement with the funder.

The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £000.

(f) Resources expended

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.

Expenditure including irrecoverable VAT is charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on an accruals basis.

There are no material uncertainties regarding the group’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Charitable Activities

Expenditure on charitable activities comprises those costs directly attributable to the activities including grants, the administration of grants, the promotion of the charity’s charitable services and the provision of advice and support. Included within charitable activities expenditure is an appropriate allocation of support costs (see below).

(b) Consolidation

The Electrical Industries Charity Trading Limited is a wholly owed subsidiary of the charitable company. Accordingly the results of the subsidiary are consolidated on a line by line basis into these financial statements. The

86

EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 87

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED GROUP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Governance

Governance costs include the costs of complying with the Companies Act, the Charities Act and meeting the information and compliance requirements of the Charity Commission. These costs include the preparation and audit of the annual report and financial statements. Governance costs also include the estimated cost of preparing the information required by the Trustees to manage the charity’s affairs.

Support costs

Support costs comprise costs such as administration, finance, IT and general management which are necessary to the delivery of the activities of the charity but are not directly attributable to a given activity. Support costs are allocated to charitable activities cost of generating funds or governance on a consistent basis. Details are given in note 6.

Grants

Grants expenditure includes the payment of monetary grants to beneficiaries and expenditure made in providing beneficiaries with goods and services. Grant expenditure is recognised once the award of a grant has been approved and communicated to the recipient on the basis that the charity is at that point morally obliged to pay the grant.

(j) Debtors and creditors receivable / payable within one year

Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.

(k) Funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

3. Trading activities at Head Office

5. Activities from Subsidiary Undertaking

Trading activities at Head Ofce 5. Activities from Subsidiary Undertaking
Restricted Unrestricted 2022 2021
Funds Funds 2022 2021 £’000 £’000
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 Turnover 818 183
Cost of sales and administration costs (635) (181)
Annual Ball (powerball)
Lottery income
-
-		 37
340		 37
340		 -
366		 Net proft / (loss) ----------
183		 ----------
185
Other functions - 41 41 27 Amount gift aided to the charity 185 29
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Retained by the subsidiary - 2
- 418 418 393 ====== =====
====== ====== ====== ====== Assets 696 695
Liabilities (696) (693)
the 2021 income £nil related to restricted funds. Net assets / liabilities ----------
-		 ----------
2
her income relating to t he Annual Ball (powerball) is accounted for in the ====== =====

Of the 2021 income £nil related to restricted funds.

Other income relating to the Annual Ball (powerball) is accounted for in the trading subsidiary (see note 5).

The wholly owned trading subsidiary The Electrical Industries Trading Company Limited pays all its profits to the charity under the gift aid scheme.

4. Investment income

(g) Tangible assets

Fixed assets are recorded at cost. Depreciation is calculated at rates estimated to write off the cost of assets over their estimated useful lives. The annual rates in use are:

Computer equipment – 25% straight line

(h) Donated assets

Donated assets are included in fixed assets at an estimate of their value to the charity at the date of receipt.

(i) Investments

Fixed Asset Investments are included at market value at the balance sheet date. Any gain or loss on revaluation is taken to the Statement of Financial Activity

2. Donation income

Restricted Unrestricted
Funds Funds 2022 2021
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Donations by:
Appeals 61 - 61 -
Companies - 371 371 231
Individuals
Gifts in kind		 -
-		 106
8		 106
8		 78
6
Legacies - 1 1 101
----------
61		 ----------
486		 ----------
547		 ----------
416
====== ====== ====== ======

Of the 2021 income £nil related to restricted funds.

Restricted Unrestricted Funds Funds 2022 2021 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 Interest on deposits & bank accounts - - - - Investment income - 95 95 92 -------------------------------------------95 95 92 ====== ====== ====== ======

Of the 2021 income £nil related to restricted funds.

