Hospitality Charities Join Forces To Help Professionals Stay In The Industry During Times Of Hardship

The Institute of Hospitality has joined forces with Hospitality Action to strengthen support for hospitality professionals facing financial hardship, with the IoH Funded Membership bursary scheme now included within Hospitality Action’s Care Pack for grant recipients.

The Care Pack provides immediate practical and wellbeing support to hospitality people at difficult points in their lives. By including IoH Funded Membership, the partnership will help to ensure that individuals also receive longer term professional development support, helping them remain connected at a time when many are at risk of leaving the industry altogether.

IoH Funded Membership provides 12 months membership of hospitality’s global professional body, giving access to world class mentoring, professional CPD learning resources, networking opportunities and connection to a global community of more than 16,000 hospitality professionals. The application process is confidential from start to finish and is open to both current members and non-members.

Robert Richardson FIH MI, Chief Executive, Institute of Hospitality, said:
“We are delighted to work with Hospitality Action and be involved in their Care Pack. From the 180 professionals we have already helped, we know that when people face personal or financial hardship, staying connected to their profession can be vital. IoH Funded Membership helps people maintain confidence, purpose and direction during difficult times, and this partnership allows us to extend that support even further thanks to Hospitality Action.”

Feedback from past IoH Funded Membership recipients cite that: “The mentoring programme helped me mould myself and my career for success during a very difficult time.” And another commented: “Being part of the IoH Funded Membership has been incredibly valuable, especially the sense of belonging to a supportive and forward-thinking community.”

Speaking about Hospitality Action’s on-going support to the industry after a record £1.05 million in grant funding was provided by the charity in 2025, Mark Lewis FIH, Hospitality Action’s CEO, said:
“Our support goes far beyond financial assistance. We offer debt, housing and benefits advocacy, mental health support and access to specialist services through our advice hub and 24-hour helpline. By working in partnership with other organisations, we ensure beneficiaries can access the full range of support available, and we are delighted to welcome the Institute of Hospitality as part of this collective effort.”

Any hospitality professional who would like to apply for IoH Funded Membership can apply here. It is open to IoH members and non-members.

For more information about Hospitality Action and the help available, please visit their website here.