Help at hand in hard times

Trade leaders are spreading the word about welfare from The Furniture Makers’ Company – a charitable foundation for flooring industry workers who have fallen on hard times.

The charity's work is more important than ever as while much of the flooring industry is thriving, there are those left behind by illness, bereavement, Covid after-affects and the pressure of rising costs.

The Furniture Makers’ Company helps flooring industry people who are dealing with financial hardship by providing grants and practical, useful advice.

The scheme is open to anyone across the sector – in manufacturing and distribution, retailing and installation. There is an easy, online application form which is treated in the strictest confidence.

But the work of the charity is relatively under reported. "I am in my 35th year working in the flooring trade but only when I became a freeman of The Furniture Makers Company did I find out about the welfare, networking and educational opportunities to available to people in my industry," says Martin West, key accounts manager at Balta.

Companies and individuals can also help support the charity through donations and Designer Contracts, Cormar Carpets and the Headlam group are among the existing corporate supporters.

"All companies have Corporate Social Responsibility requirements and should be putting something back into the industry that has been so good to us over the years," says Peter Kenzie, MD of Designer Contracts.

The Furniture Makers Company also supports the career development of young people looking to start in the industry with seminars, events, awards and a popular annual exhibition. There is also a fund to provide scholarships and bursaries to students at colleges and universities that teach furnishing related courses.

To find out more about the work of The Furniture Makers Company, visit:
www.furnituremakers.org.uk