More than 100 UNISON members in the North-West, Yorkshire and Humberside and East Midlands regions have benefitted from pre-retirement workshops run for the union by True Bearing Chartered Financial Planners.

The one-day workshops are designed to help union members make informed financial decisions in the run-up to their retirement, and bring together specialist speakers to cover all the key issues, including occupational pensions, taxation, wills and state benefits.

It was UNISON Learning Rep Louise Evans at Hyndburn Borough Council who spotted the potential of working with True Bearing during a meeting (in her HR role at the authority) with the firm’s Business Development Manager Maria Dabipi in 2013.

Feedback about the workshops has been very enthusiastic. “It’s given me valuable information to plan my future retirement date,” commented one member; while another said the facilitator “gave me choices I didn’t know existed.”

Participants have also reported they have learned valuable lessons, including the crucial importance of planning for retirement.