The staff at our Newcastle office recently organised a collection of smart and professional business wear in support of Smart Works Newcastle. Due to the success of our recent collection and the importance of the work that Smart Works does, we are delighted to announce that both of our offices (Newcastle and Hexham) will be official donation drop off points for Smart Works Newcastle.
Smart Works Newcastle, which was established in 2018, is part of UK employment charity, Smart Works. Smart Works is a dynamic, high profile and fast-growing UK charity that exists to empower all women who need help getting into work. The charity’s service uses the power of high-quality clothing and one-to-one coaching to help unemployed women fulfil their potential, get the job and transform their lives.
Last year, Smart Works supported over 8000 women through their service, with Newcastle seeing over 500 of these. 63% of Smart Works clients secured a job within one month of their appointment, gaining financial independence and transforming their lives.
The Smart Works service is also delivered in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Reading and Leeds, and also offers virtual appointments to women outside of these areas. Since its founding in 2013, Smart Works has supported over 35,000 women, with 2,300 being supported by Newcastle. It is our mission that any woman who needs our service should be able to find her way to a Smart Works centre.
Smart Works is in its final year of its Three-Year Plan that will see it double the number of women helped annually from 5,000 to 10,000 women a year. To achieve this, existing centres will be grown, and the charity will open new centres in evidenced areas of need, such as Liverpool, Sheffield, or Bristol which is opening later this year.
We encourage clients, colleagues, and members of the public to drop off donations of suitable smart, clean and professional office clothing during the hours of 10am-4pm, Monday to Friday.
For more information on what can and cannot be donated please see Smart Works’ handy guide – https://newcastle.smartworks.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/05/SW_Clothing-Collection-Guidelines-Newcastle.pdf.
Any questions regarding the collaboration can be directed to Ashley Shickle (Ashley.shickle@gibsons-law.com) or Iona Campbell (ic@gibsons-law.com)
Thank you for your support!
