The Archie Foundation’s Tayside operation is to expand into Thorntons’ Dundee office, as part of a move to accommodate the growing team.
Thorntons, a long-established legal firm in Dundee, has been a loyal supporter of the charity for many years and has gifted the space in its legal and property office on Whitehall House premises in kind.
The move comes as The Archie Child Bereavement Service expands and Rebecca Duncan joins the charity as its first business development and fundraising manager in Tayside.
Along with Rebecca, three key staff members, including two bereavement support workers and a bereavement coordinator, will be based in the new space.
Meanwhile, the charity will continue using its current office in Ninewells Hospital, enabling the fundraising and bereavement teams to manage operations across Tayside.
Archie’s vision is that all children across Grampian, Tayside and the Highlands and Islands will have equal access to world-class healthcare and bereavement support, delivered in a child-appropriate environment and manner.
Thorntons has raised more than £95,000 for Archie since 2015, with staff taking part in initiatives such as Beards for Bairns, a zombie run and office collections.
Partner Mike Kemp is on the Tayside fundraising committee for Archie and the proceeds of the annual Thorntons Sports Challenge Dinner are also donated to the charity, raising around £40,000.
Rebecca Duncan, business development and fundraising manager at The Archie Foundation, said corporate giving such as the support from Thorntons is essential to ensure it can continue to help babies, children and families at their time of need.
She said: “We are incredibly grateful to Thorntons for giving us space in their office in Dundee’s city centre, and for their continued generous and loyal support for Archie. We look forward to collaborating with their team on future fundraising initiatives and fun challenges.
“We very much value having office space in Ninewells Hospital, where we support the Tayside Children’s Hospital, but this extra space will allow us to accommodate our growing team, including our new bereavement support workers and volunteers.
“Having additional office space will help us to reach more families who have a child in hospital and need financial or emotional support, including when they have experienced the devastating loss of a loved one.
“A presence in the heart of the city in the offices of a well-known company like Thorntons will also help us to build new relationships in the business community.”
Nick Barclay, chair at Thorntons, said, "Our relationship with The Archie Foundation reflects our long-standing commitment to supporting meaningful causes in the communities we serve. By providing space in our Dundee office, we hope to enable the charity to expand its vital work, offering much-needed support to children and families during challenging times.
"This collaboration also builds on the efforts of our colleagues who have championed Archie’s initiatives for years, and we’re looking forward to seeing how this new base will enhance their reach across Tayside."
Archie’s Child Bereavement Service expanded into Tayside and the Highlands in 2022, offering a range of services, which are carefully tailored to suit the individual needs of the child and their family.
Support can range from providing specialist books to help a child understand what the death of a loved one means and to understand their emotions, to one-to-one sessions and group activities.
For more information about the practical, financial and emotional support available from The Archie Foundation, visit www.archie.org/getsupport/.