Brainwave Patron Tony Bullimore Speaking At Fundraising Event

Law firm Irwin Mitchell is hosting an inspirational evening in Southampton which will be headlined by sailor Tony Bullimore's amazing survival story after an around-the-work race went wrong and left him fighting for his life. 

The special event on Thursday 3 March is being co-sponsored by Close Brothers, and has been organised to raise money for Brainwave, a charity supporting children with a wide range of conditions and developmental needs. 

It will feature a speech and Q&A session from Tony Bullimore who has been a Patron of Brainwave for 14 years and has a compelling story to share. 

Whilst competing in the Vendee Globe single-handed nonstop round-the-world race in 1997, his sailing boat capsized in the Southern Ocean trapping Tony in the hull of the yacht.

With the media reporting Tony as missing many feared the worse but he managed to survive for five days on “a little chocolate, water and sheer determination.”

The sailor clung to an air pocket in the upside-down boat in pitch darkness and was only a few hours from death when he was rescued.  

Tickets are still available at a cost of £25, for a night at St Mary's Stadium that will focus on the extraordinary coverage, survival and determination of both Tony and many of the children that Brainwave support.  

National law firm Irwin Mitchell work with children that require specialist care after complications with their birth and help them receive the support they need.   

Justine Spencer, an expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, has helped organise the event and is looking forward to a special evening. 

Expert Opinion

“It’s fantastic that Tony Bullimore will be sharing his amazing story and this will make for an excellent evening celebrating those who have and continue to overcome challenges and difficulties on a daily basis.

“We see the amazing job Brainwave do to support these children and their families and we want to show our support by raising much needed funds that will make a real difference to the job they do.” Justine Spencer - Partner

There is a raffle on the night with a number of fantastic prizes and every penny raised will go to the charity. 

Brainwave works with children with a wide range of conditions and developmental needs; including, cerebral palsy, genetic conditions, Down’s syndrome, autism and developmental delay.

Karen Betancourt-Jess, Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships at Brainwave said: “We are delighted Irwin Mitchell are helping to host this event and raise funds and awareness for our charity.

“We totally reliant on donations to allow us to support the children in the way we do and an event like this will help local families to have a better quality of life, as their child increases their mobility, communication skills and learning abilities.”

More information can be found here. If you'd like to attend then please email Maddison.peters@irwinmitchell.com.