Pair Smash Fundraising Target For Child Brain Injury Trust

The Manchester office of national law firm Irwin Mitchell is celebrating after two of its employees laced up their hiking boots to complete a mammoth three-day trek in Peru to raise thousands of pounds for charity.

Medical negligence lawyer Jennifer Cawthorne and business development manager Lynne Carrick-Leary travelled to South America at the end of March to hike the challenging high-altitude Lares Trail in aid of the Child Birth Injury Trust.

The trek saw them hit the heady heights of 4,600m, and they camped for three nights in the Andes where it was minus 10 degrees Celsius.

The national charity not only provides vital support to young people and children affected by brain injuries, but also offers advice and support to families as they attempt to come to terms with what has happened and the uncertainty such issues can create.

The trek was a huge success, with Jennifer and Lynne also smashing their initial fundraising target of £4,000.

Looking back on the experience, Jennifer, who is a Partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: 

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“We had a truly amazing time seeing Peru and the trek was easily one of the hardest things that either of us have ever done with early starts and very long days.

“However, we were undoubtedly spurred on by the fact that we were doing it to support such an amazing charity. The Child Brain Injury Trust is an organisation which we are so proud to have strong links to, with its work changing so many lives up and down the country.

“Our fellow trekkers and the support crew were all fantastic and the whole trip was simply something that we will never ever forget.” Jennifer Cawthorne - Partner

Lynne added: “We walked the Great Wall of China two years ago, and after that I never thought I’d take something similar on again. But now we have completed the Lares Trail, I am so thrilled we laced up the walking boots again.

“The amount we have managed to raise so far is fantastic and we are hoping for a few last minute donations to push us over the £5,000 mark which would truly be amazing.”

Lisa Turan, CEO of the Child Brain Injury Trust said “We are so very grateful that Jennifer and Lynne decided to take on this massive challenge to raise funds for the charity.  The Child Brain Injury Trust relies completely on fundraising to provide services to children and families in England and Wales.

“We rely on the generosity of others to provide our vital services to help children whose lives are devastated when brain injury strikes.  The training that both ladies committed to undertake before the challenge was a feat in itself and we thank them both wholeheartedly for their unwavering support.”

Jennifer and Lynne’s fundraising page at Just Giving for their Peruvian adventure remains open and donations can be made here.