Painting Competition

Tuesday, 03 November 2009 00:00

The Child Brain Injury Trust's fundraising manager, Rachel Ritter, came to Exeter to help judge Tozers LLP's Christmas painting competition the day after she filmed a piece for The One Show with Rav Wilding showing how Children in Need had benefitted the charity CBIT.

This piece was aired on The One Show on 26 October 2009 and featured Max who was kicked in the head by a horse aged 5. Max's mum, Carol, told Rav (who danced with Aliona in the current series of Strictly Come Dancing) of how Max was in hospital for 10 months after suffering this permanent brain injury. Children who suffer from acquired brain injuries often exhibit memory loss and behavioural problems. This is where the Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT) steps in to support families with children who have acquired brain injuries and provides vital support.

For the last 9 years, Tozers has run a painting competition whereby children are invited to paint a Christmas scene that could be used as the firm's Christmas card. For several years primary schools in Devon have been encouraged to enter the competition. However, this year the competition has been run in conjunction with CBIT.

Not only does the winning picture become the Christmas card that Tozers sends to its contacts and clients, but the law firm also supplies CBIT with Christmas cards to sell as part of their fundraising activities as well as with a donation for helping to organise the competition. The children who came first, second and third in each category will receive gift vouchers from Tozers and the overall winner will also be given Christmas cards of their painting to send to their family and friends.

Tim Dyde, head of medical negligence at Tozers, and the firm's marketing manager, Sue Allen, helped Rachel Ritter from CBIT judge the entries. Tim commented: "This is the 9th year we have organised the painting competition and we are delighted that this year such a worthwhile charity as the Child Brain Injury Trust will benefit in such an innovative way."

Tim and his team of 11 lawyers specialise in child birth injury cases and, in the last eighteen months, they have settled over 26 medical negligence cases for a total of over £22 million in damages.

More information on the work of the Child Brain Injury Trust can be found at http://www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk/.