The President, the Prosecutor and popping for charity

FEATURE

The President, the Prosecutor and popping for charity

The BNP wanted me deported and sent home. I’m from Birmingham ladies and gentlemen – please ‘The don’t make me go back there.’

Thus Nazir Afzal OBE addressed the 160-plus attendees at the annual President’s Dinner in Telford on 6th October. Nazir’s inspiring speech recounted a long career combatting racism, child exploitation and violence against women, and was one of the many highlights of the evening.

Earlier, after a drinks reception and welcome by compere Carl Jones, diners had heard Kate Connor from Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service tell us about the many and varied services they offer to support and safeguard victims of domestic abuse and violence. It was a timely reminder of why we were all there, and encouraged us to dig deep for the balloon raffle and heads & tails games.

For those not familiar with the concept of the balloon raffle, players enter by purchasing a pin, with which, at a signal from the compere, they must pop a helium-filled balloon to reveal a ticket on which is written either the name of their prize or the deflating words ‘Bad Luck’. (An early prototype of the game featured tickets with � or � symbols, but this idea did not survive contact with reality). Disappointingly, the sudden release of 160 bursts of helium did not have the whole room talking like Alvin and the Chipmunks, but there was nevertheless a good deal of hilarity as tickets ricocheted across tables and into glasses of Prosecco.

Once everybody had calmed down, President Gemma Hughes took to the mic to sum up the last two years from the perspective of Shropshire Law Society. We hadn’t been able to meet like this since April 2019, she reminded us; and during the long hiatus much had changed. Remote hearings, virtual bundles and working from home had all become routine as we found ways to deliver the same first-class service by new and different means. While politicians vilified us as ‘lefty’ or ‘activist’ lawyers, we carried on with the work of helping our clients and making difficult times less difficult.

After the speeches it was time for dancing. Five-piece band Dexter had an unerring knack for playing songs which would get people up and moving. They were brilliant, and by popular demand played what must have been the longest encore since Norris McWhirter was in short trousers.

The evening was an absolute delight, and the President and committee would like to thank our generous sponsor TM Group www.tmgroup.co.uk; the many wonderful raffle prize donors; Kate from SDAS; Nazir Afzal; compere Carl Jones; photographer Cliff Parker; and the staff of the Mercure Hotel for making the whole event run like clockwork, long past the stroke of midnight.

As one eminent solicitor, leaning heavily on a colleague as they boarded the bus, was heard to comment: ‘we should have an annual dinner every year!’