Furley Page fund-raisers help homeless charity Catching Lives

Kent charity Catching Lives has received a £3,500 boost from the fund-raisers of the Furley Page Foundation, the charitable organisation set up by leading South East law firm Furley Page.

The Furley Page Foundation chose Catching Lives as its charity of the year in 2017 and staff took part in a range of events to raise money. This was increased to £3,500 by the Furley Page Foundation, and handed over to the charity at their base in the Canterbury Open Centre on Wednesday February 7.

The Furley Page Foundation manages the law firm’s social responsibility programmes, which include raising funds for good causes and charities that work for the benefit of people across Kent. Each year the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, made up of Partners and elected staff representatives, decide how funds raised will be distributed and staff nominate a main charity which is supported by fund-raising activities.

Partner and Head of Vulnerable Client Nicola August said “We are proud of all the staff members who give up their time to raise money for worthy causes such as Catching Lives, which delivers immediate, practical assistance to the city’s rough sleepers and other local people in insecure housing.”

Catching Lives works towards ending the harm caused to individuals, families and the community, by homelessness, rough sleeping and insecure housing. It offers immediate respite at the Canterbury Open Centre. It also works with clients to help them to tackle any issues that they may have, get access to suitable accommodation and find the motivation to take steps towards personal recovery and independent living. Catching Lives’ achievements were recognised in the 2016 Kent Charity Awards, where it won the Community and Environment award for the second year running.

Donations – both financial and material – are essential to the running of Catching Lives’ programmes, which include a winter shelter and a permanent outreach worker.  The charity raises money at its bookshop in Canterbury, located at Sir John Boys House (often known as the Crooked House for its delightfully skewed 17th century structure) in Palace Street. It has recently been voted the best bookshop in Kent. Volunteers and donations of food, clothing and much-needed funds are always being sought.

James Duff, a Trustee at Catching Lives, said: “We want to thank Furley Page for all they are doing in raising funds and awareness of our work. Such donations are what we need to stay open and, with at least 50 people sleeping rough in Canterbury every night, support these people who rely on us for the most essential things. Around 75% of our work is funded by donations, so we cannot operate without the crucial support of the community and organisations such as Furley Page.”

For more information about Catching Lives, visit www.catchinglives.org

For more information about the Furley Page Foundation, visit www.furleypage.co.uk/foundation

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Furley Page Foundation

The Furley Page Foundation is a charitable incorporated organisation, Registered Charity number 1163007, which is responsible for managing all social responsibility programmes of Furley Page Solicitors. This includes fundraising for local good causes and charities. The Foundation has a Board of Trustees which is made up of a mix of Partners and elected staff representatives from within Furley Page. Funds are available for local good causes and charities. The distribution of those funds will be decided by the Trustees. Every year Furley Page staff nominate a main charity which is supported by fundraising activities.

Catching Lives

Catching Lives provide essential services to rough sleepers, the homeless and those vulnerably housed in Canterbury and East Kent. Provisions include nutritious meals, showers, laundry, clothing and a postal address; health services providing access to the Mental Health Outreach Service, assistance in registering with a GP; referral to specialist for further care; social and emotional support offering a listening ear, pastoral care and crisis recovery support; advice, advocacy and referral, giving housing and benefits advice; work, learning and meaningful activities engaging in community activities, literacy and numeracy support.