Brown Shipley Crowned Charity Football Champions

The event sponsored by Grill on the Alley helped raise over £1000 for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

A total of 16 teams including Ralli, CBG Group, TheEword and Pannone took to the Lucozade Powerleague pitches on Tuesday 24^th January.

Ralli narrowly missed out on a place in the final after losing on penalties at the semi final stage.

Marketing Director for JCI Manchester, Robert Illidge, commented:

“The event was a huge success and I would like to thank everybody for taking part and our sponsors Grill on the Alley.

It’s always great to see local businesses coming together to raise much needed charity funds especially on a cold, wet, January evening.

We’re always looking for new ways to fundraise and encourage ideas from our members and the public.”

In June 2011 members of JCI Manchester, the personal development organisation for young professionals and entrepreneurs, completed the national 3 Peaks Challenge raising over £6,000 for RMCH.

Better lifestyles could prevent almost half of all cancers in men and 40% in women

If we have the power to change what we once believed was genetic, then surely we owe it to ourselves to make a few simple changes.   The obesity argument is easily dealt with – eat less and do some more exercise.

We live in England’s green and pleasant land, we can’t even use finance as an excuse for not getting out and getting some exercise, it costs nothing to get outside and do some walking – great exercise, as Ralli’s team proved earlier this year when they undertook the 3 Peaks challenge.

As far as smoking and drinking is concerned, perhaps those are not as easily dealt with as we are dealing with the likelihood of addiction, but there is help available to anyone who wants to stop smoking and we are already aware that we are breeding a nation of binge drinkers, so again, let common sense prevail and make those changes.

Obviously, the disease that is never far away from my thoughts is skin cancer and again, despite the genetics of this illness, we obviously have the wherewithal to make sure that we are not candidates.   The use of high factor sun cream obviously helps the fight against sun damage, staying out of the midday sun and of course, stay away from the use of sunbeds, completely.

At Ralli we seem to have quite a fit team, we have several members of staff who regularly participate in team events, in marathons, swims etc but I am sure this advice is not lost on staff at the firm – we know how long term sickness can impact on our colleagues and families and as a whole, I think we are a pretty fit bunch!

Joey Barton – Twitter’s Good Boy

Joey Barton now uses Twitter and unlike some of his colleagues in the world of football,   he has endeared himself to many people over the last few months. He is quickly reinventing himself as a real deep thinker, and not only about the game.   He recently got rid of a very flash car and several very expensive watches,  saying that had he not been a footballer, he would never had been able to have those things in the first place.  A recent BBC article  suggested he might rival Eric Cantona as a philosophical spokesman.

Joey was one of the people I was following on Twitter during the debate yesterday and by 11pm last night, I found myself in a real quandary. He spoke with such passion  (well as much as one can in 140 characters!) and I thought back to the days of his brutal tackle on Etuhu, the attack on Dabo, the prison sentence he received after being found guilty of common assault and affray, and I wondered what had happened to this young man.   As a football player I’ve always liked him, as a human being, I had my doubts.

But Joey has endeared himself to me through his use of Twitter and I particularly like his outspokenness and last night when he said he’d cried, another little part of me liked him a little bit more.

A couple of weeks ago Ralli were cited as one of the top ten firms to make good use of Twitter and long may that continue.

If Joey Barton can reinvent himself through the platform of social media, there is hope for everyone.

Final call to nominate Manchester’s leading young people

www.jcimanchester.com

JCI Manchester – part of the global JCI (Junior Chamber International) personal development organisation for young professionals and entrepreneurs – has extended the submission deadline of this year’s Manchester Young Talent Awards (MYTA) to Friday 19th August. The awards extension follows an influx of interest after JCI’s World President endorsed the importance of the Manchester Chamber at an event for the Spinningfields business community last month.

The prestigious MYTA Awards serve to recognise up to eight outstanding individuals between the ages of 18 and 39 who exemplify the best attributes of Manchester’s young people. Young people may be nominated in any of the following categories:-

• Business Accomplishment Award
• Entrepreneurial / Innovation Award
• Philanthropist of the Year
• Environmental Leadership Award
• International Impact Award
• Inspiring Education Award
• Legal Professional of the Year
• Financial Professional of the Year

Expressions of interest for nominations should be emailed to Leena.Savjani@IrwinMitchell.com by Friday 19th August. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges made up from JCI Manchester’s past presidents, Greater Manchester Chamber officers and entrepreneurs whom are all now well respected members of the Manchester business community. JCI Manchester will present the Young Talent Awards for 2011 at a glittering Awards Dinner on 8th September 2011 at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel. JCI Manchester will also use the evening to raise much needed funds for its nominated charity; the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital which will complement the £6,500 raised by JCI Manchester members completing the ‘3 Peaks Challenge’ earlier this year.

The ceremony will highlight each winner’s career so far and provide a stage from which the winners can challenge and inspire young people in Manchester. For each winner, there will be a presentation profiling his / her accomplishments, followed by the trophy presentation and an acceptance speech. The not to be missed Awards Dinner is open to everyone and will provide an excellent opportunity to celebrate Greater Manchester. For individual or table bookings please email kim.holden@burtoncopeland.com.

Awards organiser and Director of JCI Manchester, Leena Savjani commented on the importance of recognising Manchester’s young talent:

“Being an established hub for entrepreneurs and professional service companies, Manchester continues to attract the best young people. The Manchester Young Talent Awards will not only recognise those young professionals excelling in their respected fields early in their career, but will also reaffirm that the city provides an excellent foundation for successful organisations and ambitious people to be based.”

Andy Flower Is New Skin Cancer Charity Ambassador

England Cricket coach and legend Andy Flower has announced that he is to become an Ambassador for Skin Cancer charity Factor 50.

