About FIT
FIT formerly the FTBA (Furnishing Trades Benevolent Association) may be a century old, but continues to provide support for UK Furnishing Industry employees, and their families to help cope with life's hardships.
In 1903 King Edward VII was on the throne, there was no NHS, the school leaving age was 12 and most homes only had an outside toilet. Furniture and manufacturing was a larger industry but then, as now, people became ill and couldn't work, or found themselves in financial difficulties.
On Tuesday 10th February 1903, the Furniture Trades Provident and Benevolent Insititution was founded - less than a kilometre from where it is currently based. In 1911 the name was changed to the Furnishing Trades Benevolent Association - or FTBA. In 2010 in response to the demands of the new century the charity changed its name to FIT (Furnishing Industry Trust).
The orphange is long gone but FIT continues to support children whose parents have worked in the furnishing industry. For these children, at times of illness or crisis, FIT provides much needed grants for essential items - school uniform, medical equipment etc.
In 2010 poverty and ill-health can be just as devastating as in 1904. The charity continues to make weekly grant payments as it did in 1904 to those employees aged 60 years and over suffering hardship and we continue to provide one-off grants for people in crisis, and to make grants for holidays and UK Respite Breaks.
We are very grateful for the letters and cards from the families FIT helps. These moving messages thank the charity for giving such practical and personal help at times of difficulty. The assistance we give is made possible through the generosity of donors past and present from the furnishing industry. A special 'thank you' to all our beneficiaries for their applications and for keeping in touch with us and to our corporate and individual supporters for helping FIT to reach out to beneficiaries.