Community is part of our DNA at SA Law and 2022 was a particularly special year in that respect. With many of our favourite events returning and new initiatives emerging, it truly was a year to look back on in celebration.
We were just as busy supporting and developing our internal community as we were with the external communities that we are part of. Month by month, here is a taster of what we got up to…
January
Inspiring Herts Awards launch – Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce launches the annual ‘Oscars of Hertfordshire’ in January each year, and 2022 was our second season as Joint Headline Sponsor of the awards. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting potential award entrants at the launch event, and at an oh-so-helpful workshop to help entrants write their submissions.
Watford Football Club – as a WFC Partner, we support the club in achieving its commercial and community goals. January sees the start of a new partnership year with opportunities to show our support through on-pitch advertising, taking our contacts to games, and participating in their business-to-business networking events.
February
St Albans Pancake Festival sponsorship – a pancake-flipping fundraising and community event held in the heart of St Albans City. Sponsoring this event helps to ensure every penny raised from entry fees goes to support the great work done by local charity, Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ukraine Appeal – staff members brought donations for the first of many humanitarian relief runs organised by one of our colleagues. The SA Law team were grateful for the opportunity to help those whose lives were ravaged by war.
Charitable donations – SA Law is involved with many local charities in a professional capacity as a legal adviser, as a supporter, and also through signposting charity services to those in need. To help fund the work of several charities tackling issues of homelessness and supporting children and the elderly, the between them, the firm and the SA Law team raised or donated over £2,200.
March
Walking challenges for Pancreatic Cancer UK – across two walking challenges (Wellbeing Walking and the Thames Path walk) staff clocked up 630 miles and raised £1,100 for the charity in memory of a treasured colleague, Lesley Wicks.
St Albans Chamber International Women’s Day event – teaming up with our friends at the St Albans Chamber of Commerce, and many of St Albans most successful businesswomen, we joined forces to celebrate successes, spark innovation, and inspire action over a very enjoyable lunch!
Oaklands College Lambing Day – a fun and educational day out for all the family, there’s a lot more to this event than a few cuddly lambs. SA Law sponsor this event to help the college to keep entrance fees at an affordable level for as many families as possible.
April
Hillier Hopkins charity football match – we were delighted to join in the fun and to help raise funds for The Pepper Foundation hospice care at home.
University of Hertfordshire student mentoring – 12 SA Law solicitors eagerly volunteered for a four-month mentoring programme, to support students from under-represented social groups who want to pursue a career in the law.
May
Herts County Show sponsorship – thousands of visitors gather each year to browse locally produced goods, watch shows and demonstrations, and enjoy a family-friendly day out. Corporate sponsorship helps the organisers to invest in improvements year on year.
Hospice of St Francis golf day – we joined in the fun with lots of other local businesses, to help raise funds for this superb charity so that it can continue supporting people dealing with serious illnesses and their families.
Metal Health Awareness week – the SA Law Wellbeing Team hosted events for staff across the week. From a wellbeing walk and a game of rounders on the more active end of the scale, to a book-club lunch and a relaxing 15-minute neck and shoulder massage for those who needed something a little less energetic. Our Mental Health First Aid Champions also hosted drop-in sessions throughout the week for anyone who wanted to talk.
Understanding microaggressions – an awareness raising workshop for the SA Law team helped to clarify what microaggressions are, how to recognise them, and how they affect people. We also discussed ways to respond to micro aggressive behaviour if you witness it or receive it and highlighted some helpful resources.
June
Disability Confident Employer – as part of its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, SA Law joined the Disability Confident scheme, which helps us to recruit and retain staff from the widest possible pool of talent.
Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards presentation – celebrating with over 450 of Hertfordshire’s finest business and community minds, at the famous Harry Potter Studios, this event highlighted all that is good about creating a thriving community. Alongside Viatris as Joint Headline Sponsor, we were happy to crown Amber Mountain Marketing as the overall winner, naming them most Inspiring Business of the Year 2022.
St Albans Half Marathon and Fun Run sponsorship – celebrating its 40th year, this event saw over 3,000 runners, joggers, wheelers, and walkers taking part, with hundreds more cheering them on. A family-friendly community day with wellbeing and inclusivity at its core, it’s an annual highlight in our calendar.
St Albans Food and Drink Festival – a fun day out for all the family, bringing together charities, community groups and all those involved in producing, creating, selling and serving food and drink across the district. As headline sponsor, we had great fun hosting the Cookery Stage where local chefs inspired the crowds with their creative food combos.
