LionHeart 2020 Impact Report released

LionHeart has released its latest annual Impact Report, providing a snapshot of how we support RICS professionals and their families and the positive impact our work has. 

Reflecting on our work throughout 2019/2020, CEO Davina Goodchild says in her foreword: It's fair to say that we never expected to see the financial year out in the grip of a global pandemic which was impacting the lives of RICS professionals and businesses all over the world.

"Although the effects of the Covid-19 crisis were only beginning to be felt, it was clear our services were going to be more necessary than ever - as job losses loomed, businesses lost income and the whole world of work and home shifted to a strange new normal." 

Figures highlighted in the report show some of the main reasons for calling LionHeart's helpline, with almost a third receiving counselling and just over a quarter receiving financial grants to help them through a difficult period, perhaps due to ill-health, bereavement or job loss.   

The main reasons for calling LionHeart were:  

• Unemployment, redundancy and other work-related problems 17% 
• Ill health or disability  8% 
• Mental health issues, including stress 14% 
• Legal issues 15% 
• Debt or business difficulties  4% 
• Bereavement 4%  

And, although the impact of Covid-19 was just beginning to be felt in the global surveying community, it still accounted for 7% of calls to the Lionheart helpline.  

Davina added: I was very proud of the team who rose to the challenge of making sure our move to remote working had no impact on the brilliant service we offer. As calls to the helpline increased sharply in those early Covid days, our board of trustees supported us to be as flexible as possible in our response to this demand - sending much-needed grants across the world and offering legal advice, counselling and other emotional support at this difficult and unprecedented time. 

There's no better illustration of how we're here for the RICS community, no matter what life throws their way, than the strange times of 2020."  

• The full 2020 Impact Report is available to view and download here

Can you support our work?  

Your support is crucial to us, particularly this year when we expect demand for help to rise caused by Covid-19. Tens of thousands of RICS professionals make donations to support our work every year, and we're very grateful for that. The money you donate is spent directly on providing expert support to people just like you, when they need it most.  

Please consider donating to LionHeart when you renew your RICS membership - or you can make a donation online now here  

Thank you for your generosity!