Contributors

As foodbanks faced one of their busiest years on record due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has pledged its support and donated around £30,000 to foodbanks across the UK in 2020.

The firm made significant donations to eight foodbanks and organisations working to tackle food poverty and hunger in local communities. Beneficiaries include East Bristol Foodbank, Fare Share South West, Edinburgh Food Project, North and West Foodbank, Southwark Community Response, Newcastle West End Foodbank, Plymouth Foodbank and Southampton City Mission. A large number of WBD staff also dedicated hundreds of volunteering hours to support their local foodbanks as well as hunger and food waste organisations.

Some of the donations last year were made up of personal contributions from WBD staff with the total amount raised matched by WBD's Charitable Incorporated Trust which manages funds aimed at supporting the firm's responsible business activity.

WBD has a long track record of supporting foodbanks and, in recent years, donated well over six tonnes of much needed food and drinks through the WBD National Foodbank Appeal, an initiative set up by the firm to support UK foodbanks particularly during the winter and summer holidays.

Sally Dallow, partner and head of WBD's Charitable Incorporated Trust, commented:

"We pride ourselves on being a good neighbour and, as a successful business, we recognise we have an important role to play in supporting our local communities and, through our ethical thinking agenda and responsible business activity, we aim to create better places to live, work and do business.

"The COVID-19 pandemic had brought unprecedented hardship to so many and it was important for us to step up and join forces with foodbanks and other charities working to tackle the very real problem of food poverty in the UK. We've all witnessed the fantastic work organisations across the UK are doing to ensure that people who are struggling to make ends meet can continue to put food on the table. This UK-wide community response to the pandemic has brought a real sense of community and togetherness in what was a very difficult 2020."

WBD is heavily involved in a comprehensive responsible business programme, supporting a number of charities across its eight UK offices including Henshaws, Somerset & Avon Rape & Sexual Abuse Service, St Peter's Hospice, St Columba's Hospice, Southampton Hospital, Greenwich Legal Advice Centre, Percy Hedley and Social Bite to name a few.