Enjoy St Albans Food and Drink Festival Awards – celebrating the amazing variety of food and drink on offer in the district, SA Law joined the St Albans BID team to sponsor this annual opportunity to recognise our hard-working hospitality sector which help to make the city a great place to live and work.
July
Rangers Victoria Youth football team – part of a very special football league for primary school age boys and girls, the coaches focus on inclusion, wellbeing, and fun (three of our favourite things). The organisers have put our sponsorship funding to very good use, investing it in training equipment and sports kit, so the players get the best experience without putting too much of a dent in their parents’ pockets.
Swift nest boxes installed – organised by Wilderhood Watch and supported by the St Albans BID and St Albans City & District Council, the Swift Action initiative helps to halt the decline of the UK swift population. BID board member and SA Law partner, Marilyn Bell, was only too happy to provide a home for these wonderful birds by having nest boxes installed on the SA Law office building.
August
Altruistic August – the SA Law Wellbeing Team shared the Action for Happiness August wellbeing calendar, which is full of ideas for creating happiness for yourself and others by building simple acts of kindness into day-to-day activities.
September
Macmillan Cancer Relief – organised by one of our SA Law colleagues, we were very pleased to hold a fundraising coffee morning on behalf of friends, family and colleagues who have benefitted from the much-needed support of this charity.
Dragons Apprentice Challenge – SA Law’s Helen Young embarked on a mentoring programme with children from Hemel Hempstead School. The Challenge, run by Community Action Dacorum, enables Year 12 students to experience setting up and running a business to turn £100 into much needed funds for a good cause. Along the way the students gain organisational and job-related skills and learn about both the work and the beneficiaries of a charity or community group.
October
OA Saints Women’s Rugby team – a bit of healthy competition can boost your wellbeing, so we were only too happy to add some encouragement as match sponsor for the team’s home game against Richmond.
Black History Month – in celebration of the diverse community at SA Law, we saw Black History Month as an opportunity to broaden our understanding and challenge our knowledge and beliefs around black history and culture through sharing a wide range of useful resources.
World Menopause Day – to mark the occasion SA Law released its Menstruation to Menopause staff welfare policy and signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge, publicly committing to taking positive action to support employees and their families affected by menopause.
Hertfordshire Healthy Workplace scheme – SA Law’s Wellbeing Team enrolled the firm in this excellent programme, which provides resources, support and training for health and happiness. Sharing wellbeing resources across the firm gives staff resources that they can use to help themselves, colleagues, families, friends, and clients in need of some general wellbeing or mental health support.
November
Berkhamsted Rotary Trust fireworks – over 4,000 people attended this annual fundraising event, with our sponsorship ensuring that as much profit as possible can go to support local charities and disaster relief overseas.
Fleetville Junior School Fireworks – a fun family event organised by a progressive school with an inclusive culture and an emphasis on caring for the broader needs of children to enhance their education and social outlook. Through our sponsorship we hope to support and promote these positive messages in the wider community
Harpenden Christmas Carnival – an annual event, with music, entertainment, fun fair rides and, of course, the carnival parade and ceremonial switching on of the Christmas lights. Organised and run by Harpenden Council, we sponsor this event as it provides a platform for businesses and charities to promote their work as well as encouraging residents to shop local and raise awareness of maintain the vibrancy of Harpenden town centre.
December
St Albans BID Nutcracker competition – creating an enchanting trail around the city, the 10 giant Nutcracker soldiers offer free family fun and the chance to win a £20 gift card to spend in local stores.
Postbox Toppers – brightening the streets of St Albans, whatever the weather, the knitted postbox toppers raise funds for local charities through sponsorship. What better way to join in the Christmas fun and support a good cause?
Fleetville Infant School Christmas Fair – focused on inspiring and nurturing young children from diverse backgrounds, this school promotes open-mindedness, tolerance and responsibility in its pupils. Through sponsoring this event we ensure the organisers can concentrate on creating a great family event that meets those values, without having to worry if they will cover their costs.
Christmas Gift Bank – the SA Law team rallied round to donate toys and other gifts for disadvantaged and vulnerable children in the community.
Warm Welcome Campaign – to support a community response to the cost-of-living crisis, our Race, Ethnicity and Heritage group delivered soup, bread, and supermarket gift cards donated by the SA Law team.
