Law firm cycles to help young people into education and training

Staff from Addleshaw Goddard set out on their 54 mile challenge

Seventeen members of staff took on the challenge; many dressed fittingly for embarking on the 54 mile feat, including Wonder Woman and Superman! Staff at Addleshaw Goddard chose to support Centrepoint, its London charity partner of the year, as the first event in their ‘Big Week Out’, in which Addleshaw Goddard staff take time out in order to benefit charity.

After 8 gruelling hours and numerous punctures the cyclists reached their destination having raised over £5,000 for Centrepoint. The team chose to donate the money they raised to the Centrepoint bursary scheme, a scheme designed to provide funding to enable young people receiving support from Centrepoint to get back into training and work, forming part of Centrepoint’s 40th anniversary campaign: to ‘Change Their Lives Forever’.

John Raynham, head of fundraising at Centrepoint said:

“Centrepoint’s bursary scheme is vital for the homeless young people we work with, many of whom have missed out on formal education. Just one in three of young people at Centrepoint have at least one GCSE or equivalent when they come to us. The bursary scheme offers young people life changing opportunities which will help them into future employment and out of the cycle of homelessness. The money raised by Addleshaw Goddard’s bike ride is a fantastic commitment to this.”

Mike Hinchliffe, Partner at Addleshaw Goddard said:

“Cycling from London to Brighton was a big challenge for everybody who participated, and I'm delighted that the team's sponsors recognised this in their generous donations. In the past we have been able to support Centrepoint by mentoring young people, offering advice to develop their CV’s and interview technique, skills we hope will be sustainable and with long term benefits. That is why we felt that raising money for a Centrepoint bursary would also be so valuable, providing a young homeless person with the education and training opportunities which many of us take for granted. It is very rewarding for us to be a part of the vital support Centrepoint provides to get homeless young people back on their feet”.