Welcome to the Postal Family Fund website previously known as POOBI

We serve staff and pensioners of Royal Mail and Post Office Ltd with a focus on children (see " How we can help")

Originally named the Post Office Orphans Benevolent Institution (POOBI), the charity was established in 1870 by staff from the General Post Office (a forerunner of Royal Mail Group & Post Office Ltd). It was set up to help the families of their colleagues who faced hardship as a result of death or chronic illness or disability. The Postal Family Fund’s income comes primarily from previous employee subscriptions which have been invested and carefully managed over the intervening years, supported by other donations.

Thanks to Civil Service Insurance Society (CSIS) Charity Fund for their very generous 2020 grant to the Postal Family Fund of £25,000 which supports our beneficiaries.

How the Postal Family Fund can help

The Postal Family Fund may be able to provide help in the following circumstances:

• Where there is demonstrable hardship to a child through parental death, absence, disability, chronic illness of parent or child, or other serious family issue which is restricting development.
• Where a young person is about to attend university.
• Where a child has special talents in the performing arts, sport or other specialist area and the family needs help with expensive equipment or dedicated coaching.

Information about the Postal Family Fund’s educational support schemes appear in regularly in Courier together with details about how and when to apply for an award.

Colleagues should also be aware that they can seek assistance with child hardship issues via the helpline is available Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm on 0345 600 4586

We work very closely with our sister charity The Rowland Hill Fund who will refer hardship cases to the Postal Family Fund where it is found that the children are demonstrably impacted, and manage any agreed payments on our behalf.

How could you support the fund?

If you would like to fundraise to support the Postal Family Fund you can make use of Royal Mail’s Community Support Matched Giving Scheme.
Details about the scheme and how you can apply can be found here.

The Postal Family Fund Management

The Postal Family Fund is operated by a committee of Trustees who include Royal Mail employees and retired Royal Mail staff. It is supported by a Secretary to the Trustees. The Postal Family Fund office is usually open one day a week. More information on how to contact us can be found on the contact us page .

The Postal Family Fund produces audited accounts each year (our year runs from 1st January to 31st December). The auditors are RE Jones and Co Ltd Chartered Accountants.

Banking is through Barclays Bank plc (Registered No 1026167. Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London, E14 5HP) and the investments are managed by Cazenove Capital Management, part of Schroders & Co Limited at 12 Moorgate, LONDON, EC2R 6DA.