A Leamington law firm is gearing up for the Bowls England National Championships in the town next month (August).

The four-week event gets underway on Saturday August 5 when bowlers from all over the country will fight it out at Victoria Park, Archery Road – described as being the ‘Wimbledon’ of bowls.

For Blythe Liggins Solicitors, who provide legal services and a members’ helpline for Bowls England, the sport’s national governing body, it will be a busy time.

Kevin Mitchell, a partner in both the Blythe Liggins commercial department and the sports unit, said the firm was acting not only for the national organisation but also for its regions and 2,500 clubs across 35 counties.

Tony Allcock, Bowls England chief executive and 15 times world champion, said: “Blythe Liggins has been representing Bowls England for four years and we’ve got on really well with them. They speak the language that we want to hear and they have a great track record with other sporting organisations.”

Bowls England resulted from a merger in 2008 between the men’s English Bowling Association and the English Women’s Bowls Association. Since moving its base from Worthing to Leamington, all regional, national and international men’s tournaments are now played at Victoria Park, which has long been the national base for women bowlers. Leamington is the new ‘Wimbledon’ of bowls, said Mr Allcock.

In addition to Bowls England, Blythe Liggins acts for British Swimming, British Eventing, British Blind Sport, the national Rugby Coaches Association, the national Elite Cricket Coaches Association and Riding for the Disabled. It also represents international rugby players, county cricketers, athletics coaches and Olympic horsemen, as well such local concerns such as Warwick Boat Club and Leamington Cricket Club.

CAPTION: Bowls England chief executive and 15 times world champion Tony Allcock MBE with commercial lawyer Kevin Mitchell from Blythe Liggins

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Three south Warwickshire men are raising money for Myton Hospice by undertaking a gruelling 24 km race over a Welsh mountain, used by the military for Special Forces training.

Called the Fan Dance, the infamous route has long been a part of SAS (Special Air Service) and SBS (Special Boat Service) selection and is considered the yardstick of a candidate’s potential to perform well on the selection programme.

The three friends, who all train together at the same gym, will be racing up and down Pen Y Fan, the highest mountain in the Brecon Beacons, next month (July). “We are taking on the challenge to raise money for Myton Hospice, as all of us have personal associations with the hospice through family and friends benefitting from their services,” said Arvi Samra (39), who lives in Warwick and is a conveyancing solicitor with Leamington law firm Blythe Liggins.

He will be joined by Andrew Doust (47), from Leamington Spa, who owns a quantity surveyor practice in the town and is a 2nd Degree Black Sash in Shaolin Fist Kung and the county coach for Master Johns Kung Fu School and Shaolin Fist Kung Fu; and Phil Sims (39), from Warwick, who is a Healthformation Coach and trains both Arvi and Andrew.

“The route is a real lung buster that throws everything at you, including the elements. There are steady slopes that allow a solid jogging pace, shocking inclines that have you almost on your hands and knees, loose stone tracks that require cautious foot placements and a forested vehicle track that allows for some rapid going. Even SAS recruits at the height of their physical abilities regard beating the clock in this event as a serious challenge,” said Arvi.

The event is founded, organised and managed by former Special Forces soldiers and just getting to the end is an accomplishment and something to be proud of.

The exercise replicates advancing in small teams towards the theatre of operations while remaining undetected. Elite military units, which include the Parachute Regiment and Royal Marine Commandos, are required to cover large distances at speed over arduous terrain while being completely self-sustained (carrying extremely heavy loads made up of essential personal equipment, weaponry and ammunition supplies, radio communication devices, survival provisions and food and water).

The trio are all veterans of various running events, such as the Two Castles, Wolf Run and Regency Run, and part of their training will include the Two Castles on June 11, which is sponsored by Arvi’s firm, Blythe Liggins.

Anyone wishing to support can visit www.justgiving.com/teams/mytonmorphinpowerrangers

Caption: (left to right) Andrew Doust, Arvi Samra and Phil Sims

Breezy running weather for Kenilworth Rotary’s iconic Two Castles Run

Sunday’s 35th Two Castles Run, organised by Kenilworth Rotary Club and the Leamington Cycling and Athletics Club, had a full entry of 4,000 runners, providing Kenilworth’s biggest sporting spectacle and living up to its traditional reputation as one of the best and classic 10k runs in the country. The race, sponsored for the 12th year by Leamington solicitors Blythe Liggins, raised more than £100,000 for charity.

