BTSS members can contribute to the local community through volunteering, whilst expanding their own personal development. The BTSS would like to encourage its members to get involved in volunteering projects and thank those that have already given up their time to volunteer in the local community.

JLD Borneo Expedition – October 2009
	This October our social secretary, Helen Bunting, will be joining 14 other junior solicitors to take part in an expedition to Borneo in conjunction with Raleigh International. This is the first international public service project of the Junior Lawyers Division of England & Wales. During this 16 day expedition, the volunteers will be working together in a remote area 3 - 6 hours from Kota Kinabalu to build a gravity water feed system. Many remote communities within Malaysia still do not have access to clean, drinkable water. Villages without a water source will collect their water in large tanks and barrels from rainfall. The rainfall in many areas is insufficient to meet their needs all year round so water is often taken from polluted rivers. By helping to provide a gravity water feed system the volunteers will enable a community to access fresh water, and will make a real difference to their lives. After completing the build the group will meet with members of the Sabah Law Association and Malaysian Bar Council, to work together to gain a wider understanding of global law practice and develop a global network of young lawyers. Should you wish to support this project, any donations would be gratefully received and can be made by visiting www.justgiving.co.uk/hellybunting Any money raised will go towards Helen’s participation in the building of this project (but please note that kit and vaccinations will not be paid for using donated money) and will help to change lives in rural Borneo. Raleigh also run conservation projects, as well as projects which enrich the lives of those in the third world, which your support will help to fund. In addition, elements of the funding go to help disadvantaged children in the UK. This is a great cause which both the BTSS and the JLD are proud to support.
WMLG: Lord Mayor’s Show, Birmingham Council House – Monday 25 May 2009
	The West Midlands Lupus Group (WMLG) and the BTSS Committee would like to thank Cherry Shagan from Eversheds (paralegal to the CCPG Practice Lawyer Team), for giving up 5 hours of her bank holiday on Monday 25 May 2009 to assist WMLG at the Lord Mayor’s Show at Birmingham Council House. Yvonne Norton, spokesperson for WMLG said: “Cherry was a tremendous help to the WMLG on the day and the event would not have run so smoothly without her. We do hope she is able to assists us again in the future.”