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2026 Empower Engineers Appeal

Because none of us are immune to life’s challenges

Life stops for no one

Bereavement, unemployment, health issues, sudden caring duties for a loved one...

When life gets difficult, your Foothold is here.

Foothold broken heart icon in red set in a blue diamond grid, representing crisis.
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None of us are immune to life’s challenges. A sudden change of circumstances can turn our world upside down. No-one should have to face this alone.

That’s why Foothold is here, to support engineers and their families when life gets difficult. Our support empowers them to get through things and back on their feet.

But we need your help to do this. 

Whether it’s bereavement, unemployment, health issues, or sudden caring duties for a loved one, life keeps moving no matter the situation.

Bills pile up, the rent or mortgage needs paying, and hungry mouths need feeding. 

With help from Foothold, so many of the people who turn to us can keep on top of these essentials, providing stability during the turmoil and empowering them to return to a more positive place.  

We know that engineers have valuable skills and, sometimes, that puts them in a good financial position.

But there will be times that life makes it harder for people to use those skills and make them feel like they are not in control of the situation. 

In these cases, financial support can ease the burden. 

It can empower engineers so they can focus and get back to doing what they do best. 

 

  • "I was made redundant before a certain pandemic, which meant that I was out of work for 2.5 years.

    Having been a senior engineer, Universal Credit barely covered the mortgage, never mind food and the rest of the bills. Foothold helped keep me going, financially and emotionally, until I was back in work.

    For that they have my eternal thanks."

  • “I completed my leukaemia treatment 4 weeks ago. I'm not sure when I will be returning to work, but I hope soon.

    The Foothold grant really has been a life saver over the past 10 months.  

    We would have probably defaulted on our mortgage and whatever nightmare follows that, so thank you so much.” 

  • “I am almost well enough to return to work. I am reliant on the support from Foothold to get through.

    My rent has increased, and with a doubling of energy costs this has forced me to reduce my food expenditure.

    Thank you for the support you are giving me, I couldn't have got through the past months without your kind help.” 

  • "I was made redundant before a certain pandemic, which meant that I was out of work for 2.5 years.

    Having been a senior engineer, Universal Credit barely covered the mortgage, never mind food and the rest of the bills. Foothold helped keep me going, financially and emotionally, until I was back in work.

    For that they have my eternal thanks."

  • “I completed my leukaemia treatment 4 weeks ago. I'm not sure when I will be returning to work, but I hope soon.

    The Foothold grant really has been a life saver over the past 10 months.  

    We would have probably defaulted on our mortgage and whatever nightmare follows that, so thank you so much.” 

  • “I am almost well enough to return to work. I am reliant on the support from Foothold to get through.

    My rent has increased, and with a doubling of energy costs this has forced me to reduce my food expenditure.

    Thank you for the support you are giving me, I couldn't have got through the past months without your kind help.” 

This is the difference that you, the Foothold community, make - every day.

Together, we can empower engineers and their families to take control of their situation again and get their lives back on track

Regular monthly and annual donations enable us to budget and plan our support, so we can be there for as many engineers and their families as possible.

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Why support our life-changing work?

A Foothold icon of a megaphone in red set in a blue diamond grid, representing community spirit in times of crisis.

Why support our life-changing work?

Every day, we receive calls for help from engineers or their family members who are facing redundancy, struggling with their mental health, living through bereavement, coming to terms with a diagnosis of serious illness or disability, and more.

Circumstances that, without warning, could also affect you, or someone you care about.

How does my donation make a difference?

In 2024-25 you helped us provide over £400k in grants to people in our community facing unexpected crises, and over 1,200 people in a range of different ways.

We don't receive any funding from statutory sources. The generosity of the engineering community over the past 135 years is what makes this all possible.

We share our impact in our annual Impact Report - you can read more about all of the support we deliver here: Your impact - Foothold

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Empower engineers to take control of their situation again today
A red Foothold icon of two people within a blue diamond grid, representing community support during crisis.
Empower engineers to take control of their situation again today

Foothold relies on donations to be able to provide this vital support. We don’t receive any funding or donations from the IET (directly or via membership renewals) or from the government.

Your donation – no matter the size – can make a life-changing difference for those in our engineering community who need it  most.

Together, we can empower engineers and their families to take control of their situation again and get their lives back on track.

Thank you.

MAKE A ONE-OFF DONATION
SET UP A REGULAR DONATION

Support we offer

Our support is designed to empower our community to thrive by improving their financial, emotional and physical wellbeing.

LEARN MORE

People we've helped

Find out how we've supported people in the engineering community through life's most difficult challenges.

READ THEIR STORIES

Get involved

There are loads of ways you can support us on top of donating - from taking on a challenge event, to becoming a volunteer.

SUPPORT US