Law firm aims to raise £30,000 for The Sick Children’s Trust

The Leeds office of global law firm Squire Patton Boggs are setting their sights on raising £30,000 for The Sick Children’s Trust to give families with seriously ill children in hospital a place to stay near their bedside.

Every year, Squire Patton Boggs choose a local charity to support and this year the Leeds team have nominated The Sick Children’s Trust’s Eckersley House. The Sick Children’s Trust is the charity that gives families with seriously ill children in hospital a comfortable place to stay and a friendly ear to listen across its ten ‘Homes from Home’. Eckersley House, which has 22 bedrooms and a transplant flat, supports families with children at Leeds Children’s Hospital. It costs the charity £30 to support a family for one night and the law firm are aiming to sponsor at least three rooms for an entire year to ensure hundreds of families can stay together.

From taking part in The Sick Children’s Trust Big Chocolate Tea event and a netball tournament to a sponsored Three Peaks challenge, employees at the law firm are determined to reach their ambitious target. Partner and charity lead at Squire Patton Boggs, Jason Blakey, said:

“This year we wanted our fundraising efforts to benefit children and with The Sick Children’s Trust having three ‘Homes from Home’ in Yorkshire, making sure no child faces hospital alone, was a perfect fit. Not only this, but an employee of ours has been supported at Eckersley House so we felt an even stronger reason to raise money for the charity.

“I recently visited Eckersley House and was amazed at how homely it was. It is also just across from the hospital entrance. It resonated with me just how much having a ‘Home from Home’ would help if your child was suddenly rushed to hospital.

“Alongside the £30,000 we hope to raise, the team will be heading to Eckersley House once a month to cook for the families so that when they return from a tiring day on the hospital ward, they can enjoy a warm, homecooked meal.”

The Sick Children’s Trust is the charity that gives over 3,500 families with a seriously ill child in hospital a warm and comfortable place to stay when they need it most. Cassandra Hughes, Regional Fundraiser for the charity, said:

“We’re really looking forward to working closely with Squire Patton Boggs and helping the team to reach their fundraising target. Hospital can be a scary place especially for a child and we believe that by giving their loved ones a warm and comfortable place to stay nearby helps a child’s well-being and their recovery which is exactly what this money will ensure.”

For further information about The Sick Children’s Trust, please visit sickchildrenstrust.org