LBW accountant bowls over Robbie Fowler with fundraising campaign

Football star Robbie Fowler today backed a £20,000 fundraising campaign launched by newly formed chartered accountancy firm LBW, inspired by two young boys diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. Business owner, Lee Webster, announced the fundraising campaign to coincide with the launch of the company which was officially opened by former Liverpool FC star, Robbie. While there Robbie pledged firm support for Lee’s fundraising drive for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. LBW has adopted the organisation as its official charity and made it a goal to raise £20,000 over the next three years. The LBW team were inspired into taking action on hearing the heart-rending story of two young boys with muscular dystrophy, David and Aiden Dawrant, aged four and 16 months, grandsons of LBW client, Chester businessman, Dave Dawrant. Robbie, whose son Jacob is the same age as David, said: “I will support LBW to achieve their target and will do all I can to further their efforts to raise awareness for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and help children to overcome the daily challenges of living with this terrible disorder.” Dave and wife Brenda, who have lived in Newton, Chester, for the last 12 years, have been working hard to raise money for the charity and have been supported by Eaton Golf Club of which Dave is a member. A lifelong friend of Robbie and a guest at his wedding, he is delighted the star is helping increase public awareness about muscular dystrophy, a muscle wasting disorder for which there is no cure. Dave said: “ I can’t thank Robbie enough for his support, and all the team at LBW who are determined to get right behind this cause. It is vital to raise more funds for research. There is a real possibility of finding treatments to help children like my grandsons.” The boys are the children of Dave’s son electrician David, 29, and his wife Joanne. Semi-retired Dave owns a property management business, but now devotes much of his time to his grandsons and fund-raising. He added: “People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have a short life-expectancy which rarely extends beyond the late twenties. With today’s modern technology and our increasing knowledge of genetics, it is only a matter of time before a breakthrough is made. That is why we need to raise as much as possible for potentially life-saving research.” A dad of four, Dave’s sons played football with Robbie as children. The two families lived close to each other in Merseyside and never lost touch with Robbie who is about to enter his second season playing in Australia with North Queensland Fury. It was Dave who introduced Robbie to Lee and helped arrange for the former Anfield star to cut the opening ribbon at the launch of LBW chartered accountants. Lee, 37, has been in accountancy since leaving school at 16, progressing from office junior, to gain his chartered accountant qualifications in his 20s and eventually become a partner in a Wirral firm until leaving to set up on his own. “I guess it’s always been an ambition to run my own company, but it wasn’t until the start of this year that I took the plunge. Through business I have known Dave many years. “We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the opening of LBW than by launching a fund-raising drive for such a worthy cause as the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign which is so close to his heart.” LBW, headquartered at Old Courthouse Road, Bromborough, is already planning a number of charity events including dress down Fridays, golf days and sponsored activities. Lee hopes to drum up sponsorship to lose weight and get in training to run the London Marathon. “I haven’t yet decided which year I want to run, but I’ll definitely be applying. We’ve told all the guests we invited to help celebrate LBW’s launch at a series of open days this month, so I’ve got to now!” Over three Fridays LBW clients were invited to tour the new offices, which Lee designed and LBW invited the North West area Muscular Dystrophy Campaign representative Charles Horton to give a talk about the charity. To learn about LBW’s fund-raising drive in aid of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, details of how you can support it and to see photographs of Robbie at LBW’s official launch ceremony visit their website: www.lbwaccountants.co.uk Ends With pic: Footballer Robbie Fowler cuts the opening ceremony tape at the official launch of LBW accountants, with directors Lee Webster left and Mike Risnes, right. Editors: For more information, photos or to arrange to interview Lee Webster or LBW representatives please contact Tracy North at Outwrite Public Relations, tel: 01352 706260, www.outwrite.co.uk