Impact

BBCG has implemented three strands through which its network of members and supporters have an impact in local communities, “Charity”, “Youth Engagement” and “Business Development”.

Charity of the Year / City Generosity

As part of our Charity of the Year (“COTY”) initiative, BBCG partners with an organization for a 12-month period, providing pro-bono assistance and raising funds through our annual fundraiser, City Generosity (“CG”) as well as regular members’ contributions.

Since 2018, CG has helped us raise over £11,900 for two charities, Find a Balance (Mental Health) and The 4Front Project (Crime and Youth). Our previous CG events have included keynote speeches from Lord Michael Hastings CBE (Global Head of Citizenship at KPMG), Tim Campbell MBE (winner of season 1 of The Apprentice), Janet Thomas (Managing Director at Infinity Capital) and actress Naomie Harris OBE (Skyfall, Moonlight and No Time to Die).

Our COTY for 2021 is Sistah Space, a charity focused on providing domestic abuse support to Black women. CG 2022 will be held for the benefit of Sistah Space, further details of which will follow nearer the time.

Impact initiatives

City Booster

BBCG’s newly-launched City Booster programme supports Black founders through mentoring, skills-based workshops and financial support. Applications are currently open with the deadline being 30 September 2022. Find out more about the programme here.

City Paths

Our student conference, City Paths, has given insight to university students in making successful banking and training contract applications. Students have learned from members of BBCG and leaders such as Baroness Hale, Yvonne Ike, Janet Thomas, David Ampaw and Courtenay Griffiths QC.

Windrush Clinics

As part of BBCG’s relationship with the Black Cultural Archives, our members have volunteered to advise members of the community who have been adversely affected by the Windrush Scandal (i.e. compensatory and immigration matters). Certain members have since continued providing assistance with support from their respective law firms. 

Oasis Academy Mentoring

We successfully carried out our one-year pilot school mentorship programme at a London state school, Oasis Academy Silvertown. This has involved over 200 hours being dedicated by BBCG’s members to raising aspirations of a select group of 30 African and Caribbean pupils in Years 10-11 during 2019.

E-Mentoring Programme

As an alternative to our City Paths conference (following the coronavirus outbreak), we successfully ran an e-mentoring programme as part of which university students and recent graduates seek to break into the legal and financial services sectors were paired with BBCG mentees in these fields.