Home | News & events | Press releases | Shoosmiths donates ventilators to Great Ormond Street Hospital

Shoosmiths donates ventilators to Great Ormond Street Hospital

02 May 2008

Staff at national law firm Shoosmiths have raised £67,000 to buy two new ventilators for the intensive care unit at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.

The donation is the result of a successful year of fundraising in partnership with the hospital, which was chosen as Shoosmiths’ national charity of the year for 2007-08.

From premieres to pantomimes, marathons to children’s stories, concerts to kisses, Shoosmiths fully engaged its staff in various activities to raise money.

 A team of volunteers attended the hospital’s Christmas party as Santa’s helpers, and the firm produced a book of children’s stories which went into party bags and raised more than £750.

Many of the hospital’s existing mechanical ventilators, which effectively take over the breathing of very ill children, are nearing the end of their lifespan and need replacing.

Hospital corporate accounts manager Laura Cook said: “Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity is incredibly thankful to Shoosmiths staff for all their hard work over the last year in supporting us.

“Its fundraising means that two ventilators - vital equipment for the intensive care unit - can now be purchased.  Shoosmiths involvement in not only their own events, but also in engaging their clients and supporting the Charity's activities, has demonstrated a wide breadth of support and imagination, which has resulted in a successful and enjoyable year."

Shoosmiths, which was named Best Corporate Citizen at the MPF European Practice Management Awards 2007, appoints a charity of the year, as well as supporting local initiatives and charities in its seven locations.

Shoosmiths head of consumer services Judith Dorkins, who leads the firm’s corporate and social responsibility programme, said: “Community investment at Shoosmiths is a wonderful mix of initiatives chosen and run by its employees, and is now very much a part of ‘how we do things around here’.

“It is good to know that our year-long fundraising efforts will really make a difference to the staff and seriously ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital.”

Shoosmiths will be announcing its new charity of the year partner soon.

ENDS

For further information please contact:
Name: Karen Carter
Phone: 08700 864086
Email: Karen.Carter@shoosmiths.co.uk