Three Minster Law employees chosen to visit new health clinic in Kapiri

Minster Law, part of BGL Group, has today announced that three of its employees will travel to Kapiri in Zambia next year to visit a new health clinic that is being funded by BGL, Minster Law’s parent company.

Stuart Hanley, Amanda Parkinson and Jamie Lyons have been chosen to go following their applications. The team will meet with the Kapiri health committee as well as local people who have worked on the project. They will also visit the school in Kabaka that was funded by the Group in 2014.

The £160,000 project is being funded by BGL and will be built by charity partner Build It International. The new medical centre will consist of an outpatient clinic, under-fives clinic, HIV testing/TB clinic laboratory and pharmacy as well as a separate maternity unit. The project is part of BGL’s commitment to donate £3 million to charitable causes over five years. Around 100 employees from across the Group applied to go to Zambia and 20 have been selected.

Since finding out about their successful applications, Stuart, Amanda and Jamie have begun their own fundraising activities and will each aim to raise at least £2,000 which will go towards the construction of the clinic.

Forty-seven-year-old Stuart, who is based at Minster Law’s head office in York as a Solicitor and Manager in the Compliance Team, was inspired to visit Kapiri by colleagues who made a similar journey to Zambia in 2013. As a keen runner, Stuart wanted to use sport to help raise funds for the trip and has set himself the tough challenge of running the gruelling Brass Monkey Half-Marathon in January. And, as if this wasn’t tough enough, he’ll be running the 13-mile event dressed as Star Wars’ Darth Vader – complete with lightsaber! Incredibly, Stuart has already surpassed his £2,000 fundraising target, but aims to continue raising as much as possible for the medical centre.

Meanwhile, 26-year-old Amanda Parkinson has several fundraising activities up her sleeves, including a cocktail making masterclass, a 100mph zip line challenge and a trek up Mount Snowdon in February. As part of her mountain climb, she’ll be attempting the Watkin Path, the hardest of Snowdon’s trails, which will see her ascending 3,300ft in sub-zero temperatures.

In addition, Contact Centre Team Leader Jamie Lyons is aiming to raise £2,000 for the cause by staging a fashion show and hosting a number of raffles and bingo days. The 30-year-old is also confident her charity bake sales will go down a treat with her colleagues at Minster Law!

BGL Group’s Chief Executive, Matthew Donaldson commented: “I am delighted that Jamie, Stuart and Amanda will represent BGL and Minster Law in Zambia. I know this will be a life-changing visit for all of them. I would like to thank them for their hard work and dedication to this project.”

All of BGL’s businesses will be represented on this trip with successful applicants coming from Peterborough, Sunderland, Haarlem and Paris, as well as York and Wakefield.