RSM Preston holds fundraiser for The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

To support young people build key life-skills, including those required for work, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) was founded. The foundation runs various programmes to improve young peoples’ outcomes, including more than 50,000 from disadvantaged, at risk or marginalised backgrounds. To help the charity achieve its goals, the Preston office of RSM Preston recently held a fundraising event.

A considerable number of young people in the UK are classed as so called ‘not in employment, education or training’ (NEET). The number of young people in the group increased significantly following the financial crisis, with concern of a ‘lost generation’ abound.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is one of the organisations working with young people to improve their ability to function in an increasingly hard society. The organisation, which was founded in 1956, offers skill and teambuilding programmes: last year more than 271,000 young people started the DofE programme, while 419,834 are actively engaged. Around 50,000 of the 2016/17 cohort were from disadvantaged, at risk or marginalised backgrounds – a section of society found to benefit the most from meeting the award requirements – and supporting wider social mobility across the UK.

As part of its ongoing commitment to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award’s service to the community, RSM supported the Diamond Anniversary last year. The firm’s Preston office hosted a night of live music to bring the business community across the region together for fundraising. This year’s event follows in the successful footsteps of a similar session held last year at the Roper Hall.

In total, five acts performed, including musicians from the firm itself, and from local businesses, including Harrison Drury, NatWest and Bibby Financial. The performance was in front of a crowd of around 100 regional business colleagues and peers, with the funds raised, around £300 after expenses, going to the DofE.

Commenting on the event, Kevin Duffy, RSM’s Office Managing Partner in Preston, said, “It was great to bring the Lancashire business community together again for our second RSM sessions event. We welcomed a range of talented musicians from RSM and local businesses who bravely performed in front of their peers to raise much-needed funds for a great cause. We’ve been overwhelmed by the support we received again this year – both to make the event happen and the level of donations. Thanks to everyone who supported us.”