Chamber president completes epic charity cycle ride

GREG Lowson, president of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, completed an epic 500km bike ride from London to Paris for blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia.

Lowson, who is also head of the Birmingham office of legal firm Pinsent Masons, joined former England, Crystal Palace and Wolves footballer Geoff Thomas and over 200 fellow cyclists for the challenge.

The lawyer has raised nearly £8,000 for Cure Leukaemia through the event and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“I was immensely proud to take part in the ride. I am a trustee of the charity and have fundraised for them for a few years now, and this was too good an event to miss,” he said.

“I will never forget the group sweeping into Paris on closed roads with friends, family and locals cheering us on. We hope to raise £500k from the ride which will unlock £5m of the essential drugs that are needed to allow clinical trials to continue in the search for a cure for blood cancer.”

Cure Leukaemia funds a network of specialist research nurses to administer clinical trials of potentially lifesaving drugs to leukaemia patients who have exhausted all options through the NHS.

Property for Kids builds a brighter future for Values Academy

CHARITABLE organisation Property for Kids has made a major donation to Values Academy’s fundraising campaign to improve the school environment for disadvantaged children in Birmingham.

It has donated £17,000 to help the independent school, which has institutions in Birmingham and Nuneaton.

The school has launched a campaign to raise funds for its Birmingham site that will considerably enhance facilities and educational resources for its students.

Values Academy delivers an alternative to mainstream education for young people aged 11 -18 who come from deprived backgrounds..

Property for Kids is known for donating to local charities in the West Midlands that help disadvantaged children. The funds were generated from two fundraising events, ‘BRENDAs’ and ‘Flappers and Dappers’.

Both events saw property professionals dig deep in to their pockets for charitable causes while having a great time. The overall total from both events will help other local charities in the West Midlands as well as Values Academy.
 
Jilly Cosgrove, committee member of Property for Kids said: “Commercial property professionals have been very generous by helping us raise money for Values Academy.”

Birmingham students inspired by BLOODHOUND SSC

STUDENTS from a Birmingham school were inspired by the team who will attempt to break the World Land Speed record of 1,000mph during an event in the city.

Year ten students from Aston Manor Academy were invited by accountancy firm Moore Stephens to attend an event it held in partnership with BLOODHOUND SSC (SuperSonic Car).

The team behind the jet and rocket powered car gave the students an overview of the project to date, a rare opportunity to see a full sized model of the car up close and experience a supersonic speed driving simulator.

BLOODHOUND SSC is designed to push engineering and science beyond the boundaries of current technology and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers through education, and will attempt to break the World Land Speed Record in 2016.

Sally-Ann Hunton, head of design and technology at Aston Manor Academy, said: “It was fantastic for our students to be given an insight into such an exciting engineering project which is pushing boundaries to aid their learning in an engaging and creative way.”

GJS Dillon sponsors charity cycle ride

WORCESTER commercial property consultancy GJS Dillon has sponsored a charity cycle event which has raised £16,000 for the city’s St Richard’s Hospice.

Some 100 cyclists took part in the 100 mile bike ride from Worcester to Aberdovey on the Welsh coast, organised by commercial property surveyor Toby Fellows, son of Bill Fellows, a partner at GJS Dillon.

St Richard’s Hospice is an independent charity caring for more than 2,600 patients, their loved ones and carers each year in Worcestershire, offering free hospice care and support.

Fellows, who hopes to make the bike ride an annual occurrence said: “My inspiration for starting such an event was to challenge those that would not usually do something of this nature and to push people’s boundaries,

“I can guarantee participants will feel a great sense of achievement which is one of the best feelings in the world.”