Most of us in the charity world are dreading the anticipated, forthcoming and seemingly inevitable, financial cutbacks in public expenditure.

A neighbour of mine, with a special needs child, is saying that she is rushing through requests for essential lifting equipment in her home before these facilities become unavailable. I have heard that my Social Services authority has been asked to make savings running into tens of millions of pounds.

And the evidence from applications we are receiving for help where any local authority is involved is that it is taking longer to get on the waiting list for help, the waiting time is longer and the amount of support you can expect to receive, for people with mobility difficulties in their own home, often leaves a funding gap between the amount granted and the cost of these essential works.

The impact on most charities during these difficult times is more applications for help requesting larger sized grants at a time when our income streams are under stress. EEIBA’s Council (governing body), mostly comprises people who are working in the electrical industries and their collective view is that the industries we serve are unlikely to see improving economic conditions until 2012.

The dilemma we face in the charity world is how to do more with less. In more than thirty years in the third sector, I cannot recall such difficult times. A fact borne out by so many of our established partners in other charities facing exactly the same sort of pressures, which means that their support is becoming restricted. The impact on our welfare grants budget can be imagined.

The situation is not all gloom and doom however. Rather like the national picture, much of our time is sent talking and debating about how best to achieve efficiencies and financial cutbacks. I don’t hear much about those measures we could and should take to grow the country’s business activities which, if this happens, would mitigate some of the anticipated financial cutbacks.

The same could be said for EEIBA in that reaching out with our awareness and understanding activities should not only ensure people in need know where to turn to but also give many who don’t know about EEIBA and what we do, an opportunity to help, however modestly.

Low value donations from a large number of people really can make a huge difference, which is why we are doing so much more this year to think about and develop our marketing activities, so as to position EEIBA in the hearts and minds of the vast majority of people connected with the electrical and electronics industries who do not at this time know about us or help us. Also, for many, this is the very time when they need their benevolent fund the most.

I am also encouraged by two recent conversations. The first was with someone connected to one of our Branches who was enthused by taking on board some of our fairly simple and basic steps, along an existing model which worked so well in the Midlands, which can strengthen fundraising activity in his part of the UK. The second is that the managing director of a company is encouraging his staff to do more for EEIBA for truly altruistic reasons, in helping the charity, but also because it makes economic sense for him and his business as this support will ensure his firm’s name is also more widely seen and known.

Daniel Finkelstein in a Times article (19 May) said: “Britain is, thankfully, an increasingly tolerant and socially liberal country. And people want the old, the sick and the vulnerable to be cared for. They don’t regard public spending cuts as a liberation, they are nervous of them and support public services.” He goes on to say: “This is a Britain – moderate, socially liberal, economically liberal, tough minded – to which this new coalition speaks...” in talking about the new government.

I think he has a point. I believe EEIBA, and the people connected with EEIBA, in the circle which comprises of those on the governing body, staff, volunteers and supporters are moderate, socially and economically liberal but also tough minded.

With the times ahead, I’m convinced these tenets represent the correct approach to the next year or so.

On 1 October thirty years ago, I joined BEN (the car industry benevolent fund) as their first housing officer, from the Housing Corporation and local government service. BEN at that time had two residential centres with volunteer centres (branches) and a large fundraising event at Grosvenor House, called Motor Ball. In 1979, the motor industry was still dominated by British manufacturers to the extent that I was obliged to choose a British made company car (a dark green Triumph Dolomite)!

Over the intervening years, I had different roles in public relations and events and fundraising at BEN, then I was Director of Fundraising at Parkinson’s Disease Society, before arriving at EEIBA in December 1994 as the eighth Chief Executive since we were founded in 1905.

Although I am not too taken up by anniversaries like this, a recent opportunity to meet up with my predecessor, Derek Bignold, has left me in reflective mood. It was interesting talking to Derek about EEIBA and to reflect on all the changes which the charity has lived through since Derek was at the helm.

In his time, the electrical supply industry was in public hands, the electrical wholesaling industry comprised a number of well known brand names and many of the electrical manufacturing processes were carried out within UK shores. We had over 30 Branches at one time.

Since then the electricity supply industry was privatised, electrical wholesalers have been subject to substantial re-organisation and so much electrical manufacturing takes place abroad. Big names in the industry, like GEC, have disappeared. So although the supporter base is made up of the same industry sectors as before, the names and how each relates with the other has changed out of Derek’s recognition. We have 15 Branches now and an active supporter base whose numbers have diminished as a result of so many corporate changes.

Thinking about the people whom we help, which is where I came into the charity world originally and over which I have ultimate responsibility, EEIBA continues to try and fulfil the basic needs of individuals and households. But how we go about doing this has also changed more than once. It is more evolution than revolution.

When we were undertaking some background thinking, towards a strategic plan this time last year, we noted that whereas we used to receive letters and referrals of application, more now use website access and emails than ever before. Our strong links with companies and associations through telephone Help Lines is an important recent development.

There is now so much more we can do in support of people in need by signposting and what we call “almonisation”, a term devised to describe the activities of providing alms to people in need with the help of other charities and support organisations. Almonisation is nothing new in that we have been working with others since our very earliest days but how we go about these processes is more sophisticated.

And the structure and reporting mechanisms for all charities, with additional registration and accounting requirements, means that I spend more of my time on governance than before. This is not a wholly onerous task as charities like EEIBA try to be transparent and open about what we do so that supporters, beneficiaries and potential donors can access information and be more aware about our activities.

It is just that sometimes, with all the work which is needed to ensure best practice, the organisation should not and does not lose sight of what it is here to do. Which is why I try to keep a grip on welfare issues, sometimes undertaking welfare visits and casework myself, so that my feet are very firmly planted on the welfare ground. Contact with Branch supporters and industry friends is also invaluable in knowing what is going on, for which I am grateful.

In looking to the future, weathering the current economic storm and thinking about new directions to relieve need and distress, my passion and interest in all the work of EEIBA, and the benevolent fund sector of the charity world through the ACO and other networks, continues to be enthused.

It seems to me that EEIBA is as relevant to the electrical and electronics industries as it was in the early part of the 20th century when our founders set up our organisation, whose guiding principles remain as valid.

My job is now more about ensuring that EEIBA’s structures, operational platforms, funding and cost bases are in place so that we can react and anticipate the needs, wants and wishes of our existing beneficiary group and those who may need to turn to us in the future.

With so much to do and to think about, time really does fly when you are enjoying what you do.

I’d be interested in any comments and feedback about where we are going as a charity and what you think about EEIBA.