The Conveyancing Foundation has donated funds from its innovative Charity Lotto to help two national charities, the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS) and the Epilepsy Society.
Both charities have received £1000 each after they were nominated by staff at Convey Law, whose clients raised the funds by taking part in the Foundation’s Charity Lotto.
Lauren Forbes, a Conveyancer at Convey Law, nominated SANDS as a worthy recipient of a charity donation in recognition of the support her brother and his wife received after their baby Finn was tragically stillborn at 32 weeks in 2013.
She said:
“SANDS really helped my brother Kyle and my sister-in-law Hannah when their little boy Finn was stillborn. Even when they went on to have their daughter April, who is now 7, my brother found it hard to walk past the delivery suite Finn was born in when he visited April and Hannah.
“SANDS provided vital help and support to them after an awful tragedy that no-one ever expects to go through when they have a baby. As their experience showed, it is not an event you can just get over but something that is always with you that you learn to live with through the invaluable help of organisations like SANDS.”
Funds donated to SANDS support anyone affected by the death of a baby. The charity works in partnership with healthcare professionals to ensure that bereaved parents and families receive the best possible care and it promotes improvements in practice and funds research to help reduce the number of babies dying.
The Conveyancing Foundation, which raises money for charity through its Charity Lotto where clients of any legal practice or property company can donate a voluntary £10 at the end of their transaction, giving them a chance to win £500 in a monthly draw, also made a donation of £1000 to the Epilepsy Society.
The Epilepsy Society is the UK’s leading provider of epilepsy services. Through their research, awareness campaigns, information resources and expert care, they work for everyone affected by epilepsy in the UK.
The society was nominated for help by epilepsy sufferer Stefan Lewis-Davies, who works in the Finance Department of Convey Law.
Stefan, who was only diagnosed in 2013, said the society helps to provide vital support to sufferers and also raise awareness of the life-threatening condition.
He said:
“I have suffered multiple seizures over the last 8 years, the most recent towards the latter end of 2020. Each seizure can be different and life-threatening.”
Stefan, who has a 5-year-old daughter and a baby due imminently, said his daughter was very frightened when she saw him having a seizure and it was crucial to raise awareness “to anybody who has suffered any kind of seizures that it could be epilepsy related and for them to see a consultant immediately” as well as for people to recognise possible seizures in others.
He added:
“There are people who suffer with this condition who are worse than me and have seizures every day which is awful.
“Seeing pictures and videos on social media of people who are unable to live a normal life because of this condition is heartbreaking and I feel it is important for people to understand the effect it can have on an individual and their families for the rest of their lives.
“Unfortunately, there is no cure for epilepsy and epileptics, including me, are on medication for life. The funds donated by the Foundation from its Charity Lotto will go to an outstanding cause.”
Georgia Davies from The Conveyancing Foundation said the donations to SANDS and the Epilepsy Society came from funds raised by Convey Law clients, adding:
“The funds were made possible through our Charity Lotto. Thank you to all the clients of Convey Law who have taken part. Even if they did not personally win the monthly draw, I want them to know what incredibly worthwhile causes the money they have helped to raise go to.”
The Foundation also helps other businesses to set up their own Charity Lotto to raise funds for charities they wish to support. It has helped companies raise over £800,000 for their chosen charities in the last decade.
Georgia Davies explained:
“We are very keen to help others fundraise for their own charities through our Charity Lotto. It’s a simple idea which most clients are happy to support when they are buying or selling their house but its end results are incredibly powerful as it enables the Foundation to make much-needed charity donations.
“We are dedicated to helping any other company that is interested to set up their own Charity Lotto and start fundraising for the causes they care about.”
The Conveyancing Foundation can be contacted for further information on setting up a Charity Lotto at info@conveyancingfoundation.org.uk or 01633 261794.