Lawyers And Families Take Part In Princess And Pirate Day In Aid Of Ronald McDonald House Charities UK

Shiver me timbers.

Fundraisers have put their best forward in aid of a charity that supports the parents of ill children in hospital.

A Princess and Pirate Walk has been held to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities UK.

The event, organised by the Cardiff office of law firm Irwin Mitchell, saw families complete a mile-long walk around the grounds of the city’s Heath Hospital.

It was followed by an after party at Ronald McDonald House in Cardiff where families enjoyed activities such as a name the teddy raffle. Food and drink for the after party was kindly sponsored by Case Management Cymru and the children were eager to snap up their goodie bags, sponsored by Civitas Law.

The Irwin Mitchell team on the day included colleagues Laura Bailey, Charlotte Werner, Rhian Hooton, Rhys Dando and Abigail Salter.

The day raised just over £2,714 for the charity which puts up families whose loved ones are in specialist children’s hospitals, often miles from home, allowing them to be close by.

The total also received a top-up of £904 from the Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation (IMCF), an independent charity founded in 1997 that has raised more than £2 million for good causes; bringing the grand total raised to just over £3,619.

Expert Opinion

"We’ve a long history of supporting not only clients but the communities in which we operate. Ronald McDonald House Charities UK carries out amazing work in providing key support to families at an incredibly difficult time.” Rhian Hooton - Associate Solicitor

Expert Opinion

“We’re proud to have supported the event and it’s great to see so many families had an enjoyable day while also raising vital funds for charity.” Rhys Dando - Associate

Ronald McDonald House Charities UK is an independent Charity, which operates 13 Houses across England, Wales, and Scotland, providing free ‘home away from home’ accommodation.

The Houses keep families together, close to their children in hospital. They provide a place to sleep, cook and retain some sense of normal life; a lifeline for families at a very stressful time, especially when they are far from home. A Ronald McDonald House saves each family an average of £1,240 in out-of-pocket accommodation expenses.

Jordan Harbin, Corporate and Community Fundraiser for Wales at Ronald McDonald House Charities UK said: “When a child is poorly the entire family needs comfort and support. It’s often easy to overlook the strain travelling many miles to be at a child’s bedside can have on families.

“Providing a place to stay near to their child is not only a way of giving families one less thing to worry about but also allows them to meet, talk to and receive support from others going through a similar experience.

“As an independent charity we rely on the support and generosity of our volunteers, fundraisers and donors to keep families close to their sick children each year. We are thankful to all those who organised and supported this event. Their generosity will be valuable in helping families at a time of need.”