Competitors gathered within the walls of Warwick Castle and were sent on their way by the Mayor of Warwick, Stephen Cross, at exactly 9.00 am.

Some 32 minutes 25 seconds later the winner, Alistair Smith from Coventry Godiva Harriers, crossed the finish line in Kenilworth Castle. Second man home was Peter Brook, some three seconds behind, and third was last year’s winner Patrick Roddy in 33 minutes 34 seconds.

Alistair said he had run the race several times, finishing second or third, and to win this year, running very closely all the way with Peter from Holmfirth Harriers, made a very satisfying result for him.

The first woman home was Kent Athletics Club’s Amy Clements, with a time of 36 minutes 47 seconds (26th overall). She was followed in second place by Joanne Male from West End Runners in 38 minutes 14 seconds. Third was Martha Lloyd from Oxford City running club, home in 38.21 seconds.

Kenilworth Runners won both the men’s and women’s team prizes and the mixed team prize went to Team Warwick University.

The oldest woman competitor, Sara Slevin (77), who has been running for 36 years, including 27 marathons and more than 50 half marathons, again completed the course.

Rotary press officer Bob Kelly said: “The Two Castles is one of the best-loved athletic events in the Midlands and is both for serious runners and for those who run for sheer enjoyment, or for charity. Each year it grows in popularity and attracts entries from all the country. As always, our priority is to have a safe, injury-free event and today we have again achieved that, together with raising £100,000 for charity.”

David Lester, joint senior partner of sponsors Blythe Liggins Solicitors, who also provided a water station and marshals, said: “It was great to be involved with the event once again. We had 30 runners from Blythe Liggins taking part this year, each one finished, some with ‘personal bests’, and everyone really appreciated the atmosphere on the day. Once again, Kenilworth Rotary Club did a fantastic job. We are already looking forward to next year’s run.”

Mayor of Kenilworth Kate Dickson attended and commented on the great atmosphere of Kenilworth’s charity event that involves so many people to organise and provide such a spectacle.

Full results at >www. Twocastlesrun.org.uk <

Caption: Two Castles men’s winner: (Left to right) John Boothroyd, Kenilworth Rotary president, Peter Roberts, Kenilworth Rotary and district governor of Rotary 1060, David Lester, joint senior partner at Blythe Liggins Solicitors, Kenilworth mayor Kate Dickson, men’s winner Alistair Smith, Andrew Brooks, Blythe Liggins Solictors, and Pauline Smart, Kenilworth Inner Wheel and chair of Inner Wheel Area 6.

A disgraced breast surgeon who exaggerated or even invented the risk of cancer in order to persuade patients to undergo surgery has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Ian Stuart Paterson, Consultant Surgeon, was convicted of 17 counts of wounding with intent earlier this month, relating to 9 women and one man, together with three further wounding charges.

Jurors found that Mr Paterson carried out “extensive, life changing operations for no medically justifiable reason”. He was accused of carrying out pointless surgery for “obscure motives” which it is believed included a desire to earn extra money.

It is understood that Mr Paterson would lie to his patients and exaggerate or even invent the risk of cancer in order to convince them to go under the knife. Mr Paterson was employed by the Heart of England NHS trust in 1998 and he practised at Spire Healthcare Hospitals in the Midlands over a 13 year period.

More than 250 of Mr Paterson’s patients have already received compensation but it is thought that more than 1000 additional victims have also been affected by Mr Paterson’s actions.

Lois Harrison, a Solicitor in the Medical Negligence Department at Blythe Liggins said: “Mr Paterson’s actions are shocking and cruel. He used his position to prey on innocent victims who were at their most vulnerable, when told by a supposed professional that they were suffering with cancer and needed extensive treatment. The ramifications of his actions will be felt by so many forever more”.

Caption: Lois Harrison, Medical Negligence Department.

Preparations for the 4,000-strong annual Two Castles run between Warwick and Kenilworth are well under way.

The event, which is organised by Kenilworth Rotary Club and Leamington Cycling & Athletics Club and raises around £100,000 for charity each year, will start at Warwick Castle at 9.00 am on Sunday June 11 with the winner expected at Kenilworth Castle just over 30 minutes later.

