The Transport Benevolent Fund (TBF) was founded in 1923 by the predecessors of Transport for London (TfL) to relieve cases of necessity among its members and to meet their needs for convalescence or surgical equipment.
The needs of staff today take a very different form, but there is still need, hardship and distress among those who work in the public transport industry (or are retired from it) and TBF is still there to help when things are not going so well. TBF members all work in the public transport industry, but membership is no longer restricted to those employed by what is now TfL. There are now TBF members in all parts of England, Scotland and Wales, with organisers encouraging those not yet in membership to join.
Members contribute £1.25 a week to TBF. All benefits are available not only to the member but also to their partner and dependent children. Where staff have contributed for long enough, they gain free membership in retirement.
The Transport Benevolent Fund CIO’s structure is made up of Trustees, CIO members (including all previous Council members) and contributing fund members.
The first level of the organisation is the Local Committee (CIO members), who at the Annual General Meeting must elect Trustees as required under clause 13 of the Constitution. The Trustees control the Charity and are responsible for the safe custody of the Fund and its proper use to help beneficiaries. There can be any number of Trustees between three and 15 (including the Chair and Vice-Chair, who are elected separately).
The Trustees appoint staff and advisers to manage the Charity on their behalf, but the legal duty to protect the fund still rests with the Trustees. The Trustees meet six times a year which includes the Annual General Meeting. Between meetings the Trustees delegate responsibilities such as making grants and providing other benefits to the Chief Executive Officer, who ensures that the provisions of the Delegation of Authorities document approved by the Trustees are complied with. The Secretary ensures that the five Trustee meetings and Annual General Meeting are called correctly and that in all respects the Charity is run in accordance with best practice.
At every Annual General Meeting of the members of the CIO, one third of the Trustees shall retire from office. If the number of the Trustees is not three or a multiple of three, then the number nearest to one third shall retire from office, but if there is only one Trustee, he or she shall retire.
The Trustees to retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment. If any Trustees were last appointed or reappointed on the same day those to retire shall (unless they otherwise agree amongst themselves) be determined by lot. The vacancy so arising may be filled by the decision of the members at the AGM; any vacancies not filled, may be done so as follows.
The Trustees may at any time decide to appoint a new Trustee whether in place of a Trustee who has retired or been removed in accordance with clause 15 of the Constitution, or as any additional Trustee, provided the limits specified in clause 12(3) of the Constitution, that the number of Trustees would not as a result be exceeded.
There are Local Committees (CIO members) who look after all working members but, where there are not presently members willing to take on the role in an area, the Local Committee is administered by TBF staff. These staff cannot become Council members.
As well as appointing Council members (CIO members) to oversee the running of the TBF, Local Committees have the right to discuss all TBF matters and to consider requests for financial help from members within their areas. CIO members are entitled to know of all important decisions made by the Trustees, see the accounts, agree changes to the Constitution or Rules, be heard by the Trustees and ask them to account for their actions.
Members of Local Committees and therefore Council members must be members working within the public transport industry.
TBF is thus a democratic organisation with Trustees who are accountable to the membership.
This is the main reason we are different to many other organisations.
Recognising the work undertaken by TBF, its Patrons include senior executives of most of the major transport groups and the General Secretaries of all the transport trades unions. Here is the full list of our Patrons:
Transport Benevolent Fund CIO