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Birmingham based engineering and construction company, LM, has been named this week’s Charity Champion after adding a fantastic £1,000 to Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity’s Critical Journeys Appeal – which is just £240k off its £2million target.

Four employees from the firm’s Snow Hill office – a joint venture between Laing O’ Rourke and J. Murphy & Sons Ltd - stepped into the hospital fundraising team’s shoes for the day taking on the charity’s first ever ‘Apprentice Challenge’.

Patricia Smith, Ailish Whittington, Nyasha Gazi and Rob Hitchin spent the day at Birmingham Children’s Hospital learning all about the charity’s Critical Journeys Appeal, which is fundraising to equip four of its Critical Care Ambulances with the latest, life-saving equipment.  The team took part in a behind-the-scenes tour of the Critical Care Ambulances and the KIDS/NTS call centre as well as meeting with consultants and staff. 

Once confident and clued up with everything they needed to know, the team hit the phones. They spent the afternoon calling their friends, family, colleagues and contacts to explain the appeal and ask for donations. In just five hours they raised almost £1,000.

The business has been supporting Birmingham Children’s Hospital this year as its chosen charity, and this amount, together with donations from work colleagues, friends and families brings their total up to £2,000 to date.

Rob Gray, deputy project director at LM, said: “We’ve  loved supporting Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity over the past eight months. Our staff have taken on various events including the Great Birmingham Run, quiz nights and even hosted a Spanish lunch; great for the team but for a really good cause too.

“We were keen to take part in the Apprentice Challenge after hearing all about the charity’s Critical Journeys Appeal. The group loved spending the day at the hospital and it really brought to life the reason we choose to support them – the staff are so hard-working and generous and we’re incredibly proud to have helped them get one step closer to hitting their target.”

Serena Daw, Public Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We’d like to say a massive thank you to LM for supporting us so passionately this past eight months. Patricia, Ailish, Nyasha and Rob were fantastic on the day, and brought a real energy and excitement into the office by taking part in our first-ever Apprentice Challenge!

“To have raised such a fantastic amount in just five hours is incredible and we are so very proud of them. Over 2,000 babies, children and young people use the KIDS/NTS service each year, and this boost from LM has come at a perfect time as we are now just £240k off our £2million goal.”