It’s all 'Sunshine and Smiles' for Blacks’ new Charity of the Year

As the financial year came to a close, we took a moment to reflect on our collaboration with Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, our partnered charity for the 2023/24 financial year.

Forget Me Not Children's Hospice supports children with life-shortening conditions, their families, and families living with the loss of their child across West Yorkshire. Their hospice, Russell House, is a magical place that provides pioneering care for children in the last stages of their lives.

Throughout the past year, our CSR team arranged various fundraising initiatives. From small scale internal events like the World Cup sweepstake, bake sales, and tombolas, to larger events like the Three Peaks challenge in September, our collective efforts over the year have been a testament to our community here at Blacks, all in support of a charity undoubtedly deserving of such efforts.

With only 10% of Forget Me Not’s funding coming from government sources, community support is vital for them to provide crucial services to local people. In total, our fundraising efforts totalled £4,850, a sum that will undoubtedly make a meaningful impact to children and their families across Yorkshire.

With immense gratitude for the incredible support of those who contributed to our fundraising efforts, we are excited to announce this year's chosen charity: Sunshine and Smiles.

‘Sunshine and Smiles’ operates right here in Leeds, offering a support network for children and young people with Down syndrome. They provide a range of invaluable services, including speech and language therapy, regular groups sports activities, and 1-1 support. The charity also runs 21 & Co Café in Headingley, which gives their young people work experience and increased visibility in the local community, raises awareness, and challenges misconceptions about Down Syndrome. We are honoured to stand alongside them in their mission, and we eagerly anticipate the positive impact our fundraising can make over the coming year.

The CSR team has a lot of events lined up for the upcoming months. We've kicked things off with a bake sale, which will be followed by a series of engaging events inspired by the upcoming summer of sports. As the Euro-fever takes hold, we're challenging everyone to showcase their keepie-uppy skills. With the Olympics on the horizon, we will be carrying out a firmwide sweepstake. And of course, Wimbledon wouldn't be complete without our classic strawberries and cream sale.

In June, we're introducing a first for the CSR team – an inflatable 5k challenge for Blacks employees and their families. Picture this: 32 inflatable obstacles spread across a 5K distance, accompanied by five music zones to keep you motivated every step of the way. It's looking to be an adrenaline-fueled adventure that promises to be a unique and exciting way to kickstart our year of fundraising for Sunshine and Smiles.

In the spirit of giving back and looking forward, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice for their partnership. As we warmly welcome Sunshine and Smiles, we are grateful for the opportunity to continue to be involved with charities that better the lives of children and families in our local community.

For more information and updates from Blacks’ CSR team, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.