Charitable endeavours
Charles Russell has had a long commitment to charity work. The Charity Committee manages our charitable giving to activities and causes aligned with our CSR programme.
Each year Charles Russell staff choose a Charity of the Year which becomes the focus for donations and fund raising efforts. In 2010 we are supporting The Rainbow Trust.
Rainbow Trust Children's Charity provides emotional and practical support to families who have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. Rainbow Trust's Family Support Workers join the family in their own home and are there to provide practical support. They are contactable 24 hours a day for families in crisis from diagnosis, through treatment and even after bereavement.
Rainbow relies almost entirely on voluntary donations and through the generosity of supporters they are able to help around 1,000 families a year.
Previous Charities of the Year
2008/2009 - Childrens Trust - www.childrenstrust.org.uk
2007/2008 - Make a Wish - www.make-a-wish.org.uk
Recent activities include:
May 2010
A team of Charles Russell walkers led by our Senior Partner, Patrick Russell and our Managing Partner, James Holder took part in the London Legal Support Trust Sponsored Walk. This raised funds for legal advice charities in London and the South East. Five of the team ran the 10K route.
February 2010
Charles Russell had 7 members of staff running in the Virgin 2010 London Marathon raising funds on behalf of our Charity of the Year, Rainbow Trust. We raised over £10,000.
January 2010
This year Charles Russell decided to reduce the money spent on Law Fair gifts and instead make a charitable donation. A donation has been made to two of the charities which were nominated by members of staff as part of our recent Charity of the Year selection process. They are
1. Auditory Verbal UK http://www.avuk.org/ which makes Auditory Verbal Therapy accessible to all young children with hearing-impairment in the UK. Its founding principles are to seek a world where children born hearing-impaired, or become pre-lingually deaf, participate fully in society alongside their hearing peers.
2. Vitalise http://www.vitalise.org.uk/
Vitalise is a national charity providing short breaks (respite care) and other services for disabled people (who are mostly wheelchair users), visually impaired people and carers. Holiday respite care is provided, partly at 5 holiday centres in the UK.
December 2009
Our new Charity of the Year 2010 is Rainbow Trust. Rainbow Trust provides practical and emotional support to families when their child has a life threatening or terminal illness, from diagnosis throughout treatment, to bereavement or recovery and beyond. This happens in at least 10,000 UK families every year. There are eight teams of Family Support Workers operating from bases across the country who can provide 24 hour immediate help and assistance to families in their own homes or, whenever that support is most needed.
Fundraising at Charles Russell got underway with a number of different events just before Christmas - a Raffle, Carol Service, Christmas gift wrapping, Cupcake Decorating and Workstation Christmas decorating competition were among the activities raising money for the Charity.
October 2009
Charles Russell trainees do ‘Apprentice challenge’ for the Children’s Trust
As part of their induction programme, this year’s Charles Russell trainees took part in an "Apprentice” style challenge for the Children’s Trust, Charles Russell's charity of the year.
The challenge was to collect as many items as possible on a small budget, that can be given as birthday or Christmas presents to children at the Children's Trust.
The Children's Trust provides care, education and therapy to children with multiple disabilities and complex health needs. Its services are available to children from across the UK and range from special education for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities to short breaks, transitional, palliative and long term care. It also runs the UK's largest rehabilitation centre for children who have an acquired brain injury.
Patrick Russell, senior partner at Charles Russell said, "The impressive array of gifts and pledges is a wonderful demonstration of what can be achieved for a special cause by initiative, energy and enthusiasm. The new trainees can be very proud."
Angie Turner of the Children's Trust said, "The trainees really rose to the challenge and accomplished so much in one day. We are thrilled with the support of Charles Russell and have been delighted to be their Charity of the Year in our 25th anniversary year"
July 2009
The Charles Russell music evening which took place on Thursday 2 July in support of The Children's Trust, our charity of the year, has so far raised over £2,500 from donations by those attending, supporters and a matching donation by the firm.
The standard of performers was exceptional. As well as those singing, instruments played included piano, cello, violin and viola, clarinet, French horn and the bagpipes.
Many thanks to all the performers for taking part and for all those who generously donated to this very deserving cause. To read of the Trust's activities, please see http://www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/