Over £22,500 Raised For Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation 20th Anniversary Appeal

A refugee charity is set to benefit after lawyers at the Glasgow office of Irwin Mitchell joined with colleagues across the UK to raise more than £20,000 in a single month to mark the 20th anniversary of the firm’s charities foundation.

The Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation (IMCF) was founded in 1997 by partners and employees of Irwin Mitchell with the aim of supporting organisations which provide a vital service to the communities in which the law firm operates. It has since raised more than £1.6 million for good causes both in the UK and abroad.

To mark its 20th anniversary milestone, the Glasgow-based office of Irwin Mitchell joined forces with counterparts up and down the country to try and raise as much money as it could throughout October.

The lawyers are now celebrating after raising £22,733 across the month, with those funds being divided between 13 Charities of the Year nominated by each Irwin Mitchell office. Funds from the Glasgow team will go to Refuweegee, along with the total raised throughout 2017, in the New Year.

Mark Higgins, the Regional Managing Partner of Irwin Mitchell Scotland, said: 

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“The Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation has been an incredible success since its launch and its 20th anniversary is undoubtedly something to celebrate.

“We are immensely proud to have been able to support a host of fantastic causes down the years and are committed to helping many more going forward.

“The fundraising drive across October was fantastic fun and we are delighted to be able to pass on a donation to support the incredible and vital work of Refuweegee.” Mark Higgins - Chairman of WJM, Chairman of Ascent, and Partner of Irwin Mitchell

A community-led charity, Refuweegee works to provide refugees with a warm welcome to the city, including a special pack featuring essentials and also letters from locals created to ensure that those who have faced great upheaval and had to leave their homes feel safe and accepted.

The fundraising by Irwin Mitchell will help the organisation purchase and fund its own transport to help new arrivals in Glasgow get their lives in the city off to the best possible start.

Employees in Glasgow contributed to the fundraising success by selling limited edition IMCF 20th Anniversary pin badges, shopping trolley key rings and canvas bags, running a raffle to win an additional day of annual leave and holding a Halloween bake sale to help them raise funds for the charity.
A spokesperson from Refuweegee, said: “We are delighted to take this opportunity to wish IMCF a very happy 20th anniversary. 

“We were thrilled when they approached us to say we'd been chosen as their charity of the year for 2017 and seeing the variety of support from their employees has been amazing. 

“From helping us move premises to organising a welcoming ceilidh for forcibly displaced people in Glasgow, the team are always on hand and willing to get stuck in. The difference that they are making to the people that Refuweegee supports is huge and we are ever grateful.”

Read more about the Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation.