Donations totalling £16,000 from Carey Olsen will help the firm's two chosen Guernsey charities - Guernsey Mind and the Guernsey Bereavement Service LBG - continue to move forward with a range of important projects and initiatives.

After a challenging past year for local charities with the most recent lockdown restrictions further limiting the number of fundraising events they can hold, Carey Olsen was keen to ensure that both charities had the necessary funding in place to continue their valuable work in the community.

Guernsey Mind will put the money it has received towards projects including the introduction of a trauma-informed care approach for young women aged 16-25, while the the Guernsey Bereavement Service will use the funding for various volunteer counsellor initiatives, including recruitment, training and supervision.

Maddy Diligent, campaigns and events coordinator for Guernsey Mind, said: "We are incredibly thankful for such a generous donation from Carey Olsen. The funds will be integral in establishing our new 16-25 youth service as well as enabling us to now focus on a trauma service for this age group. The service will include one-to-one support via our new youth lead Jazz McCutcheon and also create a program of activities and groups specifically for the support of young people."

">John Moses, chair of directors for the Guernsey Bereavement Service, added: "For the Guernsey Bereavement Service to be selected as one of Carey Olsen chosen charities is a great honour. The charity relies totally upon funding support to provide bereavement services to the residents of not only Guernsey but also all residents within the Bailiwick. These funds will be used to underpin our services which are in great demand due to the worldwide impact of COVID 19 has had on our residents who have a global reach."

Lisa Bailey of Carey Olsen's Guernsey Charities Committee said: "Given the experiences globally of the last 12 months and the impact of COVID-19 directly on people in Guernsey, the charities and their charitable missions in respect of mental health and bereavement are even more paramount and important at this time. We know what a valuable role both are playing in the local community during the current health crisis, and we're proud and delighted to be able to support them with their ongoing projects."

Guernsey Mind and the Guernsey Bereavement Service were selected by local Carey Olsen staff in 2019 to benefit from their fundraising activities.