From The Court Room To The Race Track For Irwin Mitchell
North East lawyers put their competitive skills to the test when they organised and took part in a charity Race Night for Marie Curie Cancer Care.Staff from law firm Irwin Mitchell’s Newcastle office took part in the horse-racing themed event, along with a number of other North East organisations at As You Like It in Jesmond to raise money for Marie Curie’s Newcastle hospice in Elswick.
All teams competed against one another in races which challenged participants to bet on televised horse races with Monopoly money. The ‘Low Fell Crew+1’ from Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust were crowned the winners, after a close last race. The evening came to a close with a final auction race where teams bid for their chosen horse, and on this occasion it was lucky number one and ‘No Great Sheikhs’ from the Citizens Advice Bureau who were victorious.
Angela Kirtley, a partner in the medical law team at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Our Charity of the Year throughout 2012 has been Help the Hospices, so we were delighted to take part in Marie Curie’s event because it’s a charity we all really believe in at Irwin Mitchell.
“Many of our clients, particularly those suffering from asbestos-related diseases, have been cared for by Marie Curie nurses and we see firsthand the difference their specialist care makes to people suffering from a terminal illness, and their families.
“The Race Night was one of many events we have taken part in during the past year as part of our community programme, which includes fundraising and supporting local charities. It was a lot of fun and we are pleased it helped Marie Curie raise so much money.”
The event raised more than £1,000 for Marie Curie through ticket sales, a raffle and auction race. The money will enable Marie Curie’s Newcastle hospice to continue to provide professional end of life care to terminally ill patients either at the hospice or in their own homes.
Lisa Corfield, community fundraiser at Marie Curie’s Newcastle hospice, said: “There was a wonderful, friendly but competitive atmosphere at the Race Night and thanks to the support of Irwin Mitchell we were able to raise more than £1,000 for our nursing services in the North East. I hope the event inspired other people, whether as part of a team of work colleagues, family or friends, to help us raise the £8,800 per day to run the hospice - over £3million each year.”