Browne Jacobson lead the way in the Great Trade-Up
Competition has been intense on the latest initiative to raise money for the new renal unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital – the Great Trade-Up.
And the leaders are now looking for people to take on their latest acquisition – 12 tickets to daytime TV classic Countdown.
Teams from across the city are trying to see who can raise the most by trading up from a single red balloon.
And law firm Browne Jacobson are the early leaders in the appeal, which is being carried out in aid of the Kidney Kids’ Appeal at the hospital.
In just a week since it was started, the Victoria Square law firm have traded up the ladder six times.
It has gone from the balloon they started with to a winning scratch card (prize unknown) owned by one of the employment team at the firm. This was then traded for photo clip from one of the property team.
In exchange for the photo clip, the commercial health team at Browne Jacobson promised to bake a cake every week for the next month. But this was soon one-upped by the employment team, which promised a bottle of wine every week for the same time.
Then the Insurance and Public Risk secretary offered to swap the bottles of wine for a personal CD player. This was swapped with one of the children at the hospital in exchange for a custom-made painting. Finally, the child’s painting was swapped to the Granada TV studio in Manchester in exchange for 12 tickets to the TV show, now presented by Jeff Stelling.
The competition at Browne Jacobson is being run by trainee solicitors Lisa Wheelton and Elaine Mitchell.
Ms Wheelton said people at the firm had been hugely enthusiastic to raise money for the Children’s Hospital – which is the office’s charity of choice.
And she added the firm had big plans to take the trade-up even further, starting at the company’s belated Christmas party this week.She said: "It’s just a thing that everyone in the office wants to get involved in.
”Teams from a range of sectors in Birmingham are taking part in the event, from the media to professional services to education, and competition is fierce. Trading was launched at an event two weeks ago at what is set to be the site of the new renal unit.The Great Trade Up is organised by Birmingham Children’s Hospital alongside BBC Radio WM.
Every Monday the Birmingham Post will be publishing the BCH “Kidney Kids Index” over the four-month trading period showing a league table of the top performing companies.
| Name | date | Item | Traded to | Traded for | RRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browne Jacobsen | Jan 22, 2009 | balloon | BJ Employment team | winning scratch card | 2 |
| Jan 22, 2009 | winning scratch card | BJ Property team | photo clip | 4 | |
| Jan 22, 2009 | photo clip | BJ Commercial health team | cakes every Friday in Feb | 24 | |
| Jan 22, 2009 | cakes every Friday | BJ Employment team | Wine every Friday in Feb | 32 | |
| Jan 22, 2009 | wine every Friday | BJ IPR Secretary | Personal CD player | 60 | |
| Weightmans | Jan 21, 2009 | balloon | Cadburys | Teddy Bear, Cook book & £10 voucher | 25 |
| Capsticks | Jan 16, 2009 | balloon | Children's Hospital | balloon pin | 1.5 |
The Great Trade Up lasts until May 15, and still has a long way to run. There is still time to sign up and play in the Great Trade UP. An entry fee of £500 is required. To get involved, contact greattradeup@kidneykids.co.uk or call 0121 333 8539.
> Businesses back the Birmingham Children's Hospital Great Trade Up contest
