Uplifting the local community through The Colchester Business Lunch Club
Pictured above are Director and Head of TSP's Wills & Estates Team, Robert Ashworth presenting the cheque to St Helena Hospice with help from CBLC committee members Simon Pinion (Scrutton Bland) and Johanna Little (Handelsbanken). Left to right are Robert, Greg Cooper (Strategic Partnerships Lead at SHH) Simon and Jo.
Presided over by Thompson Smith and Puxon Director, Robert Ashworth, with support from Committee Members Simon Pinion (Scrutton Bland) and Johanna Little (Handelsbanken), The Colchester Business Lunch Club (CBLC) is an informal business lunch club that is designed to connect local professionals from in and around the Colchester area. The club is attended by the brightest and best from Colchester's business community with TSP colleagues also joining each month.
As the club takes a donation from each person that joins for lunch, those who attend the CBLC are helping to make a charitable impact in the local community. The committee has been able to make a number of donations to local charities over many years. So far this year, two cheques have been presented - £500 to St Helena Hospice and £500 to Beacon House.
St Helena Hospice offers vital services to local people facing incurable illness and bereavement and their families and carers, across north east Essex. Their work includes bereavement support, respite for carers, therapies and much more to patients and families affected by incurable illness. You can learn more about St Helena Hospice here.
Established in 1996, Beacon House supports homeless people, those in insecure accommodation and those at high risk of homelessness through a wide range of support services. The Beacon House charity takes a holistic approach to homelessness and offers a wide range of support services that provide a necessary and vital lifeline to these vulnerable individuals. You can learn more about Beacon House here.
Julie Waite, Office Manager at Beacon House commented "Every donation is a lifeline for people experiencing homelessness and extreme hardship. Your support helps us provide critical healthcare, practical support, and a place of safety for those who have nowhere else to turn. Our nurse-led clinic offers vital medical care, from wound management and vaccinations to support for chronic conditions like COPD and diabetes. Many of our patients face barriers to mainstream healthcare, and without us, they would suffer in silence. Your donations help fund life-saving interventions, essential medicines, and access to addiction recovery support. Beyond healthcare, we offer warmth and dignity. A hot shower, clean clothes, and a meal can restore hope to someone who has lost everything. Our team works tirelessly to connect people with housing, mental health support, and employment opportunities, walking alongside them as they rebuild their lives. Every pound donated helps us reach more people, whether that’s funding our social inclusion programmes, providing training for volunteers, or ensuring we can continue to advocate for the most vulnerable in our community. Beacon House isn’t just a service; it’s a sanctuary. With your support, we can keep our doors open and change lives - one person at a time.”
Readers will recall that TSP was able to make a previous donation of £500 to St Helena Hospice at Christmas. As TSP colleagues often make up a sizeable part of the CBLC cohort, it has been their pleasure to contribute to a second donation in such quick succession.