In order to maintain the current level of service we provide to thousands of people, the Fund has to raise millions of pounds each year.

Last year, with donations, sponsored events, and the generosity of the taxman all playing a part, the Fund managed to raise nearly £6 million.

So, how does the Fund manage it? We must first of all say how indebted we are to the Cabinet Office and the Northern Ireland Civil Service, both of whom make grants-in-aid to assist our beneficiaries.

We also have a very generous benefactor in the Civil Service Insurance Society. As a 'not-for-profit' organisation, any surplus generated is donated to public services charities, of which the Fund is the largest beneficiary.

But even so, the only reason why the Fund is the principal occupational charity for Civil Servants and their dependants is through your generosity.

THE FUND SEARCH ENGINE: