Doing some serious business at the ICAP Charity Day 2009

We were extremely honoured to have been invited to the 17th annual global Charity Day hosted by the world's premier interdealer broker ICAP. Every year, the company holds a charity day involving all employees across the globe. It is a huge affair and has so far raised over 100 million pounds for charities across the world over it's 17 year history. It is also an event that attracts the cream of A list royalties and celebrities as they come along to thank staff on behalf of the charities they support and represent.

This year, LLTGL were there because of a very special lady and her husband. Tim McCarthy worked in the IT Network at ICAP for 4 years. In July, 2009, he died in a motorcycle accident. Tim was a blood donor and on the organ donor register and four people had life saving transplants thanks to the decisions he made when he was alive.

Sarah and some of Tim's colleagues decided to honour Tim at this year's charity day by encouraging employees throughout the huge organisation to sign the organ donor register. Sarah is an incredibly brave and inspiring woman and was there herself to talk to people about Tim and organ donation. She was joined by her sister, Tim's parents and the two donor co-ordinators that supported her on the day of Tim's death and ever since. LLTGL were invited to come along to talk to people about organ donation and share our own stories.

Advocates Audrey Eade and Nehal Shah joined Sarah Milne on the chaotic trading floor alongside staff dressed in every manner of fancy dress from Andy and Lou from Little Britain to knights, dragons, polar bears and everything in between. Each team had a theme and not only dressed themselves but also their areas. As we toured the building talking to people and handing out leaflets, we walked through action man camps, curry houses, hospitals, jungles, spaceships.

LLTGL were given our own special area on one of the trading floors, transformed for the occasion into a regatta. Nelly, Sarah and Audrey encouraged people to visit by offering Pimms and a chance to race against Olympic rowing medalists in an interactive rowing machine race.

Several celebrities wandered in and out throughout the day, and we bagged 30 seconds with Kevin Spacey, just enough to tell him about organ donation and give him a form, which he put in his pocket and promised to read. We also managed to get forms to Jo Brand, Des Lynam and Kelly Brook. The GB Olympic Rowing team also promised to sign the register. Sadly, we were all disappointed to have missed the chance to talk to Jedward, as whether or not you managed to catch a glimpse was the talk of the building!.

Despite the fantastic party atmosphere the real job of the day was to "Make Every Deal Count" and make as much money as possible. A massive 11.5 million pounds had been raised by close of play. For LLTGL, the main job of the day was to tell as many people about Tim and Sarah and encourage them to make today the day they make the same decision Tim did. Over 100 people visited our regatta to sign the organ donor register in his honour, and hundreds more took leaflets home to consider their decision.

As ever, we encouraged people to talk about organ donation with their family and friends in the hope that the ripple effects from one man and his courageous wife will carry on . Every single employee in the London office was given a leaflet about Tim and organ donation, with the web address and phone number to register.

It was an unmissable opportunity to spread the word about organ donation, so our thanks go to Peter Lewington and his colleagues at ICAP for organising it and to Sarah and Tim's family for being so brave in doing this in his memory.