Law firm partner proves its better Laight than never to raise money for charity
A partner at law firm Pinsent Masons has raised gone the extra mile – well quite a few miles – in raising £3,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
In a bid to conquer a once-in-a-lifetime challenge for his firm’s chosen charity, Simon Laight flew to the Western Cape, South Africa, to tackle Cape Epic – a gruelling eight-day mountain bike race.
Cycling alongside his brother Matthew, the father-of-three was inspired to complete the race pedal after his son underwent treatment at the hospital.
Sixteen-year-old George Laight broke his right shoulder last year after ironically, falling off his bike.
Mr Laight was also determined to raise money in support of a co-worker, whose son Theo required life-saving care as a result of a complex heart condition called Truncus Arteriosus.
Mr Laight, 50, said: “Cape Epic was incredibly testing and although I’m a keen cyclist, I’m also a middle-aged office worker and I’ve never cycled 435 miles in 42 degree heat before – but Matthew and I never gave up. We set out hoping to simply complete the challenge, but exceeded even our own expectations and placed halfway in our age category, which we still can’t believe.
“It was also tremendous how generous all of our clients, colleagues, friends and family were in supporting our fundraising efforts. I feel enormously privileged to have Birmingham Children’s Hospital on my doorstep.”
Having kick-started its 2017 partnership with Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, Pinsent Masons has a whole host of fundraising events planned for the rest of the year, including its annual bike ride in the Warwickshire countryside, the Great Birmingham Run Half Marathon, Velo Birmingham and other office-based events.
The firm hopes to raise £10,000 to fund a list of items that will benefit patients all across the hospital, including those treated on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Greg Lowson, Head of Office at Pinsent Masons Birmingham, said: “We’re so proud of Simon for kick-starting the partnership (with the hospital). We hope to raise as much as possible throughout 2017 whilst also engaging staff in volunteering opportunities, to help make the children’s lives at Birmingham Children’s Hospital that little bit easier.”
Louise McCathie, Director of Fundraising at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, added: “We’d like to say a massive thank you to our friends at Pinsent Masons for selecting us as their chosen charity for 2017.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Simon, as well as his co-workers, who have already conquered some phenomenal charity challenges.”
