Lloyd’s swapped business for charity last week as the Corporation worldwide participated in Helping Hands Week. The Lloyd’s initiative encouraged staff around the world to support their local communities through volunteering and fundraising activities.
Across three continents Lloyd’s staff volunteered nearly 800 hours by running, cycled, abseiling and baking to help nearly 20 different charities and organisations.
Lloyd’s Chairman, Lord Levene, kicked off the proceedings by volunteering at Christchurch Primary School in Brick Lane helping 8 year-old children with their reading. He said:
“Lloyd’s has had employees visiting schools in Tower Hamlets for many years now, helping them with their reading and maths, and it was a pleasure to be able to join them.“
Richard Ward, Lloyd’s CEO, also got involved by rolling up his sleeves and helping out with the Corporate Communications team at Whitechapel Mission, a centre that cares for the poor and homeless.
“I was fortunate to be able to see the amazing work that the team at the Whitechapel Mission do and play a small part in helping those who visit there. It was a humbling, eye opening and extremely rewarding experience and one that I hope to repeat very soon,” Ward said.
Teams in the London office volunteered at Gorsefield Centre, a rural studies centre for Tower Hamlets’ schools, cleared up a Tower Hamlets park and gave Newham City Farm a new lease of life. The Chatham office continued their support for their local Age Concern by having a dress down day to raise money.
The American offices got involved too as Lloyd’s Chicago staff volunteered at the American Heart Association’s annual fundraiser ‘2009 Start! Heart Walk’, Lloyd’s Kentucky staff volunteered at their local community soup kitchen and Lloyd’s Canada saw someone take part in ‘Ride for Wishes’, a 48 hour cycling event.
In other offices employees in Frankfurt collected books for their local Oxfam bookshop, employees in Milan sold orchids for UNICEF and Lloyd’s China staff volunteered at a local nursing home.
