Charity: Leukaemia Lymphoma Research, The Lord’s Taverners
THE Leeds office of law firm Mills & Reeve has been hands-on with its charitable activities so far this year.
The team has been trekking the Lake District, serving meals to the city’s homeless at Leeds shelter St George’s Crypt and helping young people with autism as it takes on the firm’s nationwide charity challenge to raise money for blood charity Leukaemia Lymphoma Research.
The firm sponsored one of Opera North’s education projects, the VerveCLUB, a creative workshop for young people with Asperger’s syndrome or who are on the autistic spectrum.
Philip Way, head of the Leeds office at Mills & Reeve, said: “It is a great pleasure to be able to support such a diverse range of worthwhile causes at both regional and national level.
“I am extremely proud of the efforts of our staff who have braved gale force winds and rolled-up their sleeves in order to help a number of fantastic charities.”
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NEARLY 30 cyclists from Sheffield joined England cricketer Darren Gough to complete a 300 mile charity cycle ride between the five Ashes grounds from the 2005 series in which England won against Australia.
On the 10th anniversary of the 2-1 series win the cyclists, including five from Investec Wealth & Investment, rode in aid of youth cricket and disability sports charity, the Lord’s Taverners.
The former fast bowler was joined on each leg of the Investec challenge by 100 cyclists including fellow Yorkshire and England fast bowler, Tim Bresnan, former Tottenham Hotspur footballer, Matthew Etherington, and TV celebrity diving judge, Leon Taylor.
Together the cyclists have raised over £200,000 for the Lord’s Taverners, helping to put at least five of the charity’s accessible minibuses on the road for special educational needs schools across the UK, and a further £100,000 for local charities.
It started at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester last Sunday, with the riders passing Trent Bridge in Nottingham, Edgbaston in Birmingham, and Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, before finishing at the Kia Oval.
Mr Gough said: “It’s been an absolutely great experience. For someone who hasn’t really been on a bike since he was a teenager, cycling over 300 miles in four days was a challenge and a half, but I’ve had a terrific time and hopefully we’ll reach our target to get five more Lord’s Taverners minibuses on the road for kids with disabilities.”
James Bedingfield, senior investment director at the Sheffield office of Investec Wealth & Investment who came up with the original idea for the challenge back in 2013 that raised over £280,000 for charities including the Lord’s Taverners, said:
“This has been an exhilarating four days. We have had some amazing support and it fantastic that we have collectively raised over £250k for the Lord’s Taverners and other local charities.
“I would like to thank Darren Gough and all the other cyclists who took part, for their excellent fundraising efforts and support.”
