It’s Volunteers’ Week from 1 – 7 June and we’d like to take the opportunity to say thank you to all our staff for the fantastic contribution they make helping local and national charities, from those who are trustees and campaigners to mentors and fundraisers……thank you!
Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering.
Here’s why some of our staff volunteer....
Joanne Coen, Partner and Head of Care, is a Volunteer for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, commenting: “Being a Volunteer is a great way of helping such an important facility for Yorkshire and to thank them for coming to me! It never fails to remind me how generous people are.”
Nicola Rhodes, Solicitor in our Care team is a Volunteer Director of The Constellation Trust, commenting: “The Trust includes a number of primary schools, two secondary schools and an alternative provision school across the city of Hull. It is a fantastic way to give back to the community and feel as though you are a small part of supporting young people to obtain the best education possible to give them the best chance of achieving what they want in life. My role as a director has helped me to broaden my practical knowledge of how schools can be very supportive environments for young people and this has assisted me in my own practice as a child care solicitor.”
Joanna Gray, Licensed Conveyancer, is a Club Secretary for a local football club, commenting: “My working day’s don’t usually end at 5pm, as I volunteer on an almost daily basis as Club Secretary, for my local Non-League football team, Emley AFC.
“I have made some really good friends over the years and we’ve had good times and bad times, which only makes our relationships stronger.At times it does border on being more stressful than my day job! Borrowing a phrase from a colleague at Emley, “We all have skills we can share that will help or grow others”. We are one big family and that to me makes the difference, if you are having a bad time, someone is there for you.”
Helen Thewlis, Partner and Head of Family, is on the committee of the annual Bling Fling in aid of the Forget Me Not, commenting: “I was invited to join the Bling Fling committee a number of years ago and openly accepted the invitation as I was keen to help raise much needed funds for a local cause which assists children and families in the Huddersfield and surrounding areas. Having visited the Hospice on a number of occasions it is evident to see the wonderful work the charity provides to local families and as a Huddersfield girl who is fortunate to have two healthy children I wanted to give back some of my time to raising funds for children and their families whilst also allowing the ladies who attend the event we organise to have an incredibly fun afternoon. The feedback we received from this years’ event was incredible and the monies raised demonstrated the generosity of all who attended.”
Daniel Burke, Legal Aid Billing Manager in our Care team, volunteers as a Mentor, commenting: “I have volunteered as a mentor for multiple addiction services and charities in the Greater Manchester area and the North East, including ‘Back on Track’, South Tyneside Adult Recovery Service and Addictions North East. Being a mentor allows you support and provide a level of stability to individuals at different stages of their recovery. This can include attending appointments or being a point of contact, but most importantly it is just treating an addicted person like a person and not an addict. From a personal perspective it is a matter very close to my heart and I find very rewarding.”
Jodie Wielgus, Private Client Partner, is a Trustee at Overgate Hospice, commenting: "I am exceptionally proud to be on the Board of Trustees at Overgate Hospice. The role enables me to use my industry related professional skills to help a cause that is close to my heart and very well respected in the local community. Being a volunteer is rewarding on a number of levels; not only do I have a sense of pride for being involved in such an incredible cause but the Trustee role enables me to broaden my skill set and work upon existing ones. I am excited to be working with the Hospice on their future plans and actively encourage anyone to get involved in volunteering on any level."
Nazia Nawaz, who heads up our Inheritance Disputes and Contentious Probate department, is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Huddersfield Giants Community Trust. Commenting: “The charity works tirelessly to provide children and young adults in our diverse communities with opportunities in the sports sector. The Trust aims to encourage and promote healthier lifestyles to improve physical and mental wellbeing in young people, something which I am incredibly passionate about.”
Adding: ”My role within the trust is to advise on the governance and legal matters and I feel grateful and honoured to be able to use my professional experience and knowledge to contribute to the Charity and give back to our communities in this way”.
To find out more about Ramsdens Corporate Social Responsibility strategy click here or follow @RamsdensCSR on Twitter.