It’s important for Chase de Vere that we operate as a sustainable business and we’re able to give back to society. We told you previously about some of our employees taking on the Yorkshire 3-Peaks challenge and as a result raising £16,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and last month we gave details on a number of steps we’re taking regarding managing our Environmental (E), Social (S) and Governance (G) impact. This month we want to highlight the efforts of Emma McNally, a Chartered Financial Planner based in our Bath office.
Emma is a PFS (Personal Finance Society) Education Champion. These are a network of financial advisers who are PFS members and they give up their time to host financial education workshops in schools, colleges and universities.
Emma is passionate about providing financial education to children and young adults. She says, “The National Curriculum has very little which prepares young people about the basics of managing money. I believe that even if you’re teaching a child something very simple, such has having a ‘spend jar’ and a ‘save jar’, you are providing foundations which they might not get at home. It’s really important to me that I’m able to give back to the local community and to help local children”.
As a result, Emma has for some time been building relationships and working with local schools and colleges near Frome in Somerset, which is where she lives, and she offers her services.
As an example, in June she presented about personal finance and the role of a financial adviser to thirty 10-year-old schoolchildren at a local state school based in Frome. The school welcomed Emma’s presentation as it is trying to encourage their pupils to see and understand different career opportunities at an early age.
Emma explained about basic personal finance, including how people get money, what they spend it on, saving and borrowing. She then explained about her role as a financial adviser, and how she helps people with their money. There was excellent feedback from the children, who asked lots of questions.
In July, she presented to a group of 15 and 16-year-olds, at a different local state school, giving a careers’ talk about ‘a day in the life of a financial adviser’. Again, this was really well received by the attendees.
Emma has a further presentation lined for September at a local primary school, and will continue to look for more opportunities where she can help increase financial awareness and education of children in her local area.