A round of golf that took 13 hours to play 18 holes has raised £2,000 for the West of England School and College for young people with little or no sight.
 
However, the Michelmores’ Golfathon was a round of golf with a difference as each of the 18 holes played were on different courses and took the participants on a 200 mile trip around some of the major Golf Clubs in Devon
 
 The team consisted of Michelmores partners Simon Barnet and Tony Cockayne, the law firm’s Practice Director, Andrew Lovell, and Andrew Richards, a partner at chartered accountants Francis Clark. Each raised sponsorship from friends and collegues enabling a cheque for £2000 to be handed to Gemma Boyland, Fundraising and PR Officer, of the West of England School and College this week (August 25).
 
Andrew Lovell said: “It took some organising and was a very long, wet day in June but it was very worthwhile to raise funds for such a worthy cause.   We started at 5.30 am and were exhausted by the end of it but managed three pars and a birdie on the last hole of the day at Woodbury Park where we finished at 6.30 pm. We were pretty pleased with that.
 
“We are very grateful for the cooperation of all the clubs involved. We couldn’t have achieved this unusual round of golf without their support and generosity.”
 
Gemma Boyland added: “We are delighted that Andrew and the team made this magnificent effort which raised a significant amount of money. Together with the £2250 we raised at our own golf day at Exeter Golf & Country Club, the sport has raised £4250 for us during the year.
 
“The Michelmores team are incredibly supportive of our charity and have been wonderful in so many ways. Over the past year they have a not only raised money for us but they have also supported our events, welcomed learners into their workplace on work experience placements and have got their hands dirty on renovation projects at our campus. We are truly grateful for their ongoing support.”
 
The Michelmores team remain undaunted about the prospect of repeating their Golfathon next year and are considering making the challenge harder by spreading the 18 courses required across an even wider geographical area.
 
Andrew Lovell concluded; “We would love to do it again and increase the challenge but it’s going to take some planning to make it an even longer golf drive.”

Francis Clark has offices in Exeter, Plymouth, Salisbury, Taunton, Tavistock, Torquay and Truro. Francis Clark is the winner of the ‘Auditor of the Year - Mid Tier’ in the National Financial Directors’ Excellence Awards 2011, and LexisNexis Best General Tax Practice Award 2009. More information is available by logging on at our Online Information Centre