CHEQUE POINT: Smith and Williamson’s Ian Eyers and Saeran Williams, both left, present a cheque for £2,000 to The Rainbow Centre’s Corporate Fundraiser Sarah Hudson, second right, with Smith and Williamson Southampton office Managing Partner Andrew Edmonds, right
A Hampshire charity that supports adults and children with neurological conditions from seven counties in central southern England has received a £2,000 donation from the Southampton office of Smith & Williamson following a number of fundraising events.
The Rainbow Centre in Fareham was voted for by staff of the local office of Smith & Williamson, the accountancy, investment management and tax group, as its charity of the year last September.
The centre, which provides Conductive Education sessions for children with cerebral palsy and other motor disorders and adults with Parkinson’s, MS, strokes, cerebral palsy and other head injuries, was presented with a giant cheque by staff from Smith & Williamson.
Southampton office Managing Partner Andrew Edmonds, along with Saeran Williams and Ian Eyers who oversee charity fundraising at the office, went to the centre in Palmerston Drive, Fareham to make the donation and see Conductive Education in progress.
Saeran, who works in the tax department and also champions the Cumberland Place office’s work with local charities, said colleagues had been very supportive and participated in a series of fundraising events for the charity.
She said: “We have run quizzes, football sweepstakes, raffles, a Christmas jumper day, organised foreign coin collections and made pancakes, as well as holding a major collection of goods for the Rainbow Centre charity shop in Fareham.
“We also helped staff the Rainbow Centre face painting stall at the Victorious Festival in Portsmouth and took part in the colourful Rainbow Run. We are now also looking to do some voluntary work at the centre itself and we have an exciting bake-off and bingo to come.
Andrew Edmonds said: “We encourage our staff to be community-minded and they have freely given up their time and money to help this exceedingly worthy cause. Saeran has taken up our partnership with the Rainbow Centre superbly and encouraged colleagues all along the way. I am extremely proud to manage such great people.
“I am a great believer that if you are lucky enough to be involved in a successful business you do have a responsibility to give something back to the community.”
The Rainbow Centre charity was created 29 years ago by a small group of parents looking to obtain additional help and support for their children with cerebral palsy.
Conductive Education is a system of neuro-rehabilitation that focuses on training undamaged parts of the brain to take control of motor functions previously managed by areas of the brain that no longer work.
Corporate Fundraiser, Sarah Hudson said: “We are exceedingly grateful for this fantastic donation. We receive no statutory funding so the support of corporates and the community as a whole means that we can continue our work for the adults and children who come to us from such a wide area. Ultimately everything we do is about giving greater independence.
“We are thankful for all the help we receive and particularly welcome partnership opportunities with businesses such as Smith & Williamson.
“Working alongside businesses not only allows us to raise vital funds but also to raise awareness of The Rainbow Centre to others who may benefit from coming to us.”
- Smith & Williamson
4th Floor, Cumberland House, 15-17 Cumberland Place, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 2BG
Tel: 023 8082 7600
www.smithandwilliamson.com
Smith & Williamson is an independently owned financial and professional services group. The firm is a leading provider of investment management, financial advisory and accountancy services to private clients, professional practices, entrepreneurs and mid-to-large corporates. The group’s c1,700 people operate from a network of twelve offices: London, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cheltenham, Dublin (City and Sandyford), Glasgow, Guildford, Jersey, Salisbury and Southampton.
