KPMG sets synchronised taekwondo world record – and raises £50,000 for Barnardo’s

MORE than 800 KPMG employees became martial arts world record setters, in the largest ever synchronised taekwondo routine which took place simultaneously at 11 locations around the country.

Some 100 people from the Birmingham office took part in the event which is expected to raise £50,000 for children’s charity Barnardo’s.

Dubbed the ‘Big Blue Kick’, the initiative was the latest fundraising activity for KPMG’s staff-selected charity, Barnardo’s. KPMG has already raised more than £1m for the cause in the first 18 months of the relationship. 

The 800 KPMG staff punched, kicked and blocked their way through a ten minute taekwondo routine. The Birmingham group performed their routine in space donated by the ICC, encouraged by former TV presenter Arti Halai and accompanied by David Austin Grey of British Taekwondo.

Karl Edge, partner at KPMG in Birmingham who also took part in the world record attempt, said: “We had a fantastic response from all of our Midlands staff to set a brand new world record and raise money for an excellent cause.”

Bond Wolfe backs Priya’s Fund

BLACK Country commercial property agent Bond Wolfe has made a £1,500 donation to help a sick seven-year-old via its charitable trust.

Lisa Worrall, personnel manager and charity co-ordinator, together with colleague Paul Bassi, nephew of Midland property investor Paul Bassi senior, made the presentation during a recent visit to Devonshire Junior School in Smethwick.

Priya’s Fund is raising money in aid of a little girl who has cancer of the nose. 
The aim is to send her and her family to the United States for treatment. So far just over £10,000 has come in and efforts are continuing.

Lisa said: “Priya has cancer of the nose which is apparently really rare in children, and our hearts go out to her.

“We are very pleased to be able to help in such a deserving cause and wish her a speedy return to health.”

Solihull businesswomen walk through the night

TWO employees from the Solihull-based Secure Trust Bank, Anne Mckenning and Lauren Benson, spent more than seven hours raising more than £1,800 for breast cancer when they took part in the annual 26 mile ‘Moonwalk ‘in London.

During the course of the walk Lauren, one of Secure Trust Bank’s human resources team, fell and fractured her arm.

She said: “I wouldn’t have minded but I’d just passed comedienne, Jennifer Saunders, when I lost my footing and fell.  It wasn’t as though I was ‘star-struck’ however I did see stars.  I carried on with the walk since I wanted to ‘do my bit’ for such a great cause.”

The two women completed the Moonwalk in traditional attire of decorated bras along with nearly 15,000 other walkers, mostly women whose lives had been touched in some way through breast cancer.