Community Focus

In addition to supporting The Prince's Trust, our offices are also involved in various community projects.

Birmingham
The Birmingham office has recently become involved in the Business Programme mentoring scheme run by The Prince's Trust. This scheme encourages members of the business community to provide support to young people who are setting up in business or attaining skills in order to move to full-time employment. Chris Wiggin and Paul Wainwright are currently acting as mentors and the office is hoping to involve more staff this year as the scheme grows.

Cardiff
In November 2008, BLM Cardiff held a fancy dress day to raise money for Children in Need. Members of staff paid £2 to come to work in fancy dress, raising a total of £90.

On 31 May 2009, seven members of the Cardiff office entered a team to take part in the Cardiff Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK. The team raised £400, beating the amount they had raised the previous year by £100.

Members of the Cardiff office are planning to take part in the Three Courts Walk in September to raise money for Reaching Justice Wales.

Click here to read about Reaching Justice Wales.

Leeds
The Leeds office has decided to work closely with a few local charities to provide a focus their CSR activities. 
 
The Leeds office has agreed to provide eight volunteers to marshal the Jane Tomlinson's 2009 Leeds 10K on 21 June for Martin House Children's Hospice as they are a charity that benefit from the run.
 
The Leeds office recently sent a team of volunteers to a local Marks & Spencer store to pack shopping bags for customers at the till points in return for donations to help raise funds for St Gemma's Hospice. 
 
The office has recently hosted Young Ambassadors training for The Prince’s Trust.
 
Liverpool
Last year the Liverpool office raised £1,000 for North Liverpool CAB by holding weekly cake sales, a tombola and a raffle. As a result of this Matty Hyam, solicitor, has been invited to be a trustee on their board this year.

A group of staff from Liverpool have participated in 'Lawyers for Learning' by voluntarily attending Our Lady Immaculate Primary School in Everton to assist year 3, 4 and 5 pupils with reading skills to help them achieve required National Curriculum standards in reading. This has involved weekly attendance throughout term times.

In March this year volunteers from BLM Liverpool were presented with an award by Merseyside Diversity Mentoring. They were congratulated for their efforts in supporting law students and given the Outstanding Contribution to the Outlook Programme award. As part of the Outlook Programme seven members of the Liverpool office offer interview practice, CV advice and support to students which may be at a disadvantage when applying for training contracts with law firms. Merseyside Diversity Mentoring is a partnership of the University of Liverpool, Liverpool Hope University and Edge Hill University.

London
BLM London has developed its CSR programme with help from Heart of the City. We now support their newcomers' programme. Heart of the City provides free CSR advice.

City Gateway:  Earlier this year BLM London held its fifth Insight Tour for members of youth charity City Gateway.  18 trainees spent the day at BLM getting to know what we do and taking part in cv workshops and mock interviews.  Further tours are planned. In February the office also took on its third apprentice from City Gateway who will work with various departments for 12 weeks to gain valuable work experience.

Hackney Reading/Maths Scheme : A reading/maths partnership with St John of Jerusalem, a local primary school as part of  'The Get Hackney Reading Scheme'. The aim is to encourage adults, children and young people throughout the borough to become enthusiastic, independent and inquiring readers. It's all about inspiring people to read more, to read together with family and friends and to enjoy all the different ways of reading. Fourteen children have been partnered with 28 members of staff.

Inspire! Primary School Report

Volunteers from BLM London recently helped out at St John of Jerusalem Primary School. The school was holding various events as part of their Work Week and members of the London office took part in advertising workshops and held a 'Dragons Den’ session.

Click here to read the report on the work week at St John of Jerusalem primary school in Hackney. 

Royal Courts of Justice Citizens Advice Bureau:  Solicitors and trainees provide pro bono legal advice once a fortnight.

Manchester
After raising money and holding a glasses collection on behalf of Project Paraguay in 2008 the Manchester office will continue to support the project this year.