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Her Master’s Voice: What is One Step at a Time?
We launched a new campaign in May called One Step at a Time which is challenging companies in the furnishing industry to sign up to promoting our welfare support to their employees. Dids Macdonald OBE, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, talks about how the campaign came about in the first of a series monthly blogs.
What is One Step at a Time?
Well, it’s something I have been thinking about for quite some time.
Even though The Furniture Makers’ Company has been supporting the people who make this fantastic industry during times of unexpected financial need for over 100 years, the welfare support provision is still one of the best kept secrets in the industry as many people don’t know where to access our help when they need it.
Why?
For many who have served our industry, traditional methods of engagement have disappeared, and digital exclusion can lead to loneliness and illness.
But, it’s not all about retired people, quite the opposite. It’s about connecting grass roots workers with access to support.
None of us know when life is going to throw a curve ball. Who knows when fate will place us one day away from needing support?
So, I want to remind the 338,000 people who make up the collective industry workforce and all those others who have previously worked in the industry aware of our charity.
A helping hand can make a real difference when life gets a bit of a struggle and that’s what we want to remind folks about through One Step at a Time. It’s not much to ask really.
Help us achieve this by becoming a One Step Champion?
We want to reach at least 50,000 people within our industry and tell them about our welfare message during 2019/2020.
Signing up is fast and it’s free – we just need you to commit to a few simple communications from our checklist to ensure that our word gets out to your co-workers. On doing so, your company can display a One Step Champion certificate with pride, demonstrating that your business cares for its most important resource – your staff.
Some of the people we’ve helped
Take Ken, a passionate craftsman who had a long career with Multiyork who we helped. Ken said, “I felt so alone. The grant was a lifeline at an extremely hard time, and it’s such a relief to have the annuity. It’s great to have an organisation to turn to for help.”
And Elisa (pictured), forced to retire early from her job as a sales assistant with national retailer John Lewis through ill-health. Elisa said: “I am so grateful for your care and most of all for the understanding of my situation, I feel well looked after.”
The hand of friendship and kindness should never be underestimated, and we want to remind the industry that they have a friend in us.
After all, who knows when we all might need a little help one day?