Author: Robert Ryall

This time last week our team of 13 cyclists completed their 330-mile trek from Land’s End to St Albans for Keech Hospice Care.  Thankfully they all made it back in one piece!

The Journey

Day 1, 77 miles – The legendary Cornish hills lived up to their reputation.  After a gentle start through very pretty lanes, we dropped down to a sweeping curve around Mounts Bay during which the sun made a rare appearance.  Leaving the sea behind us, we picked up a headwind as we climbed slowly up to Truro for our first lunch stop.  After that the relentless crossing of steep valley sides can only be described as brutal!  A seemingly endless succession of steep drops followed by ever steeper climbs took us to our first overnight stop in Liskeard.  The last few cyclists came in at 8.30pm and agreed that a Premier Inn has never looked so inviting.

Day 2, 90 miles – The Cornish valleys were not done with us yet as they carried on towards Devon and dropped us down into the beautiful Tamar Valley.  The Devon border offered no respite as we climbed up to 1,000 feet against a strong head wind to get over Dartmoor and onto Okehampton.  From here the going got progressively easier as the hills became more undulating the closer we got to Somerset, although its famous Levels stubbornly refused to show themselves!  After going through Crediton and Tiverton we eventually rolled, after a very long day, into Taunton for our second overnight stop.  To a (wo)man we were very grateful for all the training the Health Performance Centre had given us to condition our legs for such hard work.

Day 3, 81 miles – With the sun shining we soon left Somerset behind us.  Passing through Castle Cary, Warminster and Westbury we were all enjoying the lack of hills, head winds and pot holes of the last two days.  Our spirits were also lifted by a group of SA Law’s friends in Devizes who had a banner out to see us on our way towards our overnight stop in Marlborough.  However, the dreaded hills returned about 20 miles or so from the finish as we had to climb up and over Pewsey Vale.  The last 15 miles in particular were torture for some, with injuries, an accident and map reading issues taking their toll towards the end of the day.  Despite these setbacks everyone eventually arrived safely and thoughts turned to the final day: would the sun shine again and could we really cover our distance in 4 days?

Day 4, 83 miles – What a difference a day makes!  This was a typical British Bank Holiday with heavy rain and strong winds which, naturally, blew in exactly the wrong direction for us.  Undeterred, we battled on to a well deserved coffee stop in Wantage, although quite what the staff in Costa Coffee made of the drowned rats that nearly flooded their floor, is another question!  The session before lunch saw only our second puncture of the trip, and with this fixed, we were more than ready for lunch as we climbed up into the Chilterns.  Rejuvenated by some hot food, and with the rain easing, spirits were lifted further as familiar place names started to appear on road signs and before too long we were back on familiar roads that we’d pounded to put our training miles in.  These just seemed to fly by with the prospect of a warm welcome back at the office – and that’s just what we got from a large crowd of colleagues, friends and family who cheered us up London Road to the finish.

Whilst our epic journey has come to an end, our fund raising efforts have not.  We’re very close to reaching our £12,012 target but not quite there yet.  So far we’ve raised £7,347.85 online and £2,425.13 offline.  Adding Gift Aid of £1,450.71, gives a current total of £11,223.69.  We only need another £788.31, so if you haven’t donated, please dig as deep as you can and donate here.

We would like thank the corporate sponsors who  made the bike ride possible: Beechwood Homes, Cantura, Giles Insurance, Hillier Hopkins, Portman Finance, Martin Pooley Associates, ProVision, PCF Limited, Brasier Freeth, Eurochange, Calor Gas and LRG.

Further Information
SA Law’s Just Giving donations page
Read more about SA Law’s Gold Challenge
About Keech Hospice care
Meet the cycling team
SA Law Partner Rob Ryall appointed Trustee for Keech
Health Performance Centre

Author: Victoria Thomson

In just under 2 weeks, a team of 13 SA Law staff will be cycling 300miles over the May bank holiday weekend.

The ride is in aid of Keech Hospice Care and is part of the firm’s ’2012 Gold Challenge’ in partnership with Team GB Olympic Association.  It’s not a relay and all 13 members of the team will  be completing the whole route, averaging 75 miles a day. Keech does excellent work for those it supports through far tougher times than anything we’ll encounter on the road.

The bike ride is going to be hard work but we have all been training since February through rain, ice, wind and shine and will have covered well over 1000 miles by the time we cross the finish line in St Albans.
The team have been increasing their training with the help of the Health Performance Centre based in St Albans to ensure we are all in tip-top shape and ready to face the thigh-burning hills en-route!

A big thank you to everyone who has already donated and helped us to raise an impressive £3,006.12 so far.

We would be very grateful if you could dig as deep as you can to sponsor the team and support our challenge – donations can be made by visiting our ‘Lands End to St Albans’ JustGiving page.

Further information:

Read more about SA Law’s Gold Challenge

Meet the Cycling Team

About Keech Hopsice

SA Law Partner Rob Ryall appointed Trustee for Keech Hospice

Author: Victoria Thomson

The Business Excellence Awards have been welcomed back with open arms by the regional business community as a record number of entries have been taken from businesses of all shapes and sizes from Hertfordshire, North and North West London.

