• Swindon & Wiltshire Social
• Friday February 21 2025
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Bristol lawyers raise £12,000 for support dogs charity

Members of Bristol Law Society have raised £12,000 for their charity of the year, Dogs for Good.

Dogs for Good trains dogs to help adults and children with physical disabilities and learning disabilities, children with autism, and adults with dementia.

At the membership organisation’s recent Annual Awards Dinner, lawyers heard from Jemima Banks, a paralegal with Gowling WLG in Birmingham, who with the aid of Albert, her assistance dog provided by Dogs for Good, has enabled her to pursue a career in law that otherwise she would not have been able to do.

Jemima (pictured left) has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome – conditions that affect connective tissue and the heart, respectively.

The syndromes cause chronic pain, dizziness, migraines, stomach problems, fatigue, and joint dislocations.

At work, Jemima’s support dog Albert helps her by performing tasks most people would take for granted – picking things up, pulling doors open, and fetching medications.

The money raised on the night of the Dinner equated to the cost of training a puppy. All the firms represented at the ceremony were invited to enter a sealed bid to name the puppy – with Wards Solicitors the winning bidder.

Stuart Henry, immediate past president of Bristol Law Society, who brought the charity to the organisation’s attention, said: “It is great to see the response that the Bristol Legal Sector has shown in supporting Dogs for Good this year, and raising an unbelievable amount of money, which has mostly come directly from the contributions of individual members at events throughout the year.

“My particular thanks to Wards for their generous winning bid to name the puppy as well as all other Bristol firms who also submitted generous bids for that prize.

“I’m proud to represent a sector that has made, and continues to make, such wonderful contributions to charitable causes every year and members of Bristol Law Society have come out in force across all events this year, which is reflected in the final total of £12,000.”

Jenny Pierce, managing partner at Wards Solicitors, said: “We first came across Dogs for Good through the Bristol Law Society, and it’s a fantastic charity, making a lasting and tangible difference to many people’s lives.

“We jumped at the chance to name their new puppy to support their work and we can’t wait to meet him or her.”

Cathryn Simpson, head of philanthropy and partnerships at Dogs for Good, added: “We’re so grateful to Bristol Law Society and their members for their incredible fundraising efforts.

“Every day we’re lucky enough to see the difference that dogs can bring to people’s lives, helping people to find new confidence and create positive connections and feel they have a brighter future – Jemima is a real embodiment of that.

“Our goal is to increase our services and help 4,000 people a year by 2028, so the great work in raising funds and awareness by Bristol Law Society over the past year is all part of helping us to achieve our ambition.”