Regional law firm Birketts has celebrated a successful year of charity fundraising to mark its 150th anniversary.

Having set a target of raising £150,000 during 2013, £1,000 for each year of its history, the firm has announced a final total of £163,000.

Among the charities to benefit are St Elizabeth Hospice Ipswich, Suffolk Community Foundation, Ormiston Children and Families Trust, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) and the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, as well as national charities Cancer Research UK, Save the Children and Comic Relief.

Fundraising initiatives involving partners and staff from Birketts’ offices, in Ipswich, Chelmsford, Norwich and Cambridge, included a Golfathon sand a netball tournament, both supported by teams from many other regional businesses, a 150-mile cycle ride calling at the four offices and moustache-growing during “Movember”.

A group of six lawyers from the Ipswich office, Chris Schwer, Ollie Crichton, Simon Burnip, Dominica McGlennon, Victoria Butcher and senior partner Nigel Farthing, also completed the Three Peaks challenge, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 24 hours.

Another partner, Catherine Johnson, took part in a cycle ride from London to Paris while chief executive Jonathan Agar was among the volunteers “locked up” for the Suffolk Jail and Bail fundraiser.

Mr Farthing, who headsthe firm’s fundraising committee, said: “The 150th anniversary challenge has been an extremely ambitious extension of our already well-established charity culture at Birketts.

“I’ve been astounded by the drive and enthusiasm of our staff and I am very pleased to say that through much hard work and with a lot of support from our friends, families and clients, we managed to not only reach our £150,000 target, but to surpass it in style.”