Awdry Bailey and Douglas is proud to be a main sponsor of the Chippenham Half Marathon on Sunday 15th September 2013

MARLBOROUGH JAZZ LIVE!

MARLBOROUGH JAZZ LIVE!

This fantastic fusion of hot summer weather and balmy evenings was very apt for Marlborough Jazz Live this year...

Jazz  Blues Traditional Afro  Fusion  Swing  Latin  Bebop and MORE!

Each venue was packed out with 100’s of people enjoying the live music, in particular the ABD Priory Marquee where ABD Partner Wayne Elliott took guests along with ABD team Simon Lofthouse, Richard Bowater and Tom Paget.

Friday evening events began with “Georgie Fame” opening the festival in the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress of Marlborough Councillor Guy Loosmore, with his fiancée Fiona Lawson outside the Castle and Ball Hotel.

A FULL HOUSE - ABD PRIORY MARQUEE HITS THE SPOT!

Mr Fame then went on to sing with Alan Skidmore quartet in the ABD Priory Marquee after The Red Stripe Bands amazing performance with Neil Drinkwater on piano and vocals.

CLARE TEAL WITH THE BBC RADIO LEEDS BIG BAND

BBC Radio presenter and singer Clare Teal was back by popular demand, this time bringing with her Leeds Big Band. A Seriously fantastic extravaganza!!

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK SINGS WITH CLARE

Towards the end of her show, Clare introduced and sang a duo with Ben Cipolla a local “Priory Gardens busker” with a fantastic voice who Clare had got to know over the years.   Watch out for this new kid on the block – he may be performing at Marlborough Jazz Live 2014!

Left to right; Mayoress of Marlborough Fiona Lawson, Mayor of Marlborough Councillor Guy Loosmore, ABD Partner Andrew Douglas, Clare Teal and ABD Solicitor Simon Lofthouse.

BRITAINS GOT TALENT!

Jive Aces – the UK’s No 1 Jive and Swing Band with the Satin Dollz swung into action and shook the house down with some “hot” music”.

The Adam Winslet Band which is an eight piece band, comprising vocals, guitar, drums, keyboards, bass, sax, trumpet and trombone, ended the evening with some soothing funk, rock and soul which went on into the late balmy night. The marquee was packed out!

ABD Partner Andrew Douglas meets Adam Winslet!

A SUMMERS DAY AT THE ABD PRIORY MARQUEE

Winner of the 2013 MOBO award for her current Album “Kindred Spirits” pianist Zoe Rahman and her quartet provided a gentle afternoon delight of contemporary jazz.

The afternoon ended with Cubana Bop, playing jazz on the Latin side!!

ABD was proud to be a sponsor of this amazing festival  which just gets better and better.  Roll on next year!!

CHIPPENHAM OFFICE OPENING EVENT

MUCH AWAITED

CHIPPENHAM OFFICE OPENING EVENT

TAKES PLACE!

ABD were delighted to announce the opening of their new offices in Chippenham earlier this year, and celebrated this recently by having a much awaited office opening party.

The office opening was particularly important to ABD...

Henry Godwin Awdry, father of ABD’s present senior partner, Tony Awdry,  had started in a legal practice in Chippenham with his cousin Daniel Awdry but began to assist with the legal practice in St John’s Street, Devizes, then known as Jackson & Jackson, at the rear of No 33.   This was in 1948 and Henry Awdry joined the Devizes firm as a Partner the following year. When Guy Jackson passed away in 1953, Henry Awdry’s move to the Devizes firm became a permanent fixture.

Drinks and canapés were served as people arrived to chat and also explore the new offices.  Guests included The Mayor of Chippenham, Councillor Sylvia Gibson who is the 30th Mayor of Chippenham as well as local business people from the Town and surrounding areas. 

Alexander David, Partner and Head of Family Law, who heads up the Chippenham team commented “Chippenham possess a great sense of community and is continuing to develop and grow”

The office opening was a great success and will continue to grow from strength to strength...

Top left to right: ABD Partner Tony Awdry with Ruth Wilkinson (Chesterton Humberts Estate Agents). Tim Hotchkiss (ABD) with Sian Swift (Guyers House Hotel).
Bottom left to right: ABD Partner Alex David with Rob Hunt (Ferris and Culverwell). Chris Bonsor (Bridge Brasserie), Sarah Walker (ABD) and Steve Smith (Bridge Brasserie).

PRESS RELEASE...

Gazette and Herald Press Release

CONGRATULATIONS - GREAT NEWS!

A GREAT VICTORY LAST FRIDAY EVENING FOR 

 AWDRY BAILEY & DOUGLAS SOLICITORS

Many congratulations go to ABD Solicitors Simon Lofthouse and Rachel Fereday for their success at the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Law Society Awards Ceremony last Friday evening...

The President's Dinner and Awards Ceremony is an annual event.  This year it was held at the delightful Stanton House Hotel, near Swindon on Friday 28 June 2013.  Guests included Andrew Caplen, Law Society Deputy Vice President.

YOUNG SOLICITOR OF THE YEAR 2013

Simon Lofthouse who joined the firm in June 2010 as a trainee solicitor was awarded the Wiltshire Law Society Young Solicitor of the Year 2013 for Wiltshire.

