Lawyers and accountants dust off their running shoes

TEN runners from Birmingham law firm Shakespeare Martineau are limbering up for the Morrisons Great Birmingham Run Business Challenge on October 18.

And 70 staff from accountancy form PwC will be hitting the streets in the same event.

Six women and four men from Shakespeare Martineau, including chief executive officer Andy Raynor, are fundraising for Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children.

Departments across the firm will be represented.

Abigail Halcarz, team c-oordinator, said: “We are hoping to raise as much as possible for two extremely important causes. Training is well underway and we are determined to have an average finishing time of under two hours!”

Last year, more than 70 runners from PwC raised £11,000 for a number of charities, and their sights are set on a similar amount this year.

Charities benefitting include Macmillan, Cancer Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group and Action for Children.

They represent the three Midlands offices – Birmingham, Castle Donington and Milton Keynes, across a number of areas in the business including assurance, tax and advisory.

Ian Wall, PwC director and the firm’s hospitality and leisure leader in the Midlands, has organised the PwC team entry since 2009. He said: “We expect to have over 70 participants again this year, all with the ambition of getting around the tough course in a decent time and raising money for a number of good causes.”

‘Just One More’ campaign handed £25,000 Bears boost

CURE Leukaemia’s Just One More campaign has received a huge boost  after the delivery of a £25,000 donation from charity partner Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

To mark international Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Cure Leukaemia is calling on the Midlands region to donate Just One More pound during September to fund Just One More specialist research nurse – and save lives.

The Birmingham-based blood cancer charity is aiming to raise at least £40,000 before the end of the month – the amount required to fund a nurse for a year.

And the community fundraising drive is very much on track – thanks to the Bears’ generosity.

Warwickshire CCC has supported the campaign by donating Just One More pound from every ticket sold at the opening day of the recent Investec Ashes Test Match at Edgbaston.

Bears director of cricket and Cure Leukaemia patron Dougie Brown said: “It’s great to see the money that’s been raised at the club being put to such good use. 

“The work Professor Charlie Craddock and his team at the Centre for Clinical Haematology do across the Midlands is phenomenal. They’re making a huge difference to the lives of people who unfortunately suffer from this terrible disease.”

Sweet smell of success for Bournville fund raiser

A BOURNVILLE employee from Mondelēz International has helped to raise more than £18,000 for the British Paralympic Association (BPA) after participating in a nine-day bike ride.

Simon Outhwaite was one of 23 UK employees from the global snack provider who took part in the Deloitte Ride Across Britain – a 960 mile bike ride from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’ Groats in Scotland.

Simon, who is a senior finance analyst at Mondelēz International, trained for months in preparation for the ride, which coincided with one year to go until the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

The team raised more than £18,000 for the BPA, which is responsible for preparing and managing the Paralympics GB team and works hard to promote Paralympic sport and the success of Paralympians across the country.

During the cycle, Simon also had the chance to pilot paralympian and chairman of the British Paralympic Association, Tim Reddish, for four days of the cycle on his tandem.

Taxi firm speeds to the aid of young people’s charity 

A SHROPSHIRE taxi firm has announced it is teaming up with a charity that helps to rebuild the lives of young people.

Go Carz, which has 800 drivers across four offices in Shrewsbury, Telford, Wolverhampton and Walsall, has pledged to raise £7,500 for the Climbing Out charity.

The charity was founded in 2010 by Kelda Wood, of Shrewsbury, and runs outdoor activity programmes with groups of young people who have had life-changing injuries or illnesses.

People who have been involved with the charity say it has helped improve their lives after being affected by an injury or illness such as a loss of a limb or cancer.

Cindy Wilday, marketing director at Go Carz, said: “Working with Climbing Out is a wonderful opportunity for our staff and drivers to give something back to the community they are so passionate about.”