The Charities and Community group encourages and coordinates fundraising and volunteering within the firm. Every two years, the group ask for nominations from around the firm for 'firm charities' and we then focus our efforts on making a real difference for the chosen charities during their two year term.
We believe that choosing charities put forward by our people not only increases engagement with our fundraising efforts, but allows us to make a positive contribution to our people by supporting causes that are important to them.
How we are helping our charities and local community during the COVID-19 crisis
In these unprecedented times we think it is vitally important not to forget those organisations that will be struggling to cope with the upheaval caused by the Coronavirus. In the last few weeks we’ve worked hard to identify where the biggest need might be, especially for small charities and organisations who will be hit hardest.
Strictly Come KN
On the 26 April 2018, twelve Kingsley Napley ‘celebrities’ each teamed up with a dancer, donned sequins and Cuban heels and took to the dancefloor to perform in the firm’s Strictly Come KN charity event, raising an incredible £16,000 for Mental Health Charity SANE and Noah's Ark Children's Hospice.
View the Strictly Come KN page
The firm is currently supporting the following charities:
Maytree
Based in Finsbury Park, The Maytree Suicide Respite Centre provides support and alleviates the suffering of those in suicidal crisis. The centre is the only place of its kind in the UK and fills a gap between the medical support of the NHS and the helplines and drop-in centres of the voluntary sector. Maytree offers an alternative to people who would prefer not to go to hospital or ask for help from doctors because they don't feel this will give them what they need.
The centre provides one-off four/five night stays free of charge in its residential (non-medical) setting to give people befriending services and a safe place to rest, reflect, and be heard without judgement and in complete confidence. The charity also tries to reduce the risk of suicide through its telephone and email support. The service runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, offering the following services:
- A respite stay for people in suicidal crisis
- Confidential telephone support
- Confidential email support
- Advice for people concerned about a friend or member of their family
- Suicide prevention Training
- Advice and Training for professionals
- Support for community and faith groups
- Training in emotional first aid
- Consultancy support
There is no charge to guests or those seeking advice, and Maytree is entirely funded by donations. Donations have helped to run the support service for 10 years, and our contribution would help to develop more support services and save more lives.
DOTS (Dogs On The Streets)
DOTS is solely voluntary run/not-for-profit organisation. Their founder, Michelle Clark worked extensively over the years running outreach programmes with the homeless. She found that there were resources missing in relation to the welfare of the animals kept by the homeless.
Although Michelle started off providing essentials and free veterinary care for the dogs, it soon became apparent that their owners also required support.
For some, DOTS have become a lifeline for the homeless community on our streets in the UK, together with her small team of volunteers, they offer their clients:
- Mobile pop-up stations in London, Oxford, Kent and Milton Keynes providing food for humans & dogs, advice, support, veterinary care
- Street visits to the homeless
- Vital 24/7 support – even just to talk to someone
- Street dogs are provided with collars/unique ID numbered tags
- Clothing, sleeping bags, foil blankets, dog harnesses, dog coats
- Regular health checks by vets, nurses, dog groomers & nutritionists
- Arrange & fund for dogs to have operations
- Foster kennel care
- High tech vet van
- Finding permanent accommodation for rough sleepers
- Chaperones to medical appointments
- Assistance with form filling in
- Representing clients at housing appointments/hearings
- Create pathways to rehabilitation
The above is just a snap-snot of some of the support DOTS provide, but without regular funding DOTS struggle to operate. Any financial support from KN would be used to continue supporting the homeless and their dogs.
DOTS are currently unable to expand or open further stations due to lack of consistent funding.
Our contribution could be a number of things including: they are desperate for an estate car with transportation cages for the dogs, for volunteers to assist with back office tasks, form filling in and a once-over check from a lawyer, assistance on Outreach days/evenings to the streets in the Summer for water, sun block application, and cooling mats.
Who we have helped in the past
Previously we have helped:
SANE
The Islingon based charity was established in 1986 to improve the quality of life for people affected by mental illness and to help reduce the stigma surrounding it.
SANE has three main objectives:
- to raise awareness and combat stigma about mental illness, educating and campaigning to improve mental health services
- to provide care and emotional support for people with mental health problems, their families and carers as well as information for other organisations and the public
- to initiate research into the causes and treatments of serious mental illness such as schizophrenia and depression and the psychological and social impact of mental illness
The charity provides emotional support via an evening helpline, textcare and a support forum among others – and it also has a virtual community entitled 'Young Sane', providing support for under 25s. The charity instigated the 'Black Dog Campaign', which many may be familiar with in respect of raising awareness about depression.
Research plays a central role to the charity's focus as well, including 'Sane on Suicide' which is focused on suicide prevention research.
Noah's Ark Children's Hospice
Noah's Ark provides 'Hospice at Home' services for babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
Their inspirational nurses, carers, therapists and trained volunteers support children, and their families, in their home and at community-based activity days.
There are at least 1,169 seriously unwell children in Noah's Ark's north and central London catchment area. The charity currently supports 15% of these children but is growing its existing services at pace, with the aim of supporting 50% of these children by 2020. In addition, this September (2017), they will begin construction of a specialist children's hospice facility, which will be set on a beautiful 7.5 acre nature reserve.
WellChild
WellChild's vision is for all seriously ill children and young people in the UK to have the best quality of care whatever their diagnosis, situation or location. The charities and communities team feel that KN can provide support to WellChild by volunteering our time to assist their 'Helping Hands' programme, which involves making over the homes and gardens of the families caring for children and young people with complex care and health needs. Visit WellChild's website to read more.
Groundswell
Groundswell exists to enable homeless and vulnerable people to take more control of their lives, have a greater influence on services and to play a full role in our community. KN has the potential to make a real difference to this charity through fundraising efforts (including holding events throughout the year). A large portion of our Responsible Business budget will be donated to Groundswell. Visit Groundswell's website to read more.
ReachOut
ReachOut is a charity that changes the lives of young people from disadvantaged communities in London and Manchester through one-to-one mentoring.
The Boxing Academy
The Boxing Academy offers an alternative education pathway for students between the ages of thirteen and sixteen who are at risk of educational exclusion.
Demand
Demand transforms the lives of people with disabilities through the provision of bespoke equipment.