Simon was nominated for this special award because of his involvement in ABD's ground-breaking department "abdcare" which specialises in asset protection for the elderly, together with his charity work in the community.

As well as receiving the Law Society Award, Simon was also given a "Kindle Fire" by Severn Trent Searches, sponsors of the award.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND WILTSHIRE SOLICITOR OF THE YEAR AWARD 2013

Rachel Fereday who trained at the firm and qualified as a solicitor in 2005, becoming a partner of the firm in 2012, was awarded the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Solicitor of the Year Award 2013 for her outstanding commitment to the profession.

As the winner of this category, Rachel has been put forward to the National Law Society Excellence Awards which will be held at the prestigious Park Plaza Hotel, Westminster Bridge, London on Tuesday 22 October 2013.

We wish Rachel well in the nomination for the National Solicitor of the Year Award.

Race for Life

Just under £1k raised by ABD Team!

An absolutely fantastic amount

Left to right Annette Janman, Cindy Ervine, Sally Mason, Frances Nash and 

daughter Alice, Catherine Cole, Rachel Fereday, Lisa Sidwell (Team Leader), 

Lisa Coates, Sharon Perkins and Carole Sanders.

CONGRATULATIONS - THEY MADE IT!

 IT’S THE TAKING PART THAT COUNTS

Well done and many congratulations go to ABD team for taking part and completing Race for life which took place on Sunday the 2nd of June 2013 at Lydiard Park, Swindon.  The race was entered by thousands of women in order to help raise money to beat cancer as part of a fundraising event...

“I have entered Race for Life on many occasions but this was my first as Team Leader.  Team ABD did me proud and I am delighted that we have raised so much for such a good cause.  The race was very emotional for everyone but for me particularly as my Father is battling with lung cancer.  After hurting my knee, I didn't think I would be able to walk round let alone run, but I jogged all the way and was delighted with my finishing time of 32 minutes .“

 Lisa Sidwell

ABD team consisted of Lisa Sidwell (Team Leader), Catherine Cole, Carole Sanders, Sally Mason, Cindy Ervine, Rachel Fereday, Annette Janman, Lisa Coates, Sharon Perkins, Frances Nash and her daughter Alice...

“I shocked myself and managed to jog the whole way in 42 minutes!!! Maybe I am not as unfit as I thought I was. I have managed to raise nearly £300.00.  It was a super day with a fantastic atmosphere and great support. It very much gives you a great sense of self-satisfaction to do something so worthwhile.” 

Lisa Coates

“This was my first race for life and I really enjoyed the day.  It was very inclusive of all abilities and the support from spectators was fantastic, they really spurred the runners on. I was very happy to just finish as it was actually the first time that I had run as far as 5k! However I am very proud of my 9 year old daughter.  It was also her first time that she had run as far as 5k too.”

Frances Nash

The day was an emotional one for all.  Onlookers cheered and waved to a sea of female runners and walkers wearing pink t-shirts.  Everyone was there for a reason of their own. All had great determination.  All were supporting a very good cause.

“After my mam died of breast cancer in January 2008, I decided to try to get fitter so started jogging. This was something which I had never even thought to do before then. So that year I kicked off with my first 5k race for life.  Every race I have been in the atmosphere has been absolutely fantastic and I have thoroughly enjoyed my jogging.“ 

Carole Sanders

The weather was great not to mention ABD finishing times.  Catherine Cole who is an experienced runner and has run Race for Life on a number of occasions was delighted to finish within the top 30 runners in just over 26 minutes shortly followed by Rachel Fereday.  Cindy Ervine and Alice were not far behind!   

Well done and many congratulations to ABD Team.

AWDRY BAILEY & DOUGLAS SPONSORS TOP EVENT...

ABD is delighted to be key Sponsors of Devizes Festival again this year, and in particular an evening with TV gardening guru and celebrity "Monty Don " which took place on Saturday 8 June 2013 at the Corn Exchange, Devizes.

"The important thing about gardening is the little things. There's as much pleasure in a snowdrop as in a successful career.  If you can tap into that it feeds you hugely".         Monty Don

Montagu Denis Wyatt otherwise known as "Monty Don" is British television presenter, writer and speaker on horticulture.  Monty has been a regular presenter of BBC gardening programmes since he first appeared on the gardening segment of Good Morning in 1993.  He is best known for presenting popular BBC television series - Gardeners' World and has written widely on the subject of horticulture.  In fact you could say he is one of the UK's favourite gardeners...

The event was a sell-out!!

Approximately 400 people filled the Corn Exchange and listened to Monty chatting about his life, gardening and career. The slides of his garden and not forgetting Nigel his dog were amazing! After a question and answer session with the audience, book signing took place and ABD partners: Alistair Everett, Roger Chadwick and Andrew Douglas were fortunate enough to have their photograph taken with Monty!

                       From left to right; Alistair Everett, Roger Chadwick,

                                        Monty Don and Andrew Douglas.

                   

For more information about Devizes Festival  which runs until 23 June 2013 visit www.devizesfestival.co.uk