Testimonials

Management Testimonial

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.

A Beneficiaries Story

We help people like you, people like Mike

Mike worked for the same Nottingham Builders Merchants for over twenty years. He saw the company operate under several different names, starting off as Wintringhams, then Sabah Timber, then Harcross Timber, until finally it was taken over by Jewson Ltd. He worked as Assistant Manager at the firm until he finally left the company in 2003.

What happened?

Mike approached us in 2004 when his daughter was 24 years old. His daughter suffers from Cerebal Palsy, but she had been receiving treatment at a world-renowned clinic in Hungary and had sufficient mobility to take part in disabled sport to an international standard. She was also able to go to university with the aid of a carer, and other assistance with her disability. However, following an accident at university when she was run over by her own electric wheel chair, she suffered from a back injury and now has to rely on her family to care for her and has had to give up university.

Mike gave up his job at Jewson to look after his daughter, and although his wife was disabled, she was also their daughter’s carer. Mike was eventually able to return to work part time until he was diagnosed with cancer and had to leave work again. Mike recovered from cancer temporarily only for it to return again after a brief respite. Tragically Mike’s wife passed away, which meant that he must now care for his daughter alone.

Before the accident, Mike’s daughter was able to get around with the aid of a wheel chair and sticks but she is now unable to walk or stand, and has to use a specialist chair in which she has to almost lie down.

Mike originally approached us to ask for assistance in decorating costs. He needed to widen four of the doorways in his house, and to fit two ceiling track hoists which would enable his daughter to become more independent at home, and alleviate the stress on himself and his wife (when she was still alive) as carers. This meant that every room in the house would need decorating as a result.

How we helped

The Rainy Day Trust made a contribution towards the decorating costs, and Mike also receives an annual award from us which has helped to alleviate the financial problems which resulted from having to give up work.

Retail Testimonial

We help people like you, people like Nicola
Young mum Nicola, had risen to become Head of Housewares for a West Country retailer.

With a responsible job, loving partner and growing family, Nicola had everything going for her.

What happened
Then, whilst still in her early 40’s, her life changed dramatically.  Nicola was diagnosed as suffering from ankylosing spondylitis and osteoporosis, which means that she is now in constant pain and severely restricted as to what she can do and where she can go.  When her pain is particularly acute, she cannot even dress without assistance. 

When Nicola’s case was a brought to our attention, her daughter was ten and her son, only 13 months old, both of whom needed a carer when Nicola’s condition rendered her incapable of looking after them herself.  At such times the carer stayed overnight, but with only two bedrooms, the carer was forced to sleep on the sofa. 

How we helped
Nicola’s partner wanted to build an extension for the carer and the Rainy Day Trust contributed toward the costs.  In addition, Nicola continues to receive quarterly subsistence from us and we help toward other mobility needs as they become necessary.

In Nicola’s own words
‘Never underestimate how much we appreciate the assistance we receive from the Trust. There are times when I can feel so ill, and my morale drops so low, that I am overwhelmed with the generosity we receive, helping us to pay our bills.

When Christmas comes and the Trust’s food hamper arrives with things we wouldn’t normally be able to afford, words cannot express our appreciation’. 

Distribution Testimonial

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 .