Shoosmiths Serious Injury sets new fundraising record after conquering Back Up challenge

Shoosmiths’ Serious Injury (Shoosmiths SI) has broken fundraising records by conquering a gruelling event which saw the team push a wheelchair user to the top of one of the UK’s highest mountains.

The firm and supporters have so far raised over £30,500 in funding for spinal cord injury charity Back Up after pushing full time wheelchair user Jo Wright to the top of Yr Wyddfa (formerly known as Snowdon).

‘The Push’ is Back Up’s toughest fundraising challenge, but they raced up and down Yr Wyddfa, over steep, mixed surface terrain in just four hours and ten minutes.

The fundraising total is the highest ever amount raised during The Push challenge and has set a new record for the charity.

Yr Wyddfa is in the Eryri National Park in Gwynedd, Wales at 1,085 metres above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside the Scottish Highlands. 

Jo, who is a former client of Denise Stephens, a partner in the Shoosmiths SI team, suffered a spinal cord injury (SCI) 12 years ago as a result of medical negligence.  She was until recently the chair of trustees for Back Up and is still a trustee after seven years. Denise and her team assisted Jo to bring a claim and secure funding to help with her long-term health and care needs.

Shoosmiths’ SI team was one of 12 teams in total who set off at intervals from Llanberis. Gale force winds meant the challenge had to be capped at 750 metres.

Denise Stephens rallied a team comprising of partner and head of serious injury Phil Barnes, partners Chris McKinney, Nick Tubb, and Sue Prior, senior associate Alex Haider, associate Tom Iannaccone, paralegal Marie Brown, and business development manager, Paula Gurney, plus Jo’s friends and family, and David Pipkin of Temple Legal Protection. 

Denise Stephens, partner and medical negligence expert said: “Shoosmiths SI is a long-term supporter of the Back Up Trust, and we regularly take part in fundraising events to support the charity’s fantastic work with people with a spinal cord injury. 

“We were thrilled to be part of such a well-organised event. The atmosphere on the mountain was brilliant and we had a lot of interest from members of the public, including additional fundraising donations.”

Jo Wright said: “I have been utterly terrified of heights for many years. I also hate being out of control of my wheelchair, feeling very vulnerable if others are dictating my movements. However, I wanted to raise vital cash for Back Up, a charity very close to my own heart. I must confess that there were points on both the ascent and descent where I closed my eyes and hoped for the best!

“It was a terrific experience, aided by a wonderful team from Shoosmiths’ Serious Injury who have played a key part of my journey, and been fabulous long-term supporters of Back Up. 

“Denise Stephens announced to the world that I was doing this challenge with the Shoosmiths Serious Injury Team, so it's all her fault really...wine tasting was more my comfort zone!”

Back Up CEO Abigail Lock said: “The Push was a truly epic challenge, one that captured the essence of what we do at Back Up. Every team approached the challenge with confidence and, most importantly, had fun along the way.

“We’d like to give a massive thank you to Shoosmiths for being the team who raised the most funds we’ve ever seen at this challenge. Every penny raised at The Push will go towards our vital services, so we can support even more people affected by spinal cord injury in the future.”