88

EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 89

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED GROUP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

7. Staff costs and numbers

6. Expenditure

Direct Other Allocated Total Total 2022 2021 staff direct Support Costs costs £’000 £’000 costs costs Costs 2022 2021 Total remuneration of employees was: £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 Salaries 537 431 Fund Raising: Social Security costs 55 42 Fund-raising by Branches - 63 10 73 14 Pension contributions 30 25 Fund-raising by Head Office 61 230 10 301 218 ------------------Fund-raising by subsidiary 73 551 - 624 178 622 498 ====== ======

Charitable activities:

One employee in 2021/22 received annual remuneration in the band of £150,000 - £159,999. (2021 one employee in the band of £100,000 - £109,999). Included in salary costs is £nil (2021 £5k) of redundancy payments.

Support, advice and Help Line Services 449 24 57 530 415 Financial assistance (grants) - 306 - 306 217 Other charitable costs 39 2 9 50 13 Governance and - 55 9 64 56

The average number of employees during the year based on full time equivalents was 12 (2021: 9) They were engaged in the following activities:

Governance and

management costs

---------- ---------------------------- ---------622 1,231 95 1,948 1,111 Number Number ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== Management 1 1 Support, advice and Helpline services 5 4 2022 2021 Fundraising 4 2 £’000 £’000 Business Development 0 0 Support costs were as follows: Finance and Administration 1 1 Information technology 18 10 Graphic Designer 1 1 Premises and facilities 30 30 ------------------Accountancy and finance costs 29 29 12 9 Other costs 18 39 ====== ====== ------------------95 108 The charity operates a defined contribution scheme for its staff. Pension ====== ======

The charity operates a defined contribution scheme for its staff. Pension contributions for the year amounted to £30k (2021 £25k).

Total expenditure for the year includes:

Key Management remuneration

Audit fees 12 12 Depreciation 7 6 ====== ======

Key management personnel include all persons that have authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the charity. The total compensation paid to key management personnel for services provided to the charity was £187,793 (2021:£133,219).

8. Council Members Remuneration

11. Investments - Charity

8. Council Members Remuneration 8. Council Members Remuneration 8. Council Members Remuneration 11. Investments - Charity
No fees are paid to Council Members for their services as Board Members.
Directly incurred expenses are reimbursed, if claimed. £351 in expenses 2022 2021
was claimed in 2022 by two trustee for travel and charity event expenses. £’000 £’000
(2021 £nil). Investments held
Market value at 31 March 2021 4,205 3,425
9. Parent charitable company Unrealised investment gains/(loss)
Cash invested		 (9)
200		 780
-
The unconsolidated surplus of the parent charitable company for the year ---------- ----------
was £138k (2021 surplus £816k). Market value at 31 March 2022 4,396 4,205
====== ======
10. Tangible Assets Market value comprises
Computer Bonds 1,197 1,135
Equipment Total Equities 2,117 2,229
£’000 £’000 Alternative Assets 476 463
Cost or valuation Cash 428 -
At 1 April 2021 29 29 Other 178 378
Additions 18 18
---------- ----------
Disposals (1) (1) 4,396 4,205
---------- ----------
At 31 March 2022 46 46
Depreciation ---------- ---------- 11. Investments - Group
At 1 April 2021 22 22
Charge for the year 7 7 2022 2021
Disposals (1) (1) £’000 £’000
---------- ---------- Investments - as above 4,396 4,205
At 31 March 2022 28 28 Investment in subsidiary - -
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Net Book Value 4,396 4,205
At 31 March 2022 18 18
====== ====== The charity holds 100% of the issued share capital of The Electrical Industries
At 31 March 2021 7 7 Trading Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (registration
====== ====== number 09237982) The trading subsidiary a ministers the a nnual Powerball

The charity holds 100% of the issued share capital of The Electrical Industries Trading Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (registration number 09237982) The trading subsidiary administers the annual Powerball Event along with other industry events.

No fixed assets are held by the trading subsidiary.

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EIC ANNUAL REPORT 2021 – 22 91

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY LIMITED GROUP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

A working capital loan of £160,000 was granted to the trading subsidiary in prior years. Interest was charged annually in arrears at the rate of 1% above the Bank of England base rate and the loan was secured on the assets of the subsidiary. The loan was repayable on demand. £60,000 was repaid during 2021 with the remainder repaid during 2022 year end.

12. Programme related investments - Group

Loans are made to beneficiaries at nil or bank base interest rates when the financial circumstances of the beneficiary and/or the purpose of the expenditure makes a grant inappropriate.

