LADY GROVER FUND: A WELL KEPT SECRET?

Nothing to do with the Drapers' Company or the City but the following might be of interest to any readers of this blog who are serving or have served as officers in the armed forces.

Some four years ago I took over chairmanship of the Lady Grover’s Fund. This somewhat oddly named friendly society is uniquely established to benefit the wives and children of Service officers, both serving and retired.  Its existence is surprisingly little known amongst many of its target membership. With 3000 members it probably only covers 5% of those eligible to join.

Lady Grover offers a really great deal. For an annual premium of £35 your wife is covered for post-operative care and home help to a total of £6,300 in any one year. We are not aware of any other friendly society offering anything like these levels of cover. Widows can also retain membership and can even join, providing their husbands were eligible for membership.

But equally importantly we are very Service oriented in both senses of the word. We understand the stress that illnesses can bring and we go out of our way to meet claims as quickly, confidentially and sensitively as possible. The few difficult cases that arise are always dealt with by the Council in a positive and we hope generous manner. We pride ourselves on understanding and responding to our members’ needs in the way that a larger and more impersonal organisation would not find so easy.

Also the fact that we are collocated with the Officers’ Association in Victoria means that we can often refer problems very quickly elsewhere if this seems appropriate and if the member agrees.

Lady Grover, the wife of a CinC India before the First World War, set up the society in 1911. Although advances in medicine since then have been considerable and the way we live has changed considerably the need for medical aftercare still exists and for a small premium we can provided hassle-free cover that often does not exist with other health policies.

As we approach our centenary we would like to increase our membership so, if you are eligible, why not join? If you have more than five years' commissioned service and your wife is under 55, Colonel Mike Vickery OBE, the Secretary and Administrator would be delighted to hear from you.

For more details either go to our website http://www.ladygrover.org.uk/ or email Mike direct on ladyg@oaed.org.uk.