Well Done HSBC!

The team at HSBC in Baker Street has been very busy lately with an array of projects to support local charities and the community. Here are just a few of the things they’ve been up to:

The Marylebone Project

The HSBC team worked with the Marylebone Project to support their users in signing up to their ‘No Fixed Abode’ Scheme. This enables the women from the project who have no fixed address to open bank accounts with HSBC and help break the cycle of financial exclusion. By getting a bank account, these individuals are then able to access the welfare state and start the journey towards securing a home, job and financial independence. In addition to this they will also be holding financial education sessions at the end of this month.

St Marylebone CE School

The team hosted a financial education session for a group of year 13 students and a mock interview skills workshop to students applying for graduate apprenticeships.

One student who attended the session sent the following feedback;

“During the workshop, I learnt about how to present yourself during an interview and how to think about answering any questions. What I found most useful was that I got to speak with someone doing a degree apprenticeship with HSBC”

One particular success story was from a student who was inspired by the session to complete her video interview for an application she had previously decided not to continue with.

The team is also working closely with other local schools – Marylebone Boys School, King Solomon Academy – educating students on how to manage their finances as well as accessing employment.

St Mary’s Social Supermarket

The team is organising a monthly drop-in financial advice and guidance session for users of St Mary’s Social Supermarket – a place where people who are struggling to afford to feed themselves and their family can shop weekly for food.

Paddington Development Trust

The team will be delivering a monthly CV writing workshop as well as financial education sessions to members of the community via Paddington Development Trust – a local charity that brings people together and supports them to take charge of their own individual and shared futures.

The above projects were developed as part of our Smarter Giving initiative that works to facilitate ongoing partnerships between local businesses and community groups, charities and schools. We have an ongoing programme of activities that includes volunteering opportunities, skills sharing, mentoring, collection drives, financial and equipment donations and sponsorship opportunities. Visit our Smarter Giving pages for more information or get in touch with our Community Impact Manager Hannah to be added to the mailing list.