Cherie Blair Opens New Training Suite

Cherie Booth QC, the wife of the Prime Minister and patron of the charity Victim Support London (VSL), has officially launched VSLís new training suite of three training rooms and a breakout area at its offices in Finsbury Square, London, and which have been donated, rent free for one year, by Scotia Bank.

VSLís trainers currently deliver over 50 courses a year to several hundred Victim Support and Witness Service volunteers, as well as delivering courses to external groups such as the Metropolitan Police, London Probation and local community groups. The courses aim to equip people to help those many thousands of people within the London area who become victims of crime.

Among those from the London business community who attended the official launch were Daniel Hanlon and David Field, of training solutions provider, Training Synergy. Hanlon and Field, who were also present as representatives of the UKís IT training industry, met and chatted to Mrs Blair.

Training Synergyís managing director, Daniel Hanlon commented: It was good to meet Cherie Blair, who was particularly interested in how the private sector can play more of a part in supporting important charities such as VSL.

Having attended the launch and learnt of some of VSLís work, we feel that there is a great deal that Training Synergy, along with other IT training providers, can do to support the valuable work that VSL is doing. Weíll be taking this up with industry bodies including the Institute of IT Training and the British Computer Society, as well as pushing for greater collaboration between industry and charities such as VSL.

Moreover, we would like to develop our relationship with VSL and offer the charity what on-going help and expertise we can, commented Training Synergyís David Field. VSL deals with important issues that are likely to affect us, or someone we know, at some time.