Fantastic Four Raise £947 For Southmead Hospital Charity

A team of lawyers from the Bristol office of Irwin Mitchell swapped briefings for belaying and client calls for climbing recently, by abseiling 100ft in aid of local charity.

Members of the Serious Injury Team successfully abseiled down Southmead Hospital, raising £473 for Southmead Hospital Charity along the way.

In recognition of the team’s efforts and the charity’s vital work, the Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation (IMCF) agreed to match their fundraising total, taking the amount raised to £947.

Established in 1997, the IMCF is an independent registered charity, which has donated more than £2 million to good causes throughout the UK and £284,000 in 2018 alone.

Lilly Drakoulakou, Jennifer Appleby, Rhys Dando and Declan French took on the Amazing Abseil Adventure in aid of Southmead Hospital Charity, which raises funds to support healthcare services at Southmead and Cossham hospitals and communities in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

Abseiling 100ft is not a challenge for the faint of heart. For the members of the team who remembered not to look down, there was an opportunity at the top to take in the spectacular views of north Bristol and the Severn crossing.

Lilly Drakoulakou, team leader and business development executive at Irwin Mitchell, said: “This was the first time abseiling for all of us and there are certainly a few butterflies when you first step over the edge, but it’s a great feeling of relief and achievement when you reach the ground!

“Our Serious Injury Team see first-hand the work of the Southmead Hospital Charity, so it was a natural choice for us to support. Not every deserving local project can be picked up by the NHS and the charity plays a key role in bridging the gap and is one we are proud to help.”

Adrian Brown, corporate and community manager at Southmead Hospital Charity, said: “We are so grateful for the support of Irwin Mitchell – the team did a fantastic job at rising to the abseil challenge.

“Their fundraising means we can fund innovative, nurturing and pioneering projects at North Bristol NHS Trust that transform healthcare.

“By taking part in one our fundraising events Irwin Mitchell made a real difference locally as well as enjoying a great opportunity for some team building.” 

The abseil took place on Saturday 21 September.

Anyone who wished to support the team can still do so by visiting their page at:

 https://abseiladventure2019.everydayhero.com/uk/irwin-mitchell