Craig Swift on Discovering the EIC and Becoming Part of the West Midlands Committee
With 20 years in the electrical industry under his belt, Craig Swift has become a committed member of the EIC’s West Midlands Committee, driven by a desire to increase awareness of the support available across the industry.
“It was only through my Aico colleagues that I managed to hear about the EIC,” says Craig. “I managed to go to a number of events the EIC were either at or hosted.”
At the time, the West Midlands Committee was looking to expand, and Craig jumped at the chance to get involved.
“I just thought how nice it would be to be able to give a little bit of time back to an industry that has given me so much,” says Craig.
Spreading the Word
Since becoming a committee member, Craig says he has already seen the benefits of spreading the word about the charity and its services.
“Now more than ever, people are struggling with various things, whether that be mental health issues or financially—life is not easy at the minute. And I think if you can do something to help others within our industry, then it’s a really rewarding thing to be able to do,” he says.
A crucial part of helping those who are struggling is ensuring they know that support is available. This sits at the heart of Craig’s ethos as a committee member: raising awareness.
“My main goal is to make people aware of what the Electrical Industries Charity does for anyone in the electrical industry, or their families. It’s nice to know that there are there is a charity out there that can help and signpost people to get help that they require.”
Bringing the Industry Together
Craig particularly enjoys being involved in the West Midlands events that take place each year, such as the Golf Day, Summer Social, and, of course, the Christmas Lunch—an event he looks forward to every year.
“It’s always a great event every year, everyone’s in good spirits, and it raises a lot of money and awareness for the charity,” Craig says.
He highlights how each event organised by the West Midlands Committee brings people together from across the industry in a way that doesn’t often happen.
“It’s a great way for the industry to come together, let their hair down a little bit, and have a bit of a chat and networking.”
Small Charity, Big Impact
Craig says one of the biggest impacts the EIC has on the industry is the sheer number of people it supports.
“I think for a relatively small charity, some of the numbers that come out are staggering,” he says.
He points to the work of the EIC’s Welfare team and partner organisations, who deliver wellbeing sessions to more than 7,000 individuals each year and provided mental health training to over 2,370 people in 2024 (Source: EIC Annual Review 2024–25).
“The work they (the EIC) do on such little resources is staggering.,” says Craig. “it’s something that needs to continue and hopefully we’ll only grow and reach more individuals year-on-year.”
For Craig, hearing first-hand stories from individuals supported by the EIC has been the most rewarding part of his role on the West Midlands Committee. His advice to anyone considering following in his footsteps is simple: get involved.
“No matter how much time or little time you have, you can do something to make an impact on our industry. Don’t think about it, just do it.”
The role of an EIC committee member is to spearhead fundraising initiatives, build relationships, and spread awareness of the charity throughout a specific region.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can get involved—whether as a volunteer, supporter, or committee member—click here to find out more about the ways you can make a difference.
