Pictured: Guy Forster from Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, Pam
Dehal (committee member), Toni Knott from Irwin Mitchell Solicitors
and Dr Imogen Morgan, Consultant Neonatologist and Clinical
Director of the new Neonatal Unit
A year of fund raising initiatives by staff from a Birmingham
law firm has provided a charity appeal with more than £11,000
worth of vital equipment which will help save the lives of babies
from across the West Midlands.
Irwin Mitchell Solicitors nominated the Tiny Babies Appeal as
their official charity of the year and staff at the Birmingham
office set about organising and taking part in a series of fund
raising events.
Solicitors and legal staff based at the Temple Street office in
the city centre quite literally 'threw themselves' into fund
raising events, participating in a charity parachute jump, which
alone raised more than £4,000. Other initiatives included
supermarket bag packs, dress down days, a cake sale, and make over
days at Clinique in House of Fraser.
As a result, staff from Irwin Mitchell were able to recently
hand over a cheque for £11,700 to the Tiny Babies Appeal,
which aims to raise £2 million towards the funding of a new
neonatal unit based at Birmingham Women's Hospital.
Toni Knott, a member of The Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation
commented: "We chose the Tiny Babies appeal as our official charity
for 2010 after a member of staff nominated them as a deserving
cause. His own baby daughter, who had been born prematurely, was
treated at the hospital's neonatal unit.
"We all felt that the appeal was a hugely deserving cause and we
have had a really successful year of fundraising events, not only
raising money but also awareness for the Tiny Babies Appeal, which
is a truly life changing charity.
"When we handed over the cheque recently we were able to see
first-hand how the money will be used to purchase new equipment for
the state of the art neonatal unit equipment, which will hopefully
save even more babies lives in the future."
One of the neonatal rooms at the unit, 'The Ladybird Suite' now
bears a plaque recognising the fund-raising efforts of Irwin
Mitchell's staff.
Birmingham Women's Chief Executive, Steve Peak commented, "We
are so grateful to Irwin Mitchell for their support towards the
Tiny Babies Big Appeal. Their generous donation will enable us to
purchase a variety of new equipment to help our sick and premature
babies. The Neonatal Unit does a fantastic job looking after over
1000 babies every year and we are touched by the immense support we
have received for our appeal."