R3 ladies' lunch raises £4,500 for charity

An annual lunch organised by barrister Eleanor Temple and women in the insolvency profession has raised £4,500 for a thyroid charity.

The ladies’ lunch for members of the insolvency trade body R3 has become a fixture in the region’s business calendar and is organised by barrister Eleanor Temple of Kings Chambers, Manchester. Eleanor chose the British Thyroid Foundation as beneficiary for this year’s event after a former colleague was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and she herself had a lump removed from her thyroid in February.

Over 300 people attended the event at the Lowry Hotel, Salford including men who come as guests of the ladies. Entertainment included a steel band and limbo dancers. A painting donated by botanical artist Anna Knights was auctioned for £350 while tickets for a show by comedian Peter Kay raised £1,000.

Eleanor, who featured in The Times ‘Future Stars of the Region’ report in 2007, has built a reputation on the Northern court circuit for her expertise in handling insolvency and corporate recovery cases. As a result of her charity work, she has been invited to become a Trustee of the British Thyroid Foundation. Eleanor said: “One in 20 people suffer from some form of thyroid complaint, whether minor or more serious. I only became aware of the scale of the problem after myself and my colleague were diagnosed last year. Fortunately in my case the lump was benign and my colleague is successfully undergoing treatment. I am keen to support the work of the foundation as it does a wonderful job in raising awareness and providing advice and support to sufferers.”