South West London Law Centres celebrated its 50th anniversary with a fundraiser last week. Donations must have felt particularly welcome after the chair of the centre’s trustees revealed that chancellor Rachel Reeves’ employers’ national insurance hike will hit the free advice service to the tune of £33,569.

Monday night’s celebrations included a raffle with plenty of intoxicating prizes: House of Commons wine, six bottles of 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape (‘that’s yer Pope’s Newcastle’, as Kenneth Williams used to say), a £70 bottle of Champagne, and a bottle of Roebuck Estates’ award-winning classic Cuvee 2018. A vineyard tour in Sussex was on offer too.

However, it was the silent auction that grabbed Obiter’s attention – and one item in particular. The large signed Tiger Woods picture? No. The signed Crystal Palace 2012/13 First Team shirt (perhaps a memento from the year LASPO came into force)? No. An official framed Wimbledon 2024 poster signed by Barbora Krejčíková and Jasmine Paolini?

No. What did draw the attention was artwork by Guardian cartoonist Martin Rowson featuring former justice secretary Chris Grayling in the early days of the legal aid cuts.

That someone actually bid £200 for a picture of Grayling to hang in the lavatory was something of a surprise, but nevertheless welcome.

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