Member Article

Shoosmiths Aims to Raise Tens of Thousands for the Tim Bacon Foundation with Australasia ‘Takeover’

The Manchester office of national law firm, Shoosmiths is aiming to raise tens of thousands of pounds for the Tim Bacon Foundation, as it takes over Living Ventures’ Australasia restaurant for the night.

Shoosmiths will stage the take-over on Thursday 21 September as part of Living Ventures’ ‘Dream The Impossible’ event. In Manchester’s first ever city-wide banquet, eight Living Ventures venues will stage a simultaneous dining experience for more than 1,000 people. The fund-raising campaign has been set up in memory of award-winning leisure entrepreneur, Tim Bacon, who died in 2016. Under the Living Ventures umbrella, Tim created highly successful brands including Gusto, The Oast House, Botanist, Blackhouse Grills, The Alchemist, Artisan, Australasia and the Living Room.

Shoosmiths Manchester will host a VIP drinks reception and three course dinner for 150 guests at Australasia, which is based in Spinningfields. The firm is donating all funds raised by ticket sales to Dream the Impossible, in a bid to help the charity campaign hit its half a million pound fund raising target. Money raised by the campaign will go towards the Tim Bacon Foundation’s inaugural appeal for Christie’s Proton Beam Therapy project and Maggie’s Centres, who provide much needed care for cancer patients and their loved ones.

Following dinner, Shoosmiths guests will join diners from the seven other participating venues at a ‘never seen before’ after party, held at the Albert Hall on Peter Street. The evening will be headlined by singing superstar Beverley Knight MBE, with DJ sets from actor and BBC 6 Music presenter, Craig Charles.

Commenting on the event, head of Shoosmiths Manchester, Vaqas Farooq said: ‘We saw this as an excellent way to honour the memory of Tim Bacon, who left such a lasting legacy for our city. It’s great to be involved in the first year and to be hosting our guests at Australasia - an innovative and modern venue. We have an exciting evening planned at the restaurant and, thanks to the support of our clients and contacts, have been able to sell every one of the 150 available tickets. We look forward to helping the Tim Bacon Foundation achieve and, hopefully exceed, its fundraising target.’

Jeremy Roberts, CEO of Living Ventures Group said, ‘We are extremely grateful for the enthusiastic support Shoosmiths have given to this ambitious event, on many levels. It will be an opportunity not only to raise a considerable amount to two charitable initiatives which meant a lot to Tim Bacon, but to also honour and remember our friend and colleague.’

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellie Watson .