Irwin Mitchell Volunteers Support England And Wales Blind Golf Tournament

Four lawyers from Birmingham swapped the office for the fairway recently, acting as volunteer ball spotters in support of a golf tournament for players with a visual impairment.

Toni Knott, Becky Littlechild, Vindika Jasinghe and Melissa Ward from the Irwin Mitchell serious injury team used the time the firm gives colleagues to support charity, to volunteer at the Euro Pro Tour Stableford Event at The Vale Golf and Country Club on 5 June, organised by England and Wales Blind Golf (EWBG).

Formed in 1989, EWBG is open to men and women of all ages who are blind or visually impaired and allows beginners and experienced golfers the opportunity to compete in a game of golf.

As a team game with a visually impaired player and a sighted caddy, blind golf follows the standard rules of the game, with the guide acting as the player’s eyes, describing how the ball is sitting, distance to the hole and direction.

Once the guide has explained the distance and the golfer has teed off, it’s then down to the ball spotter to track the ball and find it, ready for the next shot.

Toni began volunteering with the EWBG in 2022 and since then, she has inspired colleagues from other Irwin Mitchell regional offices to act as ball spotters at fixtures across the country.

Toni and Vindika ball spotted for Jason Bastable and John Larlham.  Mellissa ball spotted for Andy Gilford and Ros Weir.

In line with Irwin Mitchell’s responsible business policy, all colleagues have two days they can take to carry out volunteering work in the local community.

Expert Opinion

“Through my work as a serious injury solicitor, I know the positive impact that sports can have on my clients who have sustained life changing injuries.

“The work that EWBG do to make golf accessible to people with sight loss is admirable and I am very privileged to be able to volunteer as a ball spotter with the full support of my employer.

“A year on from first making contact with the EWBG, it was great to get out on the course again and support those taking part. Before getting involved, I’d never played more than a round of crazy golf, but with a big interest in sports, I’m now getting the golfing bug and really looking forward to future events.” Toni Knott

The EWBG event at The Vale Golf and Country Club took place during National Volunteers Week (1-7 June) an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make through volunteering in their local communities.