£1500 raised for the Spinal Unit Recreational Fund (S.U.R.F)

During the first two weeks of August 26 colleagues from Minster and nine staff and supporters from S.U.R.F walked, ran, cycled or used their wheelchair to collectively cover the 2400 miles from Land’s End to John o’ Groats and back all as part of a fundraising effort.

The initial goal was to traverse from the very bottom to the very top of the UK only once, but thanks to the dedication of Minster staff and the amazing people at S.U.R.F, we reached more than double the target with 2832.22miles.

As well as the distance the team completed an elevation gain of 170,465 meters, that’s more than 200-times the height of the Burj al-Arab, and completed a total of 17 days and 41 minutes of activity. All of this despite an ongoing pandemic and everyone adapting to new ways of living and working.

One of Minster’s staff members even managed to make it more than 600 miles on his feet and bike entirely on his own.

Those taking part received sponsorships and donations for S.U.R.F for a total of over £1500.

S.U.R.F are an important charity partner for Minster and do fantastic work in supporting the patients of the Spinal Unit at Pinderfields Hospital.

Co-organiser of the relay challenge and serious injury solicitor Joanne Poynton said after spending the last 12-months working with S.U.R.F she had come to realise how vital the charity is. not only for patients on the ward, but for patients that have been discharged.

“As soon as lockdown happened and the realisation hit that all our planned fundraising events for the year had to be cancelled I began thinking of how the S.U.R.F members would feel,” she said.

“I therefore arranged for weekly virtual pub quizzes and it was lovely to see the S.U.R.F members and Minster Law staff coming together and having a catch-up and some fun.”

When her fellow solicitor Tim Shaw came up with the idea of a virtual relay challenge S.U.R.F immediately sprang to mind as a charity they could support.

“All of the proceeds will go to the reunion dinner next year, when we can, hopefully, all physically see each other and celebrate.”

S.U.R.F co-founder and ex-patient of the Spinal Unit Wayne Cunningham said the time he has spent in isolation has opened his eyes more than ever to why S.U.R.F was so relevant to people’s lives.

“I didn’t realise how lucky I am to have my family, friends and my work with S.U.R.F until now,” he said

“Pre- lockdown I didn’t have enough days in a week to do what I needed to do, post-lockdown and in isolation, the days have become merged and the weekends have disappeared, it’s now just a long mundane routine of deja vu.”

“The sad part is that even when the threat of the virus is over, for at least 60% of my fellow spinally injured patients, isolation will still be their everyday life 24/7 and 365 days of the year. Hence we need to help them more, and that wouldn’t be remotely possible without fundraisers like this relay challenge.”

Minster Law are exceptionally proud to continue supporting charities in the local area such as S.U.R.F, who are so incredibly important to the wellbeing and recovery of those who have suffered, often life-changing, injuries.