Shakespeare has last word in Birmingham Great Trade UP
Apr 27 2009 by Tom Scotney, Birmingham Post
Shortly after St George’s Day marked the birthday of Shakespeare, the bard’s legal namesakes in Birmingham have opened a new act in the city’s charity trading competition.
Shakespeare Putsman’s Great Trade UP team tripled the value of its bid after it traded a £250 dining experience at Birmingham’s Opus restaurant for a week’s stay in a luxury holiday home in the Cotswolds, valued at £800. The trade moves Shakespeare Putsman’s team up to seventh overall in the rankings of the charity competition.
Having previously traded a four-ball round of golf at The Belfry for a £250 dining voucher with David Colcombe, chef director at Opus, Chris Drayton, of the Shakespeare Putsman team, arranged this trade with Bryce Somerville and Nick Tarbitt of Cornwall Street Chambers.
Mr Somerville’s holiday home – The Augusta House – is located on the desirable Lower Mill Estate near Cirencester – a nature reserve in the Cotswolds. The gated estate comprises 450 acres of parkland and includes shared heated swimming-pools, tennis court, spa facilities, boating, canoeing, nature trails, cycle tracks and a children’s play area.
Mr Somerville said: “I was delighted when Chris Drayton approached Cornwall Street Chambers regarding the Great Trade UP game and it is a pleasure to be involved in such a good cause as the Kidney Kids Appeal.”
Chris Drayton added: “This trade is excellent progress for our team and I’m sure that this will be a tempting trade for a lot of people out there.”
The Great Trade UP has teams 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 on the experience of Canadian Kyle McDonald who bartered his way through 14 trades, beginning with a red paperclip and ending 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 trade until May 15 aiming to finish with an item of huge value which they then “cash in”. Whoever raises the most money will be named Great Trade UP champion.
The Great Trade UP is organised by Birmingham Children’s Hospital alongside BBC Radio WM.
| Company | Traded item | Traded for | Traded to | Est. RRP/£ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beachcroft LLP | Drinks party for 30 people, champagne, canapes and cocktails. Plus a raffle for Alhambra corporate membership, worth £1300, blue membership worth £500 and red membership worth £300 | An original painting by Charlotte, entitled 'Budlake Falls' | Charlotte Latham | 6000 |
| Bentley Lamborghini, Birmingham | Framed England cricket shirt signed by Andrew Flintoff and Sir Ian Botham | Tony Iommi's brand new left hand black Gibson guitar, signed. Comes with the black leather lined case and signed photo of Tony. | Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath | 5000 |
| Barclays Wealth | Dickie Bird's Test Eleven:A reprint of the original sheet used to select his team, plus a signed card from the great man himself | The Directors Package: A table for four (fixture tbc) in a Directors box at Aston Villa. Includes a guided tour of the stadium, champagne and canapes, a four course meal, complimentary bar and exclusive Directors' stadium central seating | Aston Villa FC | 2000 |
| Weightmans | Overnight stay in presidential suite at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Birmingham and £100 voucher for Filini bar and restaurant | Exclusive sketch from the nationally recognised artist, courtesy of Castle Galleries, Mailbox | Alexander Millar | 2000 |
| Virgin Media | Virgin Media 50MB Broadband - FREE 12 month contract | Cricket match plus full hospitality at Edgbaston on June 1.Private low level executive box for 12 people, food, cash bar, personalised programmes & scorecards and reduced parking rates | Warwickshire County Cricket Club | 1140 |
| Browne Jacobson | 2 tickets to see X Factor live, including back stage passes and a signed photograph of Simon Cowell | Exclusive photography session 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 | Ivan Merrill, Nicki Clarke Mailbox, Browne Jacobson | 850 |
| Shakespeare Putsman | A food and drink voucher at Opus Restaurant worth £250 | A week at Bryce's summer home The Augusta House, on the desirable Lower Mill Estate near Cirencester | Bryce Somerville, Barrister at Cornwall Street Chambers | 800 |
| Capsticks Solicitors LLP | Bottle of Jack Daniel's | 4x tickets to The Gadget Show | The Gadget Show Organisers | 400 |
| Sutton Coldfield College | 2x Twenty20 Finals Day tickets | Weekend with a Mini | Sytner Mini, Birmingham | 250 |
| Lloyds TSB Corporate | iPod Touch | Overnight stay at Callow Hall hotel for 2 people, including afternoon tea, dinner, and breakfast | Callow Hall Hotel (von Essen hotels) | 250 |
