As the chief executive of a U.K. charity, it is always heartening to hear from recipients of our grants, and amazing to be part of a charity supporting book trade colleagues with targeted financial help. Throughout the year, people often stop me to share their connection with our life-changing work, and just yesterday we were thrilled to receive a note from a book trade colleague which ended: “As someone from an underrepresented background, the Book Trade Charity has been a lifeline and a balm to impossible costs amidst the cost-of-living crisis.”
For those who aren’t aware of our cause, we were founded over 185 years ago to support colleagues from across the book trade and their families–providing grants and housing when they need it most. We can help eligible colleagues with worrying utility bills; groceries; transport; medical costs; funeral costs; counselling; household items; relocation or housing needs; and training and development. The support is tangible, practical, and delivered quickly.
How we can help
If you are a U.K.-based bookseller or work in publishing, book binding, or an allied trade and you are facing an unexpected cost or a challenging time, you may be eligible for our help. To learn more about our grants please enquire at www.btbs.org or contact Glenda, our head of grants and housing (01923 263128 or glenda@btbs.org) or visit us at stand 6G36 at London Book Fair.
In addition to our grants, we manage 65 homes in Hertfordshire and North London, and welcome residents with a book trade connection at all stages of their career. We start 2023 with full occupancy but do have a waiting list for our subsidized, safe, and secure homes, so please do get in touch as we know how important it is for colleagues to find an affordable home in London. To this end, our Bookbinders Cottages in London is an amazing development of homes built to support colleagues who work in the capital. One of our residents, Katie, joined us in the early stage of her career. She says: “The Book Trade Charity is amazing. Publishing is so hard to get into and having a few of the barriers lessened makes the whole industry a better place.”
How to support us
We typically collect an amazing 7-8 tons of books here at London Book Fair, which we sell throughout the year to fund our vital charitable work. If you are an exhibitor, you can choose to pledge your stock for collection on the last day of the Fair–call 07553 804895 or visit stand 6G36 to arrange this. Or you could choose to join our growing list of book donors and send us titles throughout the year instead (contact nicki@btbs.org). All support is gratefully received.
We have ambitious plans for our charity, with a project to make our homes as energy efficient as possible–the largest such home improvement program across our estate in recent years–and with a new appeal to secure the future of our vital grants program, helping colleagues through the cost-of-living crisis.
In 2023 we are actively looking for more company donors to help make these plans a reality and ensure that we can support more colleagues with the cost-of-living crisis. Our president, Isobel Dixon, says: “I’m thrilled to see new book trade donors stepping up in 2023 to support our very own BTBS The Book Trade Charity. We’ve just welcomed an indie publisher making a first-time commitment to the Charity’s work for both new entrants and seasoned veterans, but we need more to meet a range of needs. My appeal to heads of companies large and small is simple: please join us!”
Join our 185 Appeal
Anyone wishing to support our new appeal can donate on our website. Donations of all sizes will make a difference and help us towards our target of £185,000. We welcome one-off or monthly donations of any size and all monies gifted will help the Book Trade Charity to provide its vital core grants for eligible colleagues in need. For any queries about the appeal or to discuss future support to the Book Trade Charity, please contact victoria@btbs.org.
Finally, a thank you. The book trade is the best trade on earth, and we are so grateful for every supportive email, and every penny raised towards our vital work.
Victoria Perry is chief executive of the Book Trade Charity.
