On 21st March, more than a dozen solicitors from mfg Solicitors will trade courtrooms for Shropshire countryside, tackling 13 miles of hills and footpaths for Severn Hospice. The Pontesbury Potter—now in its 30th year—has already sold out.
The Telford law firm confirmed its sponsorship this week, capping a year-long fundraising campaign that’s seen its corporate social responsibility committee organise multiple initiatives for the hospice.
Three decades. That’s how long the Potter has drawn crowds through Shropshire’s rural landscape, raising vital funds for an organisation that provides specialist end-of-life care without charging a penny. Since 1996, hundreds of walkers have laced up boots each spring, and this year’s milestone anniversary attracted enough interest to fill every available place weeks before the event.
mfg’s CSR committee—comprising Danielle Fenn, Katie Hardwick and Jack Robinson—selected Severn Hospice as the firm’s chosen charity for this financial year. Staff across the firm’s seven offices, spanning Ludlow to Birmingham, have been fundraising throughout the year. The Potter represents the campaign’s centrepiece, with the team hoping to raise £1,000 on the day.
Fenn acknowledged the significance of backing the event’s 30th iteration. “Severn Hospice has been our chosen charity for this financial year, so to both sponsor and join in with the hundreds of other people in celebrating the 30th anniversary is a moment we’re extremely proud of,” she noted.
The picnic might happen. Or it might not.
“We have over a dozen staff from the firm participating and we’re really looking forward to taking in the amazing views Shropshire has to offer. If we are lucky, we might even stop for a picnic along the way,” Fenn added. “The work the team at Severn Hospice do every day is truly inspirational, so it means a great deal for us to be playing our part and helping to make a difference.”
Severn Hospice delivers care across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales, supporting thousands of families annually as they navigate incurable illness. Every service comes free of charge—a model that depends entirely on community fundraising and donations. Events like the Potter provide the financial backbone.
Holly Gibbons from Severn Hospice described the anniversary as particularly meaningful. “The Pontesbury Potter is always a highlight in the Shropshire calendar and celebrating our 30th birthday makes it even more special, not only for us, but for everyone who has supported us over the last three decades.”
The loyalty matters. Corporate partnerships with firms like mfg Solicitors bridge the gap between aspiration and delivery in hospice care, where specialist staff, medications, and round-the-clock support require consistent funding streams.
“This significant milestone simply wouldn’t be possible without the generosity and loyalty of our local community and businesses like mfg Solicitors,” Gibbons explained. “We are hugely grateful to mfg’s CSR committee and everyone at the firm for their support and all their fantastic fundraising efforts throughout the past year. Having them on board as a main sponsor is the icing on the cake and we’re looking forward to what promises to be a memorable event.”
The hospice’s zero-charge model distinguishes it from much of the healthcare landscape, but that generosity depends on events that bring communities together—literally, in the Potter’s case, for 13 miles of shared purpose.
“All our services at Severn Hospice are provided free of charge, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken part in the Potter since 1996,” Gibbons said. “Their support raises vital funds, helping us deliver specialist, compassionate care to families across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales to their loved ones living with incurable illnesses.”
mfg Solicitors maintains offices across the West Midlands and Shropshire, offering commercial, agricultural and private client services from bases in Worcester, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove, Birmingham, the Black Country, Telford and Ludlow. The firm’s multi-office structure allows it to draw participants from across the region, though Saturday’s walk will test whether desk-bound solicitors have maintained their fitness.
The sold-out status arrived weeks ahead of the event—a testament to three decades of community backing and the Potter’s established place in the Shropshire fundraising calendar. Those who missed out on places can contact the hospice about future events, though the 30th anniversary walk carries particular weight.
By late March, the hills around Pontesbury will reveal whether the mfg team manages that picnic, and whether their £1,000 target proves conservative or ambitious. What’s already clear is that the Potter’s three-decade run reflects something deeper than annual tradition—it’s become part of how Shropshire communities ensure hospice care remains accessible when families need it most.
