Charity: Leeds barristers back The Joshua Tree; RSM sets three-hour Three Peaks challenge; and more

LEEDS-based barristers Exchange Chambers have raised £11,700 through their first fundraising initiative for The Joshua Tree, the Set’s official charity.
 
Exchange Chambers, based on Oxford Row, arranged an online auction thanks to a wide range of donations from barristers and staff.
 
Items and activities included holidays at home and abroad, sporting memorabilia, tickets and corporate hospitality for major events, plane and helicopter flights, music lessons and nights out.  

Exchange Chambers’ own band, Red Corner, which plays at the Kendal Calling Festival, also donated a live gig.
 
Nicholas Walker, barrister and member of Exchange Chambers’ charity committee, said:
“This event has been such a huge success thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of so many people within Chambers.
 
“We are delighted our auction of promises raised so much money and look forward to rolling out a series of fundraising events in the coming months.”
 
The Joshua Tree supports families living with the life-changing experience of childhood cancer.
 

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RSM in Leeds has set a challenge to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks in three hours.

The firm, which is a partner for the The Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award Diamond Anniversary celebrations, is inviting all staff the DofE Diamond challenge.

The challenge encourages people to take on an adventure, team development challenge, and a new skill. All funds raised will help to support the DofE achieve its Diamond Ambition to sign up two million young people to experience the DofE by 2020.
 
On October 14, RSM staff taking part will split into three and attempt to complete the entire route of the Yorkshire Three Peaks within three hours.

Each team will walk anti-clockwise, completing one of the peaks of Whernside, Ingleborough, or Pen-y-ghent.
 
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THE business community has helped rocket The Rainbow Fund’s campaign to new heights after a ball raised £40,600 to provide vital equipment for the children’s department at Harrogate District Hospital.

Companies generously donated exclusive raffle prizes and auction items at the Hollywood Bliss Ball held in Harrogate to boost funds for the registered charity, which has raised over £120,000 since launching in February. This figure includes securing £25,000 to enable the premature baby charity, Bliss, to recruit more volunteers for neonatal units around the country.

Special guests at the event included Leeds-based Jack Laugher who, together with Chris Mears, clinched Britain’s first ever diving gold medal and Yorkshire’s first medal at the Rio Olympic Games after winning the 3m synchronised springboard.

Principal event sponsors comprised CNG, Slingsby Gin and Synergy Automotive – the exclusive corporate partner of the fund which also supports the needs of children in the local community and Martin House Hospice.

Alexandra Vere, founder and fundraising volunteer, said: “We are extremely grateful to everyone who supported our ball by attending and spending generously – or by providing the wealth of auction items and raffle prizes.

“Our fund is run entirely by volunteers – with every penny raised contributing to a lifesaving, life enhancing piece of equipment or to provide a positive experience for a poorly child. Once again, Harrogate people and businesses have stepped up and done us proud.”

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THE four charities of the Lord Mayor of York are gaining a special boost this month after a local business stepped into help.

The civic charities selected by York’s first Green Party Lord Mayor, Dave Taylor, are to benefit from a special bucket collection at York Racecourse’s last race meeting of the year today.

North Yorkshire accountants and business advisers JWPCreers has provided sponsorship to enable a race day bucket collection to be held by the Lord Mayor for his four charities, York Civic Trust, of which the Lord Mayor is a life member; environmental charity St Nicks and York LGBT Forum and York Racial Equality Network which both work to strengthen diversity and support projects to reduce bullying and hate crime in the city.

The race will be called JWPCreers supporting Lord Mayor’s Charities EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes.

JWPCreers chairman and corporate finance partner, Tony Farmer, a horse racing enthusiast, and the Lord Mayor will jointly present the prizes to the race winners.

He said: “As a firm which can trace its roots in York back to the early years of the 20th century, we have had a long and beneficial relationship with the city and we were pleased to help the Lord Mayor by providing sponsorship to enable him to hold a bucket collection, which can raise a significant sum, as it is an ideal way to raise the profile of the Lord Mayor’s charities and contribute to the local community at a grassroots level.”                         

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THE general manager of The Broadway Shopping Centre, Ian Ward, has completed a gruelling hike in an effort to raise funds for two causes.

By climbing Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, he has so far raised £1,700 to be shared between Bradford Hospitals Children’s Charity and Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool.

In July this year, it was announced that The Broadway had chosen Bradford Hospitals Children’s Charity as its official charity partner. Mr Ward’s challenge marks one of many fundraising activities which staff at The Broadway will undertake in order to raise vital funds for BHCC.

“This challenge was no mean feat,” says Mr Ward, “I’m not a born hiker so I had to push myself to the limit. I’ve been bowled over by the generosity of everyone who has donated so far, and I just hoped to make it to the top in one piece and get the job done.”