Distribution Testimonials

Our case committee deals with applications from your colleagues in the trade who now find themselves experiencing circumstances they never imagined would happen to them, when they were younger.

We help people like you,  people like Don.
Ask any retailer who ran a Hardware, Housewares, DIY or Builders Merchant in southern England throughout the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and the name Daniel O’Sullivan, commonly known as Don, would readily come to mind.

Don was regarded by many retailers as a popular and well mannered ‘gentleman of the road’ having started calling on independent hardware and housewares shops in 1959, as a salesman for S.Leboff (Fobel) Ltd, which was at that time, a small London based wholesaler.

What happened
After 21 years with Leboff, he left to pursue a career in cabinet making (his natural ability) in the South Pacific, but due to what appeared to be failing eyesight, he was forced to return to the UK. Here he worked again as a salesman, still calling on hardware stores and merchants, but this time for the brass door furniture distributor, Domino Hardware and hardware wholesalers, Freedman and Matz.  However, his eye sight problem worsened still further, which left him increasingly unable to call on customers, ultimately resulting in a nervous breakdown.

Despite these problems, in 1992 he tried again to re-start a furniture making/restoring business, but as his eye condition worsened still further, he was forced to close the company in 2001.
 
The eye condition was not bad just eyesight.

It was diagnosed as Dystonia-Blepherospasm with symptoms comprising of unexpected muscle spasms, forcing the eyelids to extend over the actual eyes.  Don has undergone plastic surgery, but this has only addressed the problem of the eyelids, having no effect on the debilitating muscle spasms. 

He is left in constant pain, and receives Botox treatment every 3 months, which entails 12 injections around the eyes in order to help keep them under control.

How we helped
With a partner who has an ailing mother needing two visits a day, Don could not find the money to service the family car. Being a proud man, but not knowing where to go for help, Don approached the Citizen’s Advice Bureau who not only recognised his medical condition but, with so many qualifying years in the trade, put Don in touch with the RDT. We paid for his car repairs and arranged an annual award to help alleviate his resulting financial problems.

In Don’s words:
“The Rainy Day Trust has been so good to me.  I tried to get on (financially) without any help, but you are such lovely people and I can’t believe the care you have shown me.”

People who probably thought that they were set for life – and then through old age or ill health or redundancy, found that they needed a helping hand.

If you have worked in this industry for 10 years or more and are in need of our assistance, or you know of someone who is, download our grant application form here.