On Wednesday, 9th March, a team of 38 volunteers from global law firm Ashurst supported The Buddy Bag Foundation at their London office by packing 180 ‘Buddy Bags’ to help support the 48,000 children a year in the UK, who find themselves in emergency care after fleeing violent situations at home.
What’s a Buddy Bag?
- A Buddy Bag is a backpack that contains all the essential items a child needs.
- They include toiletries, pyjamas, socks and underwear, in addition to comfort items such as a book and a teddy bear.
- A Buddy Bag is something a child can call their own, no matter where they go.
- Buddy Bags are tailored to suit babies, children and young people according to age groups and gender.
The event commenced with a welcome lunch and then volunteers were divided into six teams for the bag packing. The event agenda can be found below:
- 11:30 – 13:00: Event set-up (6 volunteers)
- 13:00 – 13:45: Lunch (all volunteers )
- 13:45 – 14:00: Volunteer briefing (all volunteers)
- 14:00 – 15:30: Bag packing (32 volunteers)
The event provided a unique opportunity for Ashurst volunteers to get to know each other better, whilst also supporting an important cause. The event was organised by Ella Blakesley, Ashurst’s Social Impact Manager. Ella shared the below feedback after the event:
“Our volunteers thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this event and volunteering their time in such a meaningful way for a wonderful cause. In my role, I am often asked for suggestions for large team volunteering projects involving 20+ volunteers and it can be challenging to find meaningful projects for these numbers. The Buddy Bag Foundation was the perfect option for us. Karen did an excellent job facilitating the event and sharing how our support would positively impact the lives of children who find themselves in emergency care after fleeing violent situations at home. We were very moved by the stories that Karen shared and we are looking forward to supporting the charity again in the future“.
Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR, centres around embracing and giving back to your local community. Companies throughout the UK are reaping the benefits of making a difference and engaging with their local causes, plus raising their profile whilst doing so. It is more important than ever to show that businesses are doing everything they can to be able to give back and support their communities.
If you are part of a firm or organisation and would like to get involved with The Buddy Bag Foundation and make a positive impact in your area and support your local community you can find out more about becoming a CSR partner here or get in touch with The Buddy Bag Foundation directly here.