2022 2021 £’000 £’000 Opening balances at 1 April 2021 91 100 Advanced in year - - Redeemed in year (1) (9) ------------------Closing balance at 31 March 2022 90 91 ====== ======

14. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

Group Charity Group Charity 2022 2022 2021 2021 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 Trade creditors 42 15 42 5 Taxation and social security 88 25 38 15 Amount due to group undertakings - - - - Accruals and deferred income 814 232 614 155 ------------------------------------944 272 694 175 ====== ====== ====== ======

Included in loans to beneficiaries are loans of £65,362 on which no interest is charged (2021: £65,572). During the year interest rates in the range of 0.5% to 2.33% (2021: 0.5% to 2.33%) were charged on the remaining loans.

Loans to beneficiaries of £36,421 (2021: £36,401) are secured by a charge on the borrowers’ residential property.

No programme related investments were held by the subsidiary.

Included in the above is deferred income at 31 March 2022 of £737,137 (2021 £587,392) for the group and £165,200 (2021 £132,672) for the charity, all of which will be released within the next accounting period.

13. Debtors - Group

An overdraft facility available with UBS is secured by a fixed charge over all assets held with them.

Group Charity Group Charity assets held with them. 2022 2022 2021 2021 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 Amounts falling due within one year 15. Financial Commitments – Group Other debtors 339 30 250 20 2022 2021 Amount owed from group £’000 £’000 undertakings – loan - - - 100 Total future minimum lease payments Amount owed from group under operating leases are as follows: undertakings - Intercompany account - 23 - 74 Not later than one year (land and buildings) 30 30 Prepayments and Later than one and not later than five years (other) - - accrued income 262 172 201 57 Later than one and not later than five years (other) - - ------------------------------------601 225 451 251 ------------------30 30 ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======

18. Reconciliation of net expenditure to net cash flow from operating activities

16. Analysis of net assets between funds


from operating activities
Restricted Unrestricted
Funds Funds 2022 2021
£’000 £’000
 £’000 £’000 2022 2021
£’000 £’000
Tangible fxed assets
Investments
Programme related investments
Current assets
Current liabilities		 -
-

-
-
-		 18
4,396
90
1,214
(944)		 18
4,396
90
1,214
(944)		 7
4,205
91
1,029
(694)		 Net surplus for year
Depreciation of tangible fxed assets
Losses/(gains) on investments
Movement in debtors
Movement in creditors		 136
7
9
(150)
250		 790
7
(778)
9
71
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Net assets at 31 March 2022 - 4,774 4,774 4,638 Net cash fow from operating activities ----------
252		 ----------
99
====== ======

17. Funds

19. Controlling interest and related party transactions

17. Funds
2021 Income Expenditure Transfers 2022
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
General funds 4,638 2,032 (1,896) - 4,774
---------- ----------
----------		 ---------- ----------
4,638 2,032 (1,896) - 4,774
====== ====== ====== ====== ======
Restricted Funds
1 April Income Expenditure Transfers 31 Mar
2021 2022
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Case Workers Appeal - 61 (61) - -
---------- ----------
----------		 ---------- ----------
- 61 (61) - -
====== ====== ====== ====== ======

The charity was under the control of the trustees throughout this and the previous period.

During 2015 the charity made a working capital loan of £80,000 to its Trading subsidiary The Electrical Industries Trading Company Limited. Interest is charged annually in arrears at the rate of 1% above the Bank of England base rate. The loan is secured by a fixed and floating charge over the assets of the trading subsidiary. An additional £80,000 was loaned in 2018. During 2021 £60,000 was repaid leaving £100,000 outstanding at 31 March 2021 which was fully repaid during this year.

During the year recharges were made to and from the Trading subsidiary. All transactions were concluded at normal market conditions.

Cases Workers Appeal – At the 2021 Powerball event the Charity raised money in support of their team of case workers. The money was to be spent on case workers’ salaries.

No designated funds were held during 2022 or 2021.

@electriccharity facebook.com/electricalcharity youtube/electricalcharity www.electricalcharity.org

Registered with Charity Commission Number: 1012131 Registered as a Charity in Scotland Number: SC038811 Registered Company Number: 2726030