Applications Invited To The Tees Mutual Community Fund

Applications are being invited from causes as diverse as youth theatres and dance groups to local self-help groups and bereavement services who want to share in the £5,000 Tees Mutual Community Fund.

The fund awards donations, usually up to a maximum of £250, to give a helping hand to the wide range of organisations who help bring fun and fitness, friendship and support to local people.

The only restrictions are that grants must be for a specific named project rather than general running costs and must be open to evaluation afterwards. Money will not be given for religious or political purposes. In addition, for the remainder of 2019 we will not be giving any further grants to football teams.

Applications from Tees Mutual members and their families will be given priority. We will also give special consideration to projects or initiatives that address hardship, poverty or suffering.

“We’ve always helped people out over the years but this is a way of formalising what we do and making sure everyone has a fair chance,” said Tees Mutual chair Mark Brooks.

“We wanted to find new ways to support the community we serve and where we’ve had our roots for well over a century.

“We’re particularly keen to hear from small groups that do good work day after day but who aren’t necessarily in the public eye.”

Causes supported so far include Cleveland Schools Football Association, which faced the possibility of reducing the number of elite teams it runs after having its funding slashed, and shirt sponsorship for Tees Valley Walking Football Club ahead of their trip to play in two tournaments in Spain.

Tees Mutual began life as the Trade Union Friendly Collecting Society in the 1890s to help ironstone workers save for their funerals. It was later renamed the Kensington before adopting its present name in 2017.

The friendly society is owned by its 8,000 members and provides funeral savings policies, savings plans and income protection.

To apply, download and complete this application form and send it to Tees Mutual Community Fund, 1-3 Kensington Road, Middlesbrough TS5 6AL.

I took out my first policy years ago because my partner’s family were with Tees Mutual. My partner pays £24 a month for a policy that also covers my son and I pay £20 a month. It means you’re not leaving all your funeral debts to your family when you’re not here. My agent, Andrea, is fantastic.

Wendy Kirk

43, shop assistant, Thornaby

I’ve had a Whole of Life for years and I and took out a Savings Policy so my son will have something when I pass on and I also get some money back when I’m 60. I wouldn’t want to think of anyone leaving debts to me when they died, so I wouldn’t want to do it to my own family. I wish I’d started a policy years ago, but you don’t think about it when you’re younger.

Lorraine Goldup

52, Hemlington

My partner’s mam and dad were members and we heard about Tees Mutual through them. I’m getting older now and if anything happened to me, I wouldn’t want my family to have to pay for it. We’ve had no problems whatsoever and my agent, Perry, is sound. The main thing is that everything's taken care of if something happens to me.

Paul Grant

50, house-husband, Middlesbrough

If anything happens to me, my family wouldn’t be able to afford to pay to bury me. Years ago there were lots of insurance calling to the door, but Tees Mutual is the only firm still doing it now. Allison, my agent, is just like one of us and it’s handy having somebody coming to the house every week.

Carol Frost

69, Brambles Farm, Middlesbrough

My wife’s mother started a policy years ago and I decided I’d rather not leave big debts to my children and so I’d take one out myself. It’s not a very nice thing to leave for them to deal with, is it? I pay a fiver a week to make sure there’s enough to bury me when the time comes. They’ve been smashing and my caller is absolutely brilliant.

David Reed

63, Middlesbrough

We’d only had our policies for about 18 months when my wife Marion died suddenly, just a fortnight after we came back from holiday. She was only 53. Our collector, Alison, made everything as easy as possible. She brought the paperwork to the house and we got the cheque for £5,300 the next day. That made a huge difference because we knew we had the money to pay for Marion’s funeral service and burial. Our family were very pleased with how they looked after us.

Paul Bird

59, South Bank

Tees Mutual does not provide financial advice. If you are in any doubt as to whether a policy is suitable for you, you should contact an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) for advice. An IFA may charge for providing such advice and you should confirm any cost beforehand. We are covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service, whose website address is www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.

Tees Mutual is a trading name of The Kensington Friendly Collecting Society Limited, which is an incorporated Friendly Society under the 1992 Friendly Societies Act No. 79COL. KFCSL is Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. KFCSL’s Financial Services Register number is 110058.

The registered address of Tees Mutual and its subsidiary, Tees Mutual Services Limited, is 1-3 Kensington Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, TS5 6AL.

Tees Mutual, 1-3 Kensington Road, Middlesbrough SE16 3QT +441642850022 enquiries@teesmutual.co.uk