City firms scoop Dragon awards for community help
City firms Herbert Smith and Allen & Overy were last week both named winners of the Lord Mayor's 'Dragon awards' in recognition of their work to regenerate local communities.The Dragon awards were established with the aim of encouraging firms and organisations across London to become more involved with local communities, specifically through training, education and employment initiatives.Herbert Smith won the local regeneration award for its education and opportunity scheme.
More than 400 volunteers from the firm work in 20 different community projects, such as providing free legal advice at the Whitechapel legal advice centre, working with schools in Tower Hamlets to establish IT and reading clubs, and helping homeless young adults living in shelters.Liz Sewell, Herbert Smith's community action co-ordinator, said: 'Our offices are right next door to Tower Hamlets, one of the poorest boroughs in England, and we felt that we have a duty to help out wherever we can.' She added that fee-earners 'very much enjoyed' getting involved with the various projects, and found that it helped their day jobs in the firm.Allen & Overy won the London partnership award for its work with the New Addington education action zone in Croydon, south London.
The zone is the government-backed brainchild of a group of local head teachers.
Its objectives are to raise standards of achievement in literacy, numeracy and science; ensure the highest quality teaching for children; ensure that all pupils are included in opportunities and have the support they need to succeed; and involve families, the community and businesses 'in having high aspirations for all the children'.The firm sponsors a 'Literacy Alive' programme of residences in schools, provides strategic advice to the zone's management, and has seconded two marketing managers to work on the project.
Victoria MacCallum
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