In an unusual charity partnership, the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund (CTBF) has teamed up with the care and housing provider, Anchor, to offer a discount in any Anchor care home to anyone who has worked in the film or commercial television industries.
The offer isn’t just limited to those operating cameras: it could be anyone from script editors, SFX supervisors and make-up artists to TV schedulers and cinema managers. The charity is going one step further by extending this offer to parents of industry qualifying personnel, potentially tripling the number of people who might benefit. The decision to offer parents help with care recognises the fact that care support typically includes the whole family, rather than just the individual affected.
The CTBF is a UK charity for those working behind the scenes in the film and TV industries. It exists to support staff working from script to screen who might find themselves in need for one reason or another. The charity’s welfare work typically includes help with utility bills, living expenses and housing support and is designed to help people living with hardship but, most recently, the CTBF has noticed a growing need for support with care across the country and responded with a practical scheme to help.
Barry Jenkins OBE, President of the CTBF, explained: “As a trade charity we have a responsibility to respond to the growing needs of film and television professionals experiencing hardship across the country. We have seen an increasing demand for care support regionally and we believe this unique partnership with Anchor is a great way to answer that need and a smart way for not-for-profits to work together for mutual benefit.”
Those who work in cinema and television across England – as well as their parents – can now access homes at preferential rates and receive help with finding retirement housing. Patsy May, a CTBF Welfare Visitor, has seen first-hand what a considerable impact the new scheme could have on those working in the industry, as well as their families.
She commented: “As part of my work I regularly visit people who could benefit from help with paying for care as they get older. The partnership with Anchor is a fantastic opportunity for people to move into a high-quality care home near their families, and it’s great that we can continue to support both industry qualifying personnel and their parents through later life.”
Further help is available on an individual basis in line with the CTBF’s wider welfare offering to beneficiaries, which includes emotional and financial support.
Anyone who feels they might be eligible and would like to find out more should contact the CTBF on 0800 138 2522.
