Major Family staged a six-week tribute to veteran business game show The Apprentice from late February to early April. In keeping with the well-established format of the show, the thirty Major Family Law staff members were divided into two competing teams for the duration, All for Won and the Major Contenders, under the leadership of legal assistant Rachael Jonas and solicitor Stacy Williams respectively.
Each team was given a float of £200 and tasked with applying their entrepreneurial skills to raise as much money as possible for charity.
Dubbed The Apprentice Comes North, the winner was…drum roll, please…the Major Contenders – but by the tiniest of margins: just £1.70! Nevertheless, the All For Wons still had to make a boardroom appearance to discuss their loss!
Altogether, the teams raised a very impressive £5430.32 for the People’s Kitchen, which has been providing food, resources and support for vulnerable and homeless people across the Newcastle region since 1985.
The Apprentice Comes North featured weekly challenges for each team, chosen to help boost morale, motivation and team-building. These included:
- Baking the largest most creative pancake for Shrove Tuesday.
- Creating a 30-second advertisement for assessment by former BBC News correspondent Al Leithead.
- Designing a corporate Christmas card.
- ‘Flash mob’ dance-offs, in which members of each team danced in a public location. Everyone’s efforts were judged by a former professional TV dancer.
Each team was also tasked with organising their own, bespoke, fundraising event. The Major Contenders opted for a wine and charcutier taster evening courtesy of Eleven Restaurant, Ponteland. Meanwhile, “Barmy Bingo” courtesy of Tynedale Rugy Club was the choice of the All For Wons. Major Family Law Founder and Managing director Joanne Major described both events as:
“…splendid achievements that would give the very best of event managers a run for their money.”
The Apprentice Comes North had been unqualified success, she added.
“It’s been tremendous fun and has proved to be a successful, energising way to get the staff to work together in the challenges set by allowing their creative and innovative talents to shine forth. I’m just a little sad it’s now over and can see why Lord Sugar comes back for more each year. Very well done fellow legal contender, Boxing Barrister Marnie on your recent deserved Apprentice success and bravo to everyone here at Major Family Law; it was the taking part not the winning: you’re all still hired!”
Photo caption: The team captains present the cheque! [from left] People’s Kitchen volunteer Lisa; Major Family Law Legal Assistant Rachael Jonas; People’s Kitchen volunteer Brian; Major Family Law Solicitor Stacy Williams; People’s Kitchen volunteer Liz