Walker Morris launches new charity partnership with Leeds Mind
9th December 2021
The law firm aims to raise money over the next 12 months to support those affected by mental health difficulties in the local community.
Leading law firm Walker Morris has launched its 2021/22 charity partnership with Leeds Mind, who have been supporting anyone affected by mental health difficulties in and around Leeds for almost 50 years.
Leeds Mind promotes positive mental health and wellbeing and provides help and support to those who need it, offering services including counselling, group therapy and mental health training. Before the pandemic, it was estimated that one in four people would experience a mental health difficulty at some point in their lives. In Yorkshire and the Humber, two thirds of people revealed that their mental health had gotten worse throughout the pandemic[1] – making the work of Leeds Mind more important than ever.
Although affiliated with Mind, the national mental health charity, Leeds Mind is an independent charity which means that all funds raised will be used to directly help people in the local community.
To kick start their fundraising efforts the team at Walker Morris held a Halloween bake sale in October which raised over £400. The team has many more fundraising activities planned over the next 12 months including a Christmas raffle which could see members of the team win a number of prizes such as, £100 John Lewis vouchers, a champagne afternoon tea for two at The Ivy, and a day’s holiday.
These activities are just the beginning of the firm’s fundraising journey, and the Walker Morris team are focussing their efforts to raise money through a myriad of different events and company-wide initiatives.
Malcolm Simpson, Managing Partner at Walker Morris, commented:
“Our partnership with Leeds Mind is one that we are extremely proud of. Our charity of the year partners are chosen by our staff, so we know that the causes we contribute to and the support our charities offer are really valuable to our colleagues within the firm.
“We recognise that good mental health is just as important as physical health and have launched a number of initiatives to support our employees’ health and wellbeing, with this latest partnership also providing a way for us to give back to the local community.
“Over the last two years we raised an incredible £10,103.04 for Andy’s Man Club through a number of activities including bake sales for Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s, a Euros sweepstake, and a selection of trainee challenges such as quiz nights and a bake off. This year I know our colleagues are really looking forward to raising money that will enable Leeds Mind to continue in its important work providing counselling, training and more to those in and around the city Walker Morris calls home.”
Rob Payne, Partner from the Walker Morris Charity Committee, added:
“I am delighted that colleagues from across the Walker Morris business have voted Leeds Mind to be our charity of the year. As a qualified Mental Health First Aider, mental health and wellbeing support is a subject close to my heart and the Walker Morris team have a full calendar of events planned to both raise funds and awareness in our support of Leeds Mind. We are very lucky to have so many colleagues who feel so passionately about our engagement with our local community.”
Walker Morris selects a charity to partner with every year, enabling colleagues to get involved and raise money for a worthy cause. In 2020, the firm’s Charity of the Year was men’s mental health charity Andy’s Man Club, and – despite the challenges of the pandemic – it raised more than £10,000. The team at Walker Morris voted to partner with Leeds Mind for 2021-22, continuing the theme of supporting mental health.
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