PwC, DLA Piper and KCOM Group support Breast Cancer Care at the launch of their Women’s Mentoring Programme

Almost £2,000 has been raised for Breast Cancer Care by PwC, DLA Piper and KCOM Group through a variety of fundraising activities in their respective offices. The fundraising idea came about when the three firms launched a new mentoring programme earlier this year designed to help women overcome barriers to success in business.

 PwC raised money with a cup cake sale and pink champagne raffle in their Leeds office. DLA Piper also hosted a pink champagne raffle as well as a dress down in pink day, both to coincide with International Women's Day and the launch of the 'balancing the leadership scales' initiative and KCOM Group raised funds with a group-wide “Dress in Pink” day.

Breast cancer is now the most common cancer among women in the UK. Every year 50,000 people hear the devastating news that they have this life-threatening illness. Breast Cancer Care is there for every one of them, providing expert information and professional support when it’s needed most.

Bev Lockwood at PwC said:

“This is the second year in which we’ve chosen to support Breast Cancer Care at an event we’ve run on International Women’s Day.  We’re thrilled to be able to contribute to a cause that provides vital support to women during such a challenging time in their lives.”

Helen Cameron, Area Fundraiser at Breast Cancer Care said:

‘We are delighted that PwC, DLA Piper and KCOM Group have raised these funds for Breast Cancer Care. In the UK someone is diagnosed with breast cancer every 11 minutes, so the demand for our free services is huge. The fundraising efforts of individuals and companies are hugely appreciated and ensure that we can continue our life-changing work.’

Wendy Harrison, partner at DLA Piper said:

 “Breast Cancer Care is the perfect choice of charity for us to support alongside our Women's Mentoring Programme. It is a hugely valuable charity which helps thousands of women in the Leeds City Region and beyond and we are pleased that DLA Piper's efforts have helped to raise such a significant amount towards our collective total. “

Rebecca Collinson, Group HR Director at KCOM Group said:

“We hope that this activity demonstrates how businesses can create partnerships that support not only their own people but also the wider community. Getting involved in initiatives like the Women’s Mentoring Programme is important in supporting women who want to progress in the workplace. At the same time, it gives us the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for a health charity that tackles a disease which predominantly affects women.”

PwC, DLA Piper, KCOM Group and Leeds City Council have created the scheme which sees 44 women across the four organisations act both as mentors and mentees.

Bev Lockwood, northern strategic change leader at PwC, based in the Leeds office, led the programme's development. She said:

"The business imperative of equality and diversity has never been stronger.  This mentoring programme is designed to assist women in our businesses to reach their full potential by developing their confidence, networks and skills and broadening their outlook.”

Wendy Harrison, partner at DLA Piper in Leeds, added:

"Whilst recognising that women continue to face a whole host of challenges in their careers, we are proud to be driving an initiative which aims to attract, reward and retain a strong female talent pool, for the benefit of our own organisations as well as the wider business community. By working together, we can bring about a change in perception and outlook to ensure we all create an environment where women can thrive in their careers."