Inspiring women supporting Coram now and in the past. We asked some of the amazing women who have been supporting Coram through various challenges to tell us their stories, to celebrate Women’s History Month. This is Lorna’s Coram Story.
My involvement with Coram began in 2020, when the law firm I work for (Addleshaw Goddard) partnered with the Charity. I quickly became interested to learn that Coram was the oldest children’s charity and that its work was primarily based on making lifetime changes to vulnerable young people.
As a junior lawyer trying to make my way in a world where social mobility is, to this day, not as fluid as we would all like it to be, I knew it was important to help out where I could. My firm offered a great platform for doing so.
In both 2020 and 2021, I assisted in organising Charity Christmas Raffles which involved reaching out to London businesses who made kind donations that were used as prizes for those who entered. In total, we raised £7,990. With the assistance of my firm’s Charity Committee, we have also arranged Book Swaps whereby my colleagues have made donations to Coram and sent their favourite books to others for books in return. Both these events, especially the Book Swaps, have encouraged greater awareness of Coram and the need to support vulnerable children generally.
As well as the Raffles and the Book Swaps, I had the opportunity to run the Hackney Half Marathon with a colleague in September 2021, raising £620, and I am due to run the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April 2022. The atmosphere at the Hackney Half was fantastic and I was delighted to see so many people come and support, including my own friends and family.
It is often hard to find the time to participate in charity work against the backdrop of a demanding job, however working with Coram has proved to be not only incredibly rewarding and worthwhile but also has resulted in some great connections with individuals in the Coram team such as Jazmin Peach, Sarah Grant and Emma De Pfeiffer.
I look forward to continuing my journey with Coram in the future!
Find out more about inspiring Coram women on the Story of Care timeline. In 1921, the first women were appointed as Governors – Miss Eleanor Barnes and Lady Evelyn Waechter.