Factor 50  campaigns for greater awareness and the dangers of malignant melanoma, the skin cancer which kills over 2000 people a year in theUK. Factor 50  work  with  The Christie, and also raise  money to conduct research into Malignant Melanoma.

As people embark on their summer holidays Factor50 hope that the appointment of Flower as an Ambassador will help alert people to the dangers of not using sun cream and sun burn.

In a recent survey over 60% of adults and over 70% of young adults were still too careless when it comes to sun screen and the dangers of the summer sun.   Over 10,000 new cases of malignant melanoma are diagnosed each year.

Gill Nuttall, CEO and founder of Factor 50  said – “I am over the moon that a legend such as Andy Flower has agreed to lend his support to our cause – Skin Cancer is increasing in the UK faster than at any time and our campaign this summer is to get everyone to slap on the Factor50 and enjoy their summer holidays safe in the knowledge that they are at least protected.”

Andy Flower commenting on his new role said “When Gill approached  me to ask for my support it wasn’t a difficult decision for me at all.   I wish the team at Factor 50 and The Christie much success and am delighted to be associated with them.”

Ralli Set CBG’s Charity Football Tournament Alight

Top row from L-R: Stephen Nuttall, Jamie Donald, Rob Illidge, Dean Simpson. Bottom row: Sam Cawthra, Philip Platt.

After a fixture filled afternoon Ralli came away from the CBG Group football tournament as deserved runners up, narrowly losing 2-1 in the final to favourites Pro Sports Wealth Management.

The day began with a battle through the group stages, recording 3-2, 5-1 and  2-0 victories against CBG Group, Lewis Hymanson Small and Napthens respectively.

With only a few minutes of respite the quarter finals began against group 3 runners up, Zurich. Ralli took an early lead and dominated the game before conceding a late equaliser. The daunting of task of penalties were only seconds away when Dean Simpson fired in from the tightest of angles winning the game 2-1.

Another spectacular game followed as Ralli were paired with RSA in the semi final. Despite scoring two goals in the first few minutes RSA fought back and levelled the score. Cue more dramatic scenes as player of the tournament, Sam Cawthra, scored to win the game in the last remaining minute.

Pro Sports Wealth Management went on to win the coveted prize on the day, beating Ralli 2-1 in a tightly fought final.

The tournament raised over £2,000 for The Christie with raffle prizes kindly donated by Ian Crompton of the Red Alligator Group, Manchester City, Slater’s, Malmaison Hotel, Grill on New York Street, Spa in the city, Virgin Active and Odeon.

Please click here for pictures taken on the day.

Group Stage

CBG Group PLC 2-3 Ralli
Ralli 5-1 Lewis Hymanson Small
Ralli 2-0 Napthens

Quarter Final

Ralli 2-1 Zurich

Semi Final

Ralli 3-2 RSA

Final

Ralli 1-2 Pro Sports Wealth Management

Hard work, but well worth it!

Gillian Nuttall - PR & Marketing Manager

On Saturday 4 June the partners and staff at Ralli turned up at The Point, Manchester’s new venue and partied until the early hours.  Nothing new in that you might think, but this time we were partying with a difference.

In 2007 I found out that one of my pals was terminally ill.  The illness was malignant melanoma.   He was only 29.   How could that be?  How could someone be dying before they had really started to live?   However, he was very seriously ill and sadly, in May 2008 he passed away.

I started to do some fundraising for Dr Paul Lorigan’s team at The Christie and before I knew it, the fundraising had really taken off.  More and more people were becoming involved and when I approached the partners here at Ralli to ask for some support, there was no hesitation – it was a firm yes.

In April 2009 we held the first ever Ralli Factor 50 Ball which was a great success.  In 2010 we continued to fund raise, Factor 50′s awareness growing from strength to strength.  Several solicitors at Ralli became involved, to name a couple, Richard Biggs and Maria Penny, both associates in the personal injury department, have entered several runs over the last few years, Factor 50 has been their chosen charity.   I know the doctors and the patients are very grateful for every bit of fundraising that we do.

This year Ralli held the second Ralli Factor 50 His and Hers Ball at The Point.  The event was well attended and supported by Ralli staff and partners and many clients and supporters of Factor 50. Read more »

Governance Update

Keith Arrowsmith, Head of Intellectual Property & Media

It’s not every day that a new corporate vehicle becomes available. The much talked about Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) made a debut appearance on 01 April in Scotland.

Christmas Comes Again For Children at The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital

Staff at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital recieve the 149 presents

Children at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital were treated to late Christmas presents thanks to the Manchester business community.

JCI Manchester, the voluntary personal development organisation, coordinated the toy drive which saw 149 presents delivered by President Deborah Rainford and Marketing Director Robert Illidge.

Unforeseen circumstances during the festive period prevented a delivery before Christmas; however children on the wards were more than happy to receive the belated gifts.

From Buzz Lightyear’s to Monster Trucks, local businesses dug deep to provide presents for all ages.

President, Deborah Rainford said:

“I was completely overwhelmed by people’s generosity as were the staff and Nurses at the hospital. It was fantastic to be able to personally deliver so many toys to such brave children at such a difficult time in their lives.

It was amazing to see how something as simple as a tea set or a toy car truly brightened up a poorly child’s day.”

Thank you to everyone for your support.

Are workers dying for a tan?

A recent landmark case in Australia came to the attention of Factor 50 as providing a common sense and welcome clarification of employer’s obligations to employees.

A group of Australian workers had contracted skin cancer after having worked for long hours outdoors under the sun.  The employees sued their employers for failing to have provided adequate sunscreen which would have protected them against sun damage.  Read more »