North West law firm Harrison Drury has nominated six charities to support throughout 2023 as part of its commitment to support local communities.
Through a combination of salary sacrifice, planned fundraising and volunteer work, each year the regional teams at Harrison Drury contribute to the health and wellbeing of the communities in which they live and work.
Last year its teams baked, walked, quizzed, held a fashion show, and manned a Christmas market to raise over £6,000 for its elected charities.
This year Harrison Drury’s chosen charities seek to help those struggling with the current financial crisis as well as supporting the wellbeing and care of some of the community’s most vulnerable people.
For 2023, Harrison Drury’s Preston office has selected St Catherine’s Hospice. Located in Lostock Hall, the hospice cares for patients and families across Chorley, Preston and South Ribble affected by life-shortening conditions like cancer, motor neurone disease and heart failure.
The Lancaster office has chosen Escape2Make, which seeks to help teenagers in Lancaster and Morecambe escape boredom, social media stigma, loneliness, and pressure at school or home, by providing workshops and short courses designed to help them make things and make friends.
Harrison Drury’s Kendal office will be supporting the Bendrigg Trust which provides residential activity breaks at its centre in Cumbria for schools, families and adults with disabilities and special needs.
The team at Garstang has opted for St Thomas’ Food Bank, a local food bank operated by St Thomas’ Church council, which seeks to serve people in need within its local community by offering a weekly Food Club, a ‘shop-with-no-money’ food bank service where users choose their own food.
Meanwhile, Harrison Drury’s Clitheroe office is supporting Foundation for Ribble Valley Families which promotes positive mental health and wellbeing.
And Harrison Drury’s recently opened office in Lytham will be supporting Fylde Food Bank. Backed by The Trussell Trust, it provides nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people in crisis through outlets in St Annes, Kirkham and Warton.
Solicitor Rebecca Patience, who leads the firm’s corporate social community team, said: “In the difficult economic situation faced by so many people at present, it is even more important that we get behind local charitable causes. Last year our teams rallied together and raised over £6,000 to support our charities. For 2023 we aim to smash this target in recognition of the fantastic work achieved by our nominated charities.”
Each Harrison Drury office participates in a ‘dress-down Friday’ every last Friday of the month, with money raised donated to the office’s nominated charity. The office teams also make voluntary contributions towards a social fund which the firm matches. Part of the social fund is then donated to the nominated charities at the end of the year.
Harrison Drury also offers a voluntary time off policy to enable staff members to take two days’ paid leave each year to carry out volunteer work for a charity of their choice.
