"We are a charitable organisation which expresses the collective concern of the book trade for the personal welfare of past and present colleagues throughout the UK.
We provide support services tailored to the needs of book trade people and their dependents, and which are not readily available from other sources. These include advice, accommodation and financial help.
We aim to provide these services within our own means, through efficiently managed resources supplemented by active fundraising. We will also form alliances with other organisations where this will be in the best interests of our beneficiaries."
We trace our history back to the 1837, and have been providing support and assistance to people in need from the trade for 170 years.
Anyone who has worked for more than one year in publishing, distribution or bookselling, in a wide range of qualifying functions, and is in difficult personal circumstances is eligible for assistance. Applications are considered on their individual merits by the BTBS Grants Committee, who have wide discretion to offer help wherever, and in whatever way, they feel appropriate. If you, or anyone you know, are experiencing problems, the Society is there to help.
Our major fundraising event of the year is the BTBS Walk. In the 2006 walk nearly 800 walkers raised £20,000 - click on the News item in the menu for the Publishing News report The next walk will be on 10th July 2007. Full details will be posted on the BTBS Walk page.
We also raise funds through our Bookfairs; we have several sales each year. Click on the Menu button for BookFairs for details. This is our only opportunity to raise funds from the general public for our vital work; publishers, wholesalers and literary agents pass on to us unwanted books - current stock as well as returns, damaged, samples, proofs and remainders. We are always grateful for such donations for our sales.
(At The Retreat, we provide a library for our residents, all of whom have come from the book trade. The residents sort all books donated, and suitable ones are selected for the library.)
Page last updated 22 January 2007