Cirencester Friendly’s 125 Foundation was launched to mark the Society’s 125th anniversary and to support both community activities as well as individuals facing hardship.
As a mutual organisation which prides itself on providing support above and beyond mere contractual provision, the foundation was created to support people and projects that are important to its members.
One such beneficiary of the 125 Foundation’s support was Vanessa Furlong.
"As a self-employed sailing instructor, I knew that my husband, Simon, needed safeguards in place.
"We were impressed with Cirencester Friendly’s offering and so took out an income protection contract with an eight week deferred period.
“Unfortunately, some time after taking out this contract, Simon became unwell. Tragically, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and he passed away just three weeks after diagnosis.
"I saw that Cirencester Friendly had a terminal illness benefit under the policy and so contacted the Society to ask if they would be able to provide any support.
“The Society wrote to me and explained that although the situation did not meet the terms of the contracted policy, they would like to offer me financial support via the 125 Foundation in order to contribute to the cost of Simon’s funeral, for example.
" They laid out all the facts and phoned me to explain everything.
"Nothing was too much trouble and the care and attention they paid, alongside their empathetic approach made me feel like I wasn’t just another contract holder but an actual person – the team was so supportive during that terrible time.
“Faced with such a shocking and desperately sad situation and then trying to find money out of thin air, is incredibly hard, particularly when still trying to come to terms with such shocking events.
"I therefore remain very grateful to Cirencester Friendly, not just for the financial aid but for the personal touch they provided.
"Not only did the Society review my circumstances with independence of mind and most importantly, with the humanity and respect that those in my position need at such a time, but the payment from the Foundation was a real life line.
“I really think that the 125 Foundation is something to be very proud of – it takes insurance and the notion of a mutual back to its original roots – providing much needed support when you need it most.”
