Contributors
As part of its responsible business programme, international law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) is pleased to confirm its new charity partners across the UK. Through fundraising, volunteering, raising awareness and sharing its legal expertise pro-bono, the firm is committed to creating better places to live, work and do business.
The firm will work with ten charities, who all have a focus on social inclusion, aligned to the firm's charitable giving theme. The charities were selected by WBD's regional offices who will drive local fundraising and volunteering initiatives, with support from the WBD Foundation, the firm's charitable incorporated organisation which manages funds aimed at supporting responsible business activity.
Sally Dallow, Partner and Chair of the WBD Foundation, says:
"A key pillar of our purpose and vision is supporting communities and we are committed to delivering on this pledge by making a tangible and long-lasting impact in the places we live and work. Through partnership and collaborative working, we know we can make a real positive impact and we're looking forward to working with our charity partners to raise funds, share our expertise, provide high-impact volunteering and mentoring initiatives and raise awareness of the work they do in – and for – our communities."
In Bristol, WBD will be working with Alive Activities, a charity dedicated to improving the quality of life of older people and their carers.
The Edinburgh office chose to support Canongate Youth, an organisation who provide high quality youth work services that support children and young people to flourish.
In Leeds, the team will continue to work with Leeds North and West Foodbank to tackle food poverty and hunger in the community, the food bank has been a longstanding charity partner of the firm.
WBD's London office will keep on supporting youth charities Power2 and One Southwark. The former works to unleash the power of children and young people to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. The latter seeks to transform the lives and opportunities for young people through collective action and levelling up so Southwark’s resources and opportunities can be shared equally across the community.
In Newcastle, the firm works with The People's Kitchen, a charity that provides food, clothing, toiletries, mobile phones and sleeping bags to homeless and vulnerable people in the community. The People’s Kitchen has become a sanctuary where those in need can find friendship and gain access to welfare, medical and housing services.
In Plymouth, the firm will continue to work with Promoting Children in Plymouth whose aim is to eradicate the social injustice, ill-health and misery caused by child poverty in the city.
Southampton-based colleagues opted to continue their support for Solent Youth Action (SYA) and City Reach. SYA is a youth provision charity empowering young people to make a positive impact in their community through volunteering, social action and active citizenship; and the City Reach Youth Project offers children and young people free, open-access play sessions, run by experienced and qualified professionals.
Finally, WBD's Teesside office will work with The Hope Foundation to provide opportunities for learning, access to technology, careers advice, volunteering opportunities and support. The charity's aim is to reduce loneliness and isolation and help local people gain skills and qualifications.
Last year, WBD, WBD Foundation, and colleagues collectively gave £166,362 for charities working to support social inclusion with people across the firm volunteering over 1,100 hours. To find out more about the firm's responsible business and wider ESG commitments, please read the latest Responsible Business report.
