Law chief’s legacy delivers £11,000 boost to Black Country charity

A BLACK Country charity that helps children and young people with physical disabilities has been given a major boost by local law firm QualitySolicitors Talbots.

Founder Chris Westwood visited the law firm’s Stourbridge office to receive a £11,000 cheque for the Chris Westwood Charity for Children with Physical Disabilities, which will be used to purchase special exercise equipment, walkers and standing frames for individuals looking to regain or maintain mobility.

The money was the direct result of donations received following the funeral of Martyn Morgan earlier this month and takes the popular lawyer’s commitment to the charity to £70,000.

“We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of friends, family and colleagues and it is comforting to know that some good will come from such a tragic event,” explained Mary Mocklow, director at QualitySolicitors Talbots.

“Martyn was a founding trustee and a passionate supporter of the Chris Westwood Charity for Children with Physical Disabilities and spent the last 12 years raising funds through sporting challenges and holding business events.

“I know he would have been proud to have been responsible for one final contribution that has the potential to help young people enjoy a better standard of life.”

The Chris Westwood Charity for Children with Physical Disabilities has raised and granted in excess of £350,000 since it was established in 2003.

This has helped over 320 individuals and schools across Stourbridge and surrounding areas to purchase essential mobility equipment that they would not normally get through local authority-backed schemes.

Westwood said: “Martyn was a great ambassador and promoter of our charity and his legacy will live on through the work that we do.

“This latest £11,000 donation will go a long way to making sure we deliver more grants than ever before in 2016.”

Pinsent Masons staff aim to raise £40K for Cure Leukaemia

THE Birmingham office of legal firm Pinsent Masons has chosen local charity Cure Leukaemia as its official charity and aims to raise £40,000 to fund a specialist research nurse in 2016.

Pinsent Masons staff have supported the blood cancer charity since 2012, raising nearly £38,000. Through Cure Leukaemia’s model those funds can be leveraged to access £380,000 worth in potentially life-saving drugs for blood cancer patients in the Midlands.

The staff have taken part in a number of events including the Great Birmingham Run and the London to Paris ride last June as well as organising their own bike ride in the Warwickshire countryside to raise funds.

Due to take place on July 1st this summer it is its fifth charity bike ride for Cure Leukaemia. The firm will also be entering a team of cyclists for London 2 Paris in May.

In 2014 Greg Lowson, the head of office at Pinsent Masons in Birmingham, was appointed as a trustee of Cure Leukaemia further strengthening the relationship which continues to grow.

All funds raised by the staff throughout 2016 will support Professor Charlie Craddock CBE and his team of clinicians based at the internationally renowned Centre for Clinical Haematology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and at centres throughout the Midlands.

Lowson, who is also the president of the Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “We are honoured to support such a fantastic Birmingham charity once again this year.

“I know the tremendous work that Professor Craddock and his team do to help people battling this dreadful disease and we are proud to play our part in supporting them.”

Cure Leukaemia chief executive James McLaughlin said: “The support of Pinsent Masons has made a real difference since 2012. Having the backing of such a well-respected and influential business has not only raised the charity’s profile but also generated vital funds to help people battling blood cancer.”

Henry Wong to back Fisher House this year 

BIRMINGHAM-based Cantonese restaurant Henry Wong of Harborne has announced Fisher House as its chosen charity for 2016. 

Described as a ‘home away from home,’ Fisher House is intended for injured military personnel – many of whom have suffered life changing injuries in service – and their immediate families and is based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

More than 400 serving military personnel form the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine are based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.

Fisher House opened its doors in April 2013, and has already provided medical assistance and respite for almost 1,700 people, including patients, parents, partners and children.

It costs the charity £250,000 a year to run the facility.

Henry Wong of Harborne will be organizing a calendar of exciting events both on and offsite that will raise awareness and funds for Fisher House.

Rugeley superheroes do their bit for charity

BATMAN and Robin, Darth Vader and a Minion were among the characters out and about in Rugeley when a local company took over the running of the town’s Barnardo’s charity shop for the day.

Staff from Cannock-based Briggs Equipment, namely Paul Dickson, Toni Campbell, Fleur Poree, Harjinder Kandola, Janet Noble, Angela Smith, Danny Hitchins, Bethan Baker, Esther Trotter, Paul Armiger and Kully Nagra, raised around £450 when they rolled out the red carpet for shoppers and donned fancy dress to promote the event, which was part of Store Wars, a hugely successful national fundraising initiative.
 
Set up by Barnardo’s more thanten years ago, Store Wars engages teams of people to manage one of its charity shops for a day as they compete to see who can generate the most money by selling quality goods at value for money prices.
 
The force was certainly with the Briggs team, which pulled out all the stops to sell clothing, homewares, books and DVDs at the Barnardo’s store in Fernwood Drive, Rugeley.
 
Toni Campbell, Store Wars team leader at Briggs Equipment said: “Families from all over Rugeley made their way to the Barnardo’s shop to join in the fun and the team’s idea to dress up as film characters helped make the event a great success.”