A helping hand for AIDS charity; SOUTH AFRICA: Volunteer hopes to bring comfort and happiness to patients.

Byline: By Gary Marks

A BIRMINGHAM law firm worker is one of four charity volunteers heading out to help in a South African centre for HIV/AIDS sufferers.

Dawn Rowlands, a PA in the firm's planning team, was selected to represent Shoosmiths' Birmingham office.

The Shoosmiths team will be travelling to the St Francis Care Centre, in Boksburg on where they will spend five days helping patients.

Father Stan Brennan, a Franciscan priest, founded St Francis Care Centre in 1992. The volunteers are being hosted by families from the local Rotary Club, which supports the centre year round. They will spend time with patients, completing DIY tasks, gardening and collecting supplies.

Shoosmiths has given the volunteers extra paid holiday allowance in order for them to complete their mission, and has covered the cost of all flights. The firm has a policy which entitles each of its employees to extra time off to undertake volunteering work.

Dawn said: "This is a phenomenal opportunity and I'm really proud to be able to be part of it. We have been collecting donations of clothes for the centre in each office which we'll take to South Africa with us.

"A number of my colleagues have also been helping me to raise money by completing their own fund raising initiatives and Shoosmiths was kind enough to donate the funds from a recent 'dress down day' which we hold every week. Although I'm as prepared as possible for what I might see at the centre, I know it's going to be quite a traumatic experience as we will be helping both adults and children. I'm just looking forward to being able to do my bit and hopefully, bring a little comfort and happiness to those concerned.

CAPTION(S):

Dawn Rowlands with some of the clothing she will take with her to the St Francis Care Centre in South Africa