Womble Bond Dickinson's (WBD) Construction and Engineering team spent their team day this year volunteering with Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) in Leeds.
CHSF is the chosen charity partner for WBD's Leeds office, and helps children and adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) across Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. Through its admirable work, CHSF provides support to over 17,000 babies, children and adults living with CHD each year.
The WBD team spent their day undertaking a wide range of community engagement activities, from baking at accommodation provided for families whose children are in surgery, to making activity packs, stock taking, and staffing the CHSF's wellbeing trolley.
Vicky McCombe, partner in the Construction and Engineering team, said:
"We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with such an incredible charity. Children’s Heart Surgery Fund does life-changing work, and it’s a privilege for our team to support their mission in any way we can. Today was a great way for us to bond as a team, but also to gain a far deeper understanding of the crucial work this charity undertakes and the difference it makes to the people whose lives it touches”.
Georgie Abbott, Corporate Partnerships Manager, CHSF, added:
"We are incredibly grateful for the support of Womble Bond Dickinson for Children’s Heart Surgery Fund helping us to keep caring for babies and children born with heart problems in Yorkshire. They have raised over £14,000 which could cover the cost of 700 hours of care with our Family Support Team for our young heart patients and their families. It’s been fantastic to have the team volunteering today, helping us to create Halloween decorations for the children’s heart ward and also baking goodies for families while their children are in hospital recovering from heart surgery. We look forward to continuing our partnership together and to welcoming the team back again for volunteering at Christmas."
Recently, in mid-September, Joseph Perkis, Solicitor in the Construction and Engineering team in the Leeds office, undertook the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge with ten other colleagues, fundraising over £4000 for CHSF by undertaking a gruelling 24 miles and 5200ft in one day.
He explained:
"It was a long and difficult trip up and down Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough but knowing that we were raising money for CHSF made each step easier! I've had the opportunity to visit the ward and see for myself what amazing work CHSF does, and am delighted to have been able to support such a fantastic cause".
WBD has different charity partners local to each of their UK offices, all with a focus on social inclusion, and the Construction and Engineering team keenly support these.
For example, earlier this year, the Team's Managing Associate Amy Hodge and Trainee Legal Executive Lenny Dalby completed an impressive series of 10k runs at WBD's various office locations to raise over £2250 for WBD's Southampton charity partner. And last year, the Construction and Engineering team volunteered their team day to clear plants, bushes and litter in a local park in Newcastle.
Team Leader and Partner, Simon Rowland, who is also the Head of WBD's Newcastle office, explained:
"Supporting our firm’s local charities at each of our locations is something my team takes great pride in. We believe that giving back to the communities we’re part of isn’t just a responsibility - it’s a privilege. Whether it’s through volunteering, fundraising, or offering our skills in other ways, we’re committed to making a meaningful difference where it matters most: right on our doorstep."
You can find out more about Womble Bond Dickinson's Responsible Business approach and achievements here, about Joseph's Yorkshire Challenge here, and Amy and Lenny's 10k runs here.
