Beachcroft back on top in The Great Trade Up charity challenge
Mar 30 2009 by Tom Scotney, Birmingham Post
The lawyers at Beachcroft have put themselves back in the frame as potential winners of The Great Trade UP – the charity trading competition that has all the top firms in Birmingham raising money for the Children’s Hospital.
The Beachcroft team had been knocked off the top spot by the Bentley garage last week when they got hold of a guitar owned and signed by Black Sabbath guitarist and metal legend Tony Iommi.
But the lawyers struck back by signing a deal with an artist of their own – painter Charlotte Latham.
The artist swapped the resin painting, Budlake Falls, which is valued at £6,000, for a free party at downtown Bar 110 on Colmore Row.
Nicola Boyars, the head of the Beachcroft team, said: “A few years ago I had actually bought a few pictures from Charlotte Latham, and I remembered that she had done some work for charity previously, which made me think of her.
“After Bentley came up last week with the signed guitar I though we may have difficulty topping that so I was delighted when Charlotte responded so positively.”
The Great Trade UP has its teams all trying to swap up as high as they can from a single balloon. When the time is up the things they end up with will be sold, with all money going towards the new unit.
It is based upon the experience of Canadian Kyle McDonald who bartered his way through 14 trades, beginning with a red paperclip and ending up with a house.
The 17 teams playing were each given a BCH red balloon just one month ago at the launch event and have gone on to trade this for an item of a higher value and are still going.
The teams will continue to trade until May 15 with the intention of finishing with an item of huge value which they then “cash in”. Whoever raises the most money will be named Great Trade UP champions.
The new team on the scene is from Colmore Row law firm Shoosmiths. The lawyers are still in the early stages of trading but are hoping to shoot up the charts with their late entry.
The team was organised by Donna Rhydderch, the PA to the head of office. She said: “My son was at the Children’s Hospital with a kidney problem when he was born and I thought I’d like to get involved. There are a few of us here who just started a team. We had a charity meeting and we just thought we have got to get out there and do something.
“We have got a few things in mind that we’re thinking of trading up to so we have got to just go out and get on with it.”
* The Great Trade UP is organised by Birmingham Children’s Hospital alongside BBC Radio WM.
The Great Trade UP lasts until May 15. If you are interested in making an offer to one of the teams, contact the Great Trade UP Master on 0121 333 8539 or greattradeup@kidneykids.co.uk who will put you in contact with the appropriate team.
| Company | Date of trade | Traded item | Traded to | Traded for | Est. RRP/£ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beachcroft LLP | 26.03.09 | Drinks party for up to 30 people, with champagne, canapes and cocktails. Includes a raffle to win Alhambra Corporate membership, worth £1,300, and Alhambra Blue worth £500 | Charlotte Latham | An original painting by Charlotte, entitled 'Budlake Falls' | 6000 |
| Bentley Lamborghini, Birmingham | 18.03.09 | Framed England Cricket shirt signed by Freddie Flintoff MBE and Sir Ian Botham | Tony Iommi | Tony Iommi's signed left hand black Gibson guitar. With black leather lined case and signed photo of Tony. | 5000 |
| Barclays Wealth | 19.03.09 | Framed display of cricket umpire Dickie Bird's all-time Test XI including reprint of the original sheet used to select his team, plus a signed card from Dickie Bird | Aston Villa FC | The Directors Package: A table for four (fixture to be confirmed) in a Directors box at Aston Villa. This includes a guided tour of the stadium, champagne and canape's, a four course meal, complimentary bar all with exclusive Directors' stadium central seating | 2000 |
| Browne Jacobson | 12.03.09 | 2 tickets to see X Factor live, including back stage passes and a signed photograph of Simon Cowell | Ivan Merrill -Photography, Nicki Clarke Mailbox - VIP hair session, Browne Jacobson - Bullring vouchers | Exclusive photography session including the prints with Ivan Merrill, who photographs for M&S and Debenhams. The signed Simon Cowell photograph was traded with the Nicky Clarke Salon at the Mailbox. | 850 |
| Weightmans | 12.02.09 | Harvey Nichols Case of Champagne | Radisson SAS Hotel, Birmingham | Overnight stay in presidential suite and £100 voucher for Filini bar and restaurant | 800 |
| Virgin Media | 12.03.09 | Two-hour chocolate master class for a group of 5, including the opportunity to make truffles to take away. An artisan Belgian Chocolate cake for 35-40 people worth £70 is included | Virgin Media | Virgin Media 50MB Broadband - FREE 12 month contract | 612 |
| Shakespeare Putsman | 02.03.09 | One hour pleasure flight piloted by Shakespeare Putsmans Operations Director Ian Smit | David Cox, Commercial Manager at Grosvenor Casino, Fiveways | Fourball round of golf at The Belfry on either the Belfry PGA course or Derby Course | 240 |
| Lloyds TSB Corporate | 05.03.09 | Round of Golf for 4 people valid until 31/12/09, at Moor Hall Golf Club, Four Oaks | Lloyds TSB Autolease | iPod Touch | 214 |
| AMEY | 06.02.09 | Squash game with the Great Trade UP Master at the Edgbaston Priory Club | AMEY | Tickets for a London show | 100 |
| Capsticks Solicitors LLP | 16.01.09 | red balloon | Birmingham Children's Hospital Director of Communications | BCH Red Balloon pin | 1.5 |
| Shoosmiths | 26.03.09 | Pedometer | Donna Rhydderch, Shoosmiths | BCH Red Balloon pin | 1.5 |
| 26.03.09 | red balloon | Great Trade UP Master | Pedometer | 1 |