SA Law are proud sponsors of the ‘Success Through People’ category in the Business Excellence Awards 2012. Entering your company is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the success of your workforce.
As businesses have faced testing times for a number of years, the people behind the company become a driving force, and there has never been a better time to celebrate and reward the teams of people who truly make your business what it is.
As a firm of Solicitors who have a large Employment Team, we understand the importance of protecting your employees and promoting their best interest to ensure loyalty and a dynamic working environment.

SA Law’s Managing Partner Steve Ryan comments “People are a businesses greatest asset and maximising their participation at all levels is the driving force of any great organisation, regardless of its size. As a firm who truly values its staff’s commitment, we are looking forward to meeting companies who share our values and hearing their success stories.”

Two ‘Success Through People’ award entrants who feel their companies have got what it takes are multi-media agency Clock limited and US founded manufacturers Swagelok London.

Clock – Clock is an award-winning digital agency, with a unique combination of marketing, design and technology talent. The agency work with some of the biggest and most recognisable brands in the world, including the BBC, Channel 4 and News International, as well the likes of Eddie Izzard and Saracens Rugby Club, among others.

“We entered the Business Excellence awards for a variety of reasons” Says Sam Fresco, Marketing Executive at Clock. ”First, we strive to recruit and retain the very best staff. In return, we issue a copy of our ‘Little Book of Benefits’ to the whole team, including benefits such as ‘early finish Fridays’, flexible working hours, a remote-working policy, free hosting for private projects and a personal concierge service.
So, for us, awards are a great way of getting a credibility check, ensuring that what we’re doing is truly the best in breed and not just what we think!

Swagelok -  is a major designer, manufacturer, and provider of high-quality fluid system products, assemblies, and services. The components manufactured and the services  provided help make our customers successful and are often critical to the safety of those who work in high-risk environments. Those environments include power generation, oil and gas production, chemical processing, biopharmaceutical production, research, and semiconductor manufacturing, among others.

The operation in Kings Langley is one of a dedicated network of authorized Swagelok sales and service centres operating in 56 countries. These centres deliver fluid system knowledge, products, and services tailored to the local market.  From Kings Langley, Swagelok services customers in areas as diverse as West Africa and the former Soviet Union . The company offers products and expertise anywhere safety and the environment are important.

How to enter

The panel of Awards judges will be looking for evidence of compelling people strategies and performance as well as the impact of training and incentives on both staff and the business commercially. It is not too late to enter your business into the Business Excellence Awards 2012, apply online now at www.bea2012.co.uk

Entry to these prestigious awards is free and is open to organisations of all sizes and individuals – regardless of industry or sector. If you are based in South Hertfordshire, South Buckinghamshire, North London or North West London, you are eligible to showcase your talent and success to our panel of judges.

Networking Opportunity

SA Law looks forward to welcoming all award applicants to an evening event at the SA Law offices in St Albans on 2nd April. The event will give applicants a chance to meet (and eye up!) their competitors and judges alike. For further information please contact Victoria Thomson 01727 798000.

Author: Leyla Fuad

In support of our CSR policy and in addition to our regular community and fundraising initiatives, we will be setting six monthly Trainee Community Challenges to coincide with each new intake.
Each Trainee Solicitor team will be set the challenge to come up with a volunteering/fundraising initiative and manage it from start to finish.

Trainees are free to choose their own team challenge that will benefit a group within our local community. The target for each Trainee team is to contribute at least £5000 in either volunteered time or money raised for the chosen cause.

The Trainees will be actively supported by all members of the firm.

At SA Law, we believe that being a good corporate organisation in the community, conducting business in an ethical way and supporting voluntary and philanthropic actions is imperative. This is an ethos that we instill across our activities and amongst our staff.

We will keep you updated with our trainees progress and hope you will join us in supporting them.

For more information about the SA Law Trainee Community Challenge, contact CSR Chair Leyla Fuad or Training Principal Terence Ritchie.

To find out more about SA Law in the community, click here.

Author: Victoria Thomson

SA Law’s outstanding work for commercial and private clients has been recognised by the Chambers and Partners 2012 Guide to the UK legal profession.

SA Law has been recognised as a leading regional practice by independent legal research bodies Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500, in addition to achieving The Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation.

A leading publisher of legal research, Chambers conducts thousands of interviews with lawyers and their clients every year to identify regional leaders around the world.
All of SA Law’s departments have been recognised as regional leaders in the Northern Home Counties, with Managing Partner Steve Ryan cited as a top tier lawyer: “These achievements are extremely important in a sector that suffers from fierce competition in a slow economy. Achieving recognised first class credentials in the marketplace has never been more essential.” Adds Steve Ryan.

To find out more about SA Law and how our dedicated team can assist your business, visit our website www.salaw.com

You may have heard about Bailey Sarwa, a young boy from St Albans who is fighting Neuroblastoma cancer for the second time in his 11 years.
Bailey goes to Marlborough School, where one of our Solicitors Simon Walsh is a Governor and some SA Law staff are close friends of the family.

