Member Article

Hay & Kilner Team Raises £10,000 For Children's Heart Unit Fund

Colleagues at North East law firm Hay & Kilner have kept their fingers on the fundraising pulse right through the year to bring in a five-figure sum for a much-loved North East heart charity.

Members of the Newcastle-headquartered practice voted to adopt the Children’s Heart Unit Fund (Chuf) as their dedicated charity for 2023, and have been carrying out a range of individual and team-based activities to raise as much money as they could in what is the charity’s 40th anniversary year.

Eight members of the Hay & Kilner team took part in this year’s Great North Run, while 16 colleagues took to the Tyne to compete in NE1’s annual Dragon Boat Race.

Eight mixed teams drawn from the city’s professional services firms also took part in Hay & Kilner’s annual Charity Shield five-a-side football competition, which was organised in association with the Newcastle Young Professionals Forum.

Other regular fundraising activities, including raffles, bake sales and sweepstakes, have also been taking place, while partner David Bradshaw hosted a fundraising, festival-themed summer party in his garden.

A firm-wide quiz with food generously provided by My Delhi, Hay & Kilner client and fellow supporter of Chuf, helped to add even more to the pot - and after adding a contribution from the firm itself, a grand total of £10,000 has now been donated to the charity.

Chuf cares for children and families who receive treatment at the Children’s Heart Unit at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, which is one of only two places in the UK equipped to deal with paediatric heart transplants, as well as providing support to congenital patients on the adult ward and at six other hospitals across the north of England.

Over 300 children are admitted to the Freeman’s Children’s Heart Unit for surgery every year, while over 3,000 children return each year for outpatient appointments.

The charity aims to support pioneering services that positively impact heart families, inspire hope and enable its Heart Heroes to reach their full potential, and raises money to fund equipment purchases, facilities, aftercare, salaries and research.

Chuf receives no statutory funding and needs to raise at least £500,000 every year to pay for its core services, with donations from individual and corporate supporters being its primary source of income.

Alicia Clovis-Mothalib, corporate & trusts fundraising manager at Chuf, says: “2023 is the 40th anniversary of the charity providing support above and beyond NHS capacity to the heart unit and six other hospitals in the north.

“Not only have Hay & Kilner been fundraising hard, they’ve also added so much extra value by donating prizes, generously sharing valuable insights, raising awareness of our campaigns and coming along to various Chuf events throughout the year - their £10,000 donation is the icing on our birthday cake!

“Thank you to the whole Hay & Kilner workforce - we’ve loved every minute of working with you.”

Hay & Kilner is one of North East England’s leading independent law firms and provides comprehensive legal advice across every aspect of the law to businesses and individuals from both within and outside the region.

Around £30,000 has been raised for the firm’s recent dedicated charities, which have included Tiny Lives, The People’s Kitchen, If U Care Share and the Newcastle West End Foodbank.

Bethany Herbertson, solicitor at Hay & Kilner and head of the firm’s CSR committee, adds: “We’ve had a really full calendar of fundraising events this year and with so many people from across the practice getting involved, it’s been a real team effort.

“It is fantastic to finish the year by donating what we think is the largest amount we’ve ever raised for any of our dedicated charities, and we are thrilled to contribute to Chuf’s vital work.

“Alicia and the whole of the Chuf team have been so supportive and involved with our fundraising efforts, and it’s been great for us to work alongside them during what is a very special year for Chuf.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Julian Christopher .