Pryers Solicitors sponsor category in The Press Community Pride awards

Pryers Solicitors have agreed a deal to support The Press's Community Pride awards, and are now the official sponsor for the Charity Fundraiser of the Year category.

A spokesman for the firm said the award was a perfect fit for their company's ethos, and its own commitment to charitable works.

She said: “As a firm, we do a lot of fundraising and have raised more than £8000 for charity collectively, and individually, so of all the categories in the Community Pride awards this is the one we can relate to and appreciate the most.

“It’s our ethos to give back as much as we get out.”

The Charity Fundraiser of the Year award goes to an amateur fundraiser in the city, and honours not necessarily the person who has raised the most cash, but uses innovative fundraising methods and personal effort to support good causes.

This year, four shortlisted candidates include Charlie's Angels - a group of four dedicated women who have raised more than £100,000 for the MS Society in York - and Eunice Cooper, whose commitment to good causes stretches back more than 40 years and has seen her support a hospice, hospital and church.

Nominated beside them are Phil Wiggins, and Simone Plant.

Phil - known as Wiggo - decided to spend his 40th birthday year raising money in memory of a friend he lost to Alzheimers, and quickly smashed his £4,000 target.

The Smiley Riley Fund was set up in memory of Riley Plant who died aged just 21 months old, and his grandmother Simone Plant has raised more than £100,000 for the charity.

The Pryers spokesman said they had been blown away by the stories of dedication and determination among this year's shortlisted candidates. She added: "The nominees for the award are all doing such tremendous things, it’s humbling."

The Community Pride Awards 2014 end with a gala ceremony on Thursday, October 16 when Ian Pryer, the firm's founder, will present the Charity Fundraiser of the Year award.