History

The BT Benevolent Fund has been helping current and former employees and their dependents since 1853, when it was founded as the Post Office Clerk’s Charitable Fund. At that time it cost just a penny a week to become a member, and in the first year eight widows were helped at a total cost of £105.

Two eminent Victorians associated with the Fund were Anthony Trollope, who chaired the 1860 AGM, and Rowland Hill. The Fund that today bears his name was founded in 1882 to help grades below that of Clerk.

In 1902 the Fund dealt with just 20 cases, but gradually during the 20th century its work expanded, and in 1950 71 grants totalling £1,577 were made. Annual General Meetings were presided over by Postmasters General, including Reginald Bevins, Anthony Wedgwood-Benn and John Stonehouse.

In 1985, when 154 cases were dealt with, it had been agreed that the Rowland Hill Fund would look after Post Office people and the BT Benevolent Fund would look after BT employees. By 1996 the Fund was registered with the Charity Commission and had a new constitution reflecting current charity law. BT’s Employee Relations Director chairs the Trustee Board, which is a mixture of current and former employees as well as one independent Trustee.

Today the Fund office is at Bristol Telephone Exchange and the team consists of nine part-time employees, many of them being former BT people.