Rotary press officer Bob Kelly said: “The Two Castles is one of the best-loved athletic events in the Midlands and is both for serious runners and for those who run for sheer enjoyment, or for charity. Each year it grows in popularity and attracts entries from all the country.”

Leamington law firm Blythe Liggins is sponsoring the run for the 12th year and will be fielding a team of about 30 runners, manning a water station and providing marshals.

Richard Thornton, joint senior partner, said: “Kenilworth Rotary Club has done an amazing job yet again. It’s a wonderful event and the whole firm always looks forward to taking part. We are extremely proud to have been supporting it for so many years.”

CAPTION: Blythe Liggins joint senior partner Richard Thornton (back row, centre) with some of the firm’s runners, marshals and water station volunteers getting ready for the big day.

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A Leamington solicitor will be reunited with his Cambridge University teammates when the three former rugby internationals run the Edinburgh Marathon on May 28.

Richard Moon, head of employment law at Leamington solicitors Blythe Liggins, will be teaming up with fellow Cambridge rugby blues Rob Andrew, former England and Lions fly half and a past director of operations for the RFU, and Gavin Hastings, former Scotland and Lions full-back.

The 1984 Cambridge University teammates and their partners will be running to raise money for Parkinson’s, in support of Gavin Hastings’ wife Diane, who has had the disease for more than ten years.
“It’s a wonderful charity to which we have a personal connection through Diane and we are honoured to be raising money for such a worthwhile cause,” said Mr Moon, who played scrumhalf for England B, the Barbarians and Harlequins and sat on the governing body of the RFU.

“We will be running a relay over the full marathon course with my wife Fiona and I covering the first leg before handing the baton to fellow team mates with Gavin and Diane Hastings running the glory leg of 4.4 miles to complete the marathon,” said Mr Moon, a rugby commentator for BBC 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC CWR.

Head of Blythe Liggins sports law unit, he was instrumental in setting up both the Rugby Coaches Association with Sir Ian McGeechan, a former head coach of the British and Irish Lions, and the Rugby Union Players Association.

Clients of the sports unit have included a number of sporting individuals and organisations, from Bowls England, the national Elite Cricket Coaches Association, Riding for the Disabled, international rugby players, county cricketers, athletics coaches and Olympic horsemen, to local concerns such as Warwick Boat Club and Leamington Cricket Club.

CAPTION: Richard Moon with his Harlequins jersey.

Once again we have teamed up with the Leamington Courier to support their Player of the Month competition.

Each month during the season we will be celebrating the deeds of our cricketers and awarding a box of six new cricket balls to the club whose batsman, bowler or all-rounder has given the best performance.
Richard Thornton, joint senior partner of Blythe Liggins, said: “We are avid supporters of sport in the region and thoroughly enjoyed sponsoring this competition last year and recognising individual talent.”
Blythe Liggins also sponsors the Two Castles run between the castles of Warwick and Kenilworth.

Caption: Richard Thornton, joint senior partner of Blythe Liggins Solictors.

Organisers of this year’s Two Castles run from Warwick to Kenilworth say that 100 places are still up for grabs.

The soaring popularity of the annual event – which attracts 4,000 runners – has seen organisers move to a ballot system for the first time in the event’s history.

However, unlike the previous ‘first come, first served’ online application system, where all 4,000 entries went within three hours last year, response to the ballot for the run on Sunday, June 11 has been slow.
Bob Kelly, press officer for organisers Kenilworth Rotary Club, said there had been calls for the entry system to be made fairer with everyone having a chance to obtain a place. “I think that the online registration concentrated people’s minds on the need to act quickly, whereas the longer period for the ballot took the urgency out of applying and caused some people to ‘put it off until tomorrow’ – or even next week!

“Currently, anyone who registers in the next few days will get a place. Runners are also advised to put their names on our waiting list as more places will inevitably become available as there are always cancellations between registration and the big day.

This will be the 12th consecutive year that the Two Castles – which is also supported by Leamington Cycling and Athletics Club – has been sponsored by Leamington law firm Blythe Liggins, who will also be fielding a team of runners as well as a drinks station and marshals.

Richard Thornton, joint senior partner, said: “The Two Castles run is an excellent event and we are delighted to be supporting it once again. The decision to move to a ballot system, which is obviously used so successfully with major events such as the London Marathon, is also a much fairer way to ensure registration for the thousands who wish to take part in this popular run.”

