ANGELA DOCHERTY: NEW WAYS OF KEEPING GROUNDED

The purpose-driven business series features a different Business for Good every Thursday to showcase their unique giving stories. We hope these stories inspire you with interesting, new and joyful ideas on how to integrate giving into your business.

From witnessing the most pure acts of sharing by a child, to experiencing the difference a small amount can make to a community. This next business owner (and the Volunteers Chief Executive of New Ways) has opened her eyes to new ways of appreciating the little things around us.

INTRODUCING…ANGELA DOCHERTY!

WHO: Angela Docherty from Wilton Associates

WHERE: London, UK

WHAT: I provide investment advice to Pension Funds and Endowments.

CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF WHY YOU DECIDED TO START GIVING?
Giving is an important part of who I am. I have been involved with a charity (New Ways) who is a worthy cause for over 20 years, so it was natural to sign my business up to B1G1 once I saw what it was achieving for worthy causes.

I was asked to help New Ways. Once I started, I found it very fulfilling to know that I could help make a difference. While we’re helping others, we get so much out of giving back, it makes my life more whole. I think it has also helped me stay grounded as I work in financial services, so it’s nice to be reminded all the time that £5 makes a real difference in Africa, though we frequently think it’s not much here.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE PROJECT(S) TO GIVE TO AND WHY?
I give to water projects for New Ways. The nomadic pastoralist struggle to find water and without water no human can survive. They need their animals for milk so its really important to have access to water

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE IMPACT B1G1 HAS HAD ON YOUR COMPANY AND ITS CULTURE?
Giving has always been part of my business culture. Overall B1G1 has had a very positive impact and have had great feedback from my clients.

WHAT’S THE BEST EXPERIENCE YOU’VE HAD THROUGH YOUR GIVING ACTIVITIES AND BEING A PART OF B1G1?
It makes it clear to clients what the value system of the business is and their feedback is the most important.

DO YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING GIVING STORY TO SHARE?
I think the most momentous was my first trip to Turkana in Northern Kenya in 1997, where we have the bulk of our projects. We were visiting our nutritional nursery schools, and in one, they had held back lunch until we arrived. A few of the children were crying from hunger. I felt really bad they had waited. But the thing that really made me cry was that as soon as they got their food (Maize and beans), one of the crying children ate about half his meal then started heading back towards his home. I asked him where he was going without finishing, and I was told that he was taking the rest of the food home to one of his siblings who didn’t attend nursery.

So even at the age of 4/5, this child knew about sharing, even when he was hungry enough to have eaten it all. So amazing…these are the things that sustain me in helping New Ways.

If you have an interesting Giving Story to share, write to us at hello@b1g1.com to be included in the next feature!