100 Club Profile: John Alderton: Partner, Squire Patton Boggs
John Alderton is a partner at Squire Patton Boggs in Leeds. He is a member of the Leeds Community Foundation’s 100 Club, a patronage scheme for individuals who are motivated to make a difference in Leeds.
Here, he discusses what he loves about the city, and why he’s involved in the foundation.
What is your favourite thing about Leeds?
The people. Leeds is a really friendly city, from the taxi drivers at the station to the staff in the bars and restaurants, to the people you work with in the business community. Virtually everybody has a helpful can-do attitude which helps to create a really positive buzz in the city.
What is the worst thing about the city?
Everybody knows the transport system needs to be improved. The Northern Powerhouse Rail Project isn’t just about improving the connectivity between east and west, the transport strategy also needs to help people get in and out of cities like Leeds and improve the connectivity between Leeds and its urban neighbours like Bradford, Wakefield and Huddersfield.
Why are you a member of Leeds Community Foundation’s 100 Club?
As a large employer in the city, we take our CSR responsibilities seriously and want to put back into the community which gives so much to us. The 100 Club’s focus on smaller charitable and social initiatives is really important to Squire Patton Boggs. These organisations don’t get the publicity of the larger organisations and frequently don’t have the infrastructure to attract the sponsorships of the larger groups. Therefore the grants that come from the Foundation mean a massive amount to them.
What community issues are important to you?
Mental health issues are a very big concern for all of us. If somebody is physically inured or disabled, you can generally see this and provide the support that person may need. However, mental health issues affect so many people so much of the time and yet often go unnoticed and unsupported.
