Liquidnet & Sotheby Mews Day Centre
Liquidnet Europe Limited is a small asset management business with 40 staff in the UK and a further office in the US. Liquidnet’s corporate social engagement programme, Liquidnet for Good, looks to give back to the local communities in which the business operates, as well as to various social causes on a global scale.
Laura-Louise Dockree, the London Office Champion for Liquidnet for Good, was tasked with exploring opportunities for the firm’s volunteering and joined City Action’s corporate membership following attendance on a City Action Community Tour to Islington in June 2010. On this tour a group of representatives from City businesses was taken to visit three community organisations in Islington, with the aim of raising awareness around the challenges faced in the borough and the opportunities for volunteers to provide support. One of the organisations visited was the Sotheby Mews Day Centre, a facility of Age Concern Islington.
Since June, Laura-Louise has organised two groups of volunteers to support Sotheby Mews Day Centre by providing social activities for older people at risk of living in isolation; including a summer BBQ in July and a Halloween and Bonfire Night celebration in November. Further plans are underway for a Christmas Dinner and raffle prize collection, and the firm hopes to continue providing support to the centre in 2011.
Laura-Louise Dockree from Liquidnet commented:
I found City Action online and from there they organised for me to go on a tour around Islington to various charities. The tour was invaluable as it showed me how many charities in our local area need help and also City Action could point me in the right direction to help. I found when looking on my own the charities I was talking to already had help with volunteering and did not need other companies to help them.
Sotheby Mews Centre really struck a chord with me as even though they come under the Age Concern umbrella they receive very little funding and help. It is such an amazing and worthwhile charity, providing many older people in the area with a place to go and meet friends. Both of the events we have volunteered at have been great. The staff and the people who attend Sotheby Mews are really friendly and it has been a real pleasure helping them. Liquidnet will definitely continue working with Sotheby Mews in the future.
Liz Robinson from Liquidnet volunteered at the Halloween event; she commented:
“We had such a lovely time!! We helped make lanterns out of pumpkins, had a little sing song, we also served them their lunch and helped with the clearing up. Maria and myself came away from the day centre with a few new friends and we really enjoyed it. Jackie was such an inspirational lady and didn’t really like to ask us for too much but I told her that we would gladly help!”
Jacky Mariner, Centre Manager, Sotheby Mews commented:
‘We are very grateful for the help and support we have received from Liquidnet. They joined us in two very enjoyable events at the Centre. The members in the Centre really liked having the volunteers helping out, new young people!! Staff also benefitted from Liquidnet support, as it meant we could keep up with our everyday tasks as we knew the event was in good hands!! The Halloween party was real fun, and we could put so much more in it, because we knew we had a good quality team coming down to help out. This has been a good relationship for Sotheby Mews one I hope will last.’