For the last 3 years, Bailey has taken the daily trip from St Albans to Great Ormond Street Hospital to receive chemotherapy, which has successfully shrunk his tumor enough that he can receive the next stage of his treatment.

However, Bailey was told on 10 January 2012 that the one life-saving treatment for his condition is only available in Germany at a cost of £100,000, something which the NHS said they are now unable to cover due to a cut in their funding.

Bailey and his family have started their own campaign to raise this money themselves in order to get him the treatment he needs to survive. As you can understand there is a real sense of urgency for him to receive this treatment before his tumor has the chance to start growing again.

Their fundraising website is www.bmycharity.com/BaileySarwaAppeal
The website details the families struggle with their brave son’s fight against Neuroblastoma.

Please donate generously if you can, every penny makes a difference.
If you could spare a few moment of your time, we ask you to spread the word of Bailey Sarwa’s campaign to all your friends, family and colleagues.

Bailey also manages his own Twitter page : @BaileySarwa

Thanks for reading and we hope you will support Bailey.

Author: Julie Gingell

Last Saturday night, a team of fifteen SA Law employees and friends donned on their SA Law Stetsons and walking boots to take part in the annual Midnight Walk in St Albans in aid of the Grove House Hospice.

There were two routes for the walk; a five mile and ten mile walk – which all members of the team completed in the early hours of Sunday morning!

Leyla Fuad remembers that the residents of St Albans were extremely generous: “They even stopped to give us money along the route and many residents stayed up to cheer us on from their driveways and homes. It was very atmospheric!”

What added interest to the walk, was the fact that Grove House projected messages of support on the Clock Tower in the square in St Albans, live from their Twitter feed. David Linklater commented that “I have never seen anything like that in St Albans, it was fascinating to see!”

The SA Law team thoroughly enjoyed themselves, Victoria Thomson, said that she would definitely be doing it again next year and encourage more people to join her next time! Charlotte Cheshire also added that it was great to see so many people coming together to raise money for such a good cause.

The team raised over £1,000 as a group effort for charity: “we couldn’t have been more pleased!” says Sarah Coughlan who helped organise the SA Law team.

If you would like to sponsor our efforts, you still can at http://www.justgiving.com/SALawMidnightWalk

Author: Julie Gingell

Saturday June 11th saw the Peace Hospice’s biggest Starlight Walk yet with fundraisers hoping that this year’s event will break the £1 million barrier. This year for the first time there was a six mile route alongside the usual thirteen mile route. The six mile route is wheelchair friendly and was designed for women who may have found the thought of the half marathon daunting but still want to participate in the fun!

SA Law have been delighted to be involved with this event for the past three years, Julie Gingell Director of Marketing and Business Development at SA Law said “We have supported this event for a number of years as we feel it is so worthwhile. The Peace Hospice is an important part of the local community caring for terminally ill people and their families and we are proud to be associated with them.”

The money raised form the Starlight Walk supports families across South West Hertfordshire, and SA Law are proud to sponsor this event each year.

To find out more about SA Law in the Community click here

Author: Julie Gingell

The June 23rd 2011 issue of The Herts Advertiser outlines how a team of 20 people from SA Law are donning tutus and glittery stetsons for the Grove House Midnight Walk on Saturday.

Many of the team at SA Law know people who have benefited from the services at Grove House, which makes the charity particularly special to SA Law.

If you would like to sponsor our team, please click here.

If you would like to find out more about SA Law and the community click here

Author: Julie Gingell

Entries are now being taken for SA Law’s 2011 Smart Alecs Quiz Night – the charity event, in aid of the Willow Foundation, that sees teams of local businesses battle it out for the right to call themselves Smart Alecs.

And do we have a treat for you this year. In addition to our regular smorgasbord of general knowledge, teams will be shooting that poison arrow back to music of the 70s, 80s and 90s with our special 2011 guest quizmaster Mike Read. As a former Radio 1 breakfast show DJ and Pop Quiz presenter, Mike will be testing our knowledge of famous songs and recording artists.

With a night that promises to be even more fun-filled than last year, new teams will be joining regular supporters on Thursday 7th July at Watford Football Club.

If you have yet to experience a Smart Alecs night, then please join us. Not only are we raising money for a great cause, we guarantee you’ll be walking on sunshine all the way home!

The price to participate is £250 for a team of six, which covers charity donation, entry to the quiz, a ‘hot-fork’ buffet and a glass of wine.

To enter, simply download our entry form. If you have any questions, or would like to join in but are unable to make up a team of six, please contact Victoria Thomson on 01727 798076 or by email.

Support The Willow Foundation

The annual Smart Alec’s Charity Quiz Night is held in aid of The Willow Foundation – the national charity that provides special days out for 16 to 40 year-olds with life threatening illnesses. Based in Hatfield, the charity was set up by Arsenal legend Bob Wilson and his wife Megs in memory of their daughter Anna who died of cancer aged just 31.