Registration for the Two Castles run is at www.twocatlesrun.org.uk.

Caption: (l-r) Two Castles race organiser Philip Southwell with Richard Thornton from Blythe Liggins Solicitors and Kenilworth Rotary Club president John Boothroyd.

Villagers have been celebrating after the opening of a £800,000 sports centre which aims to support clubs and community projects.

The Wellesbourne Sports and Community Centre, which benefited from Section 106 funding and support from Wellesbourne Parish Council, already has 200 members signed up to its gym, with bosses hoping it will help inspire the new generation of fitness lovers.

Anne Prior, a director at the centre, which will be operated as a charitable trust, said: “We’ve had amazing backing from the community and have been very fortunate with the support the project has received from the parish council – without them this would not have been possible.

“We have already had tremendous feedback from residents and our future plans for the centre will help us support even more local sports clubs and community projects.”

Kevin Mitchell, partner for Leamington-based Blythe Liggins Solicitors’ commercial team, advised Wellesbourne Parish Council on establishing the trust which will run the centre and helped the negotiation processes for the contracts.

He said: “It’s extremely important to secure lease durations and costs which will ensure these valuable facilities can be enjoyed by the community in Wellesbourne for generations to come.”

The centre has also received funding from the Persimmon Community Fund, Tesco Bags of Help and One Stop Carriers for Causes, along with donations from local residents through a ‘buy a brick’ scheme.

The sports facility recently launched a fitness class schedule offering 20 sessions per week and offers a daily after-school table tennis club for youngsters.

By June, the centre will see the addition of two multi-sport areas and two tennis courts.

The charity hopes to secure funding this year to develop the upper floor of the centre to increase the facilities available to community groups.

Caption:
Left to right – Kevin Mitchell, partner for Leamington-based Blythe Liggins Solicitors’ commercial team; Anne Prior, a director at Wellesbourne Sports and Community Centre; Tom Wheeler, gym instructor at Wellesbourne Sports and Community Centre/

Despite resistance from Lawyers who specialise in Wills and Probate, the government still plan to plough on with proposals to increase the Probate Court Fee for applications for probate. When someone dies, their assets become frozen and it is the responsibility of the executors named in the Will (or administrators if there is no Will) to apply for a grant of representation. This process is more commonly referred to as probate. The grant of representation is an authority from the Court for the personal representatives to administer the estate. It is the document that the banks/building societies/ shares registrars etc are looking for to enable them to close the accounts and release the funds.

The fee is currently £155 where a solicitor makes the application and £215 for personal applications. There is no fee if an estate is worth under £5,000. The Government is proposing to nearly double that fee for estates worth £50,000- £300,000 to £300. For estates worth over £300,000 they suggest that you should now pay a fee of £1,000 for a Grant of Probate. Estates over £500,000 will pay £4,000.00. For estates worth over £2,000,000 the fees will now be £20,000! The effect is to increase the fees payable on 42% of all estates varying between an increase of 2 to 129 times the current amount. The fees will apply irrespective of who inherits the estate, unlike inheritance tax. So widows and charities will pay under the new regime.

It is difficult to understand the justification for the new fees as there is no difference in the amount of work that the Probate Registry will have to undertake to process a Grant for £200,000 or £800,000 and yet the fees will be £3,700 more. The Probate Registry’s most expensive fee will be 66 times its cheapest fee. By comparison, the Land Registry’s most expensive fee for registering an unregistered property is only 22 times more expensive than its cheapest fee. This is, therefore, just another form of death duty. The Government have promised investment into the Court system and it is thought that the increase in revenue will be used towards this.

One problem with the increase, however, is that like Inheritance tax, it will need paying upfront. The government’s paper mentions the fact that executors or beneficiaries may have to loan the estate the money necessary to pay the fees. This is commonly the case now, but of course loaning £155 is totally different to loaning £4,000. We believe that this will result in real hardship, particularly where people are asset rich but cash poor.

Donna Bothamley, a partner at Blythe Liggins and who is also a member of Solicitors for the Elderly has confirmed that Solicitors have not yet given up hope. “A number of us are writing to our local MPs to try and encourage a rethink” she said. “It is certainly not in the best interests of our clients to support such a huge increase”.

Caption: Donna Bothamley, Partner. Head of the Wills & Probate Department.