Blackadders LLP has donated £16,000 to the Scottish music charity Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise project after a year of fundraising.
The firm adopted Sistema as its charity of the year and match funded fundraising efforts by employees.
Across 2024, the team took part in Kiltwalks, sponsored silences and charitable events at each office. The team raised £8044.39 which was match funded to make a total of £16,008.78.
In recent years, the firm has adopted a more co-ordinated approach to charitable fundraising and Sistema was adopted as its charity of the year in 2024. The Big Noise project is a high-quality music education and social change programme that works intensively with children, young people and families within targeted communities.
It uses the symphony orchestra as a community through which children gain an invaluable range of life skills and experiences. They develop confidence, teamwork, resilience, pride and aspiration as well as the capacity to work hard, supporting them to reach their potential, and lead successful and fulfilled lives.
Emma Gray, Joint Managing Partner, said: “Our people operate at the heart of the communities we serve and our national success is driven by this approach. This extends to our charitable fundraising and there have been amazing efforts to benefit the Big Noise programmes across Scotland. We really have been delighted at all the different events and initiatives the teams have come up."
Emma Gray, Joint Managing Partner alongside Linda Allan, Fundraising Officer at Sistema
Linda Allan, Fundraising Officer for Sistema Scotland, said: “We were delighted to receive the match funding from the Blackadders charity partnership with Sistema Scotland.
“It was a great effort to raise an amazing amount for the Big Noise programmes. Every day we see the difference the programmes are making for young people in disadvantaged areas building their confidence through developing musical skills, working together and having fun creating music in an orchestra.”
This year Blackadders LLP is raising funds for Maggie’s Centres which provide support and advice for cancer sufferers and their families. Efforts so far have included Kiltwalks and firewalks and fundraising is on target to surpass the firm’s 2024 total.
The Dundee Private Client team has established a partnership with Dundee Maggie’s Centre by providing a free Will-writing service.
In the past year, around £25,000 worth of Wills were prepared for free for people with cancer using the Dundee centre by the firm’s Private Client Team. Solicitors attend the centre every month to provide advice on complex personal circumstances and to draft Wills for individuals who are vulnerable, contemplating end of life and what this means for their friends and relatives. The aim is to roll this out to Maggie’s Centres in Glasgow and Aberdeen in 2025.
Laura McDowall, Head of the Private Client Team, said: “We are passionate about supporting Maggie’s. As we have been giving our free Will support, we have seen what a valuable service Maggie’s provides and how dedicated and supportive the staff are with centre users. We are proud to support Maggie’s and to support our team who are determined to raise as much as they can this year.”