Paralegals pull plenty of punches to fundraise for cancer charity

15th March 2016

Two paralegals will step into the ring this March for a Pink Collar Boxing Event to support the work of their local cancer hospital.

Friends and colleagues, Hannah Berridge and Josie Jones , who both work at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors in Sheffield, will pull on their boxing gloves on the 19th March for a charity boxing event to raise as much money as possible for Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity. Beginner boxers, Hannah and Josie, who have never stepped into a boxing ring before, will box separate opponents for 3, 2 minute rounds at this special event at Bramall Lane with hopes of raising over £500 for Weston Park Hospital's dedicated charity. In support of friends and colleagues who have fought or are still fighting cancer, the pair will pull punches with a chosen opponent after undergoing 8 weeks of intense training at the Sheffield Boxing Centre. Josie (22) from Woodhouse said -Choosing Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity as our benefiting charity was an easy decision for Hannah and I. -We both know so many people affected by cancer that it made sense for us to help raise funds for the regions only cancer hospital, which offers such brilliant care to cancer patients and their families in our region. -Neither of us have ever done anything like this before and although we'll be really pushing ourselves and it's a daunting prospect, we really hope it raises money and awareness for our local cancer hospital. Weston Park Hospital is one of only a handful of specialist cancer hospitals in England and treats patients from all over South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire a population of almost 1.8million people. Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity is the only dedicated charity for the hospital and exists to support the world-class cancer research and to improve the treatment and care for people living with cancer. To achieve their fundraising target of £500, both Josie and Hannah have received utmost support from their employer, Irwin Mitchell, who have, in recent years, worked closely with the cancer charity on various initiatives. Not only have the law firm agreed to promote the duo's fundraising efforts, but fellow employees have also shown their support by buying tickets for the night and donating to Josie and Hannah's JustGiving page. Hannah (26) who is originally from Rotherham and now lives in Richmond, Sheffield said -We really wanted to support a cancer charity that not only supported one aspect of cancer care, but provided funding for projects which support patients from initial research of their disease right up until after care. -We are so lucky to have Weston Park Hospital right on our doorsteps here in Sheffield and the praise for the services provided their simply could not be more positive. -Training for our fights has been tough but thanks to the voluntary help of gym owner and trainer, Glyn Rhodes MBE and boxer and trainer Sam 'Speedy' Sheedy we're confident that we'll be ready to take to the ring on the 19th March. Weston Park Hospital cancer Charity needs to raise over £1.9 million this year to enable the funding of committed and new projects that will keep patients at the forefront of cancer treatment. With an ageing population and improved diagnosis, the cancer charity are facing a growing challenge to support the services provided by Weston Park Hospital and ensure that patient comfort and quality of services delivered remain a priority for the charity. Charity Community Fundraiser, Lucy King said, -We want to wish both Hannah and Josie the best of luck for their fights and thank them for choosing to support the charity at this special event. -We're encouraging people across the region to take on a fitness challenge during 2016 whilst raising funds to support the vital work of Weston Park Hospital. -Whether it's a walk or a run, there's lots of events people can get involved in which will ultimately help raise money for the benefit of thousands of cancer patients in our region. To support Hannah and Josie's Pink Collar Boxing fundraising visit their JustGiving page at: www.justgiving.com/HannahBerridge-JosieJones To find out more about how you can support the cancer charity during 2016 visit www.wphcc.org.uk