St Mary’s Hospice hosted an its first ever ‘Lock-Up Your Boss’ event, which raised almost £3,000 for the South Cumbria hospice.

On Friday, November 8, Barrow Town Hall was transformed into a makeshift courtroom as the court-style fundraiser brought forward a unique docket of local business leaders, each facing charges for light-hearted ‘office crimes’.

Employees nominated their bosses to stand trial, facing cross-examinations led by Napthen’s Solicitors and under the oversight of Court Clerk and Town Crier Alan Brown as well as Mayor of Barrow, Judith McEwan.

Staff gathered to witness justice unfold, raising bail donations to see their bosses freed.

The event offered employees a chance to rally as a team and cheer on as their bosses faced light-hearted scrutiny, raising bail donations to secure their release, all in support of St Mary’s Hospice.

Each boss’s crimes brought plenty of laughter.

Here’s a rundown of the bosses, their crimes, and the verdicts:

Bryan Walker

• Business: Westmorland and Furness Council
• Job Title: Senior Surveyor
• Crimes:
  • Bryan’s ‘crime’ list was long and varied. His team humorously claimed they needed a break from his IT expertise, which left them constantly struggling to keep up.
  • He was accused of distracting his team with his quirky habit of wearing flamboyant socks due to his inability to wear shoes for an entire workday.
  • For playing classical music on a loop for eight hours straight and occasionally breaking into a singalong, he faced additional charges.
  • And his final ‘crime’, raising the office’s average age by a whopping 43.7 years.
• Verdict: Guilty

Katharine Jane

• Business: Westmorland and Furness Council
• Job Title: Business Resource Manager – Business Resource and Centralised Support Services
• Crime:
  • Katharine’s unique ‘crime’ involved her dog, Diego, who, after spending a morning at the pub with her mother, became hooked on the outing. Now, every time he passes the local pub Romney’s in Kendal, he tugs insistently on his lead to go inside, much to Katharine’s embarrassment.
• Verdict: Guilty 

Paul Smeaton

• Business: MSH Healthcare
• Job Title: Director
• Main Crime:
  • Known for his ‘five-minute’ meetings that never last less than two hours, Paul’s time-management ‘crime’ is legendary in the office.
  • His additional charges included refusing employee requests for a margarita bar to ‘stay hydrated,’ eating KFC in front of his staff without sharing, rarely providing pizza for lunch, and hoarding his prized hot chocolate machine for personal use.
  • His final charge, weekend work assignments, which his team finds particularly egregious.
• Verdict: Guilty

Lee Stoller

• Business: Stollers
• Job Title: Managing Director
• Main Crime:
  • Lee’s main ‘crime’ involved asking questions while walking away, leaving his team scrambling to answer questions they couldn’t fully hear.
  • Other charges included abusing the ‘find my iPhone’ feature to track down his frequently misplaced iPad on the shop floor multiple times daily, skipping meetings, and, perhaps humorously, the crime of having a beard.
• Verdict: Guilty

Paul Curwen

• Business: MKM
• Job Title: Branch Director
• Main Crime:
  • Paul’s primary ‘crime’ was making ‘staff toast’ that was closer to warm bread than toast and never making his team a cup of tea.
  • His other offenses included seeking excessive praise for regular tasks, unintentionally creating more work while trying to help, always needing to be right (even when wrong), and planning everything last minute.
  • His team noted he gets away with things they’d normally be reprimanded for, especially when he’s in a mood.
• Verdict: Guilty

Helen Carlson

• Business: St Mary’s Hospice
• Job Title: Head of Fundraising
• Crime:
  • Helen’s ‘crime’ was more relatable: her perpetually messy desk. Despite her role in raising funds, her cluttered workspace has become a source of good-natured ribbing from her team.
• Verdict: Guilty

The trial concluded with the Mayor McEwan, pronouncing the final verdicts. The boss who raised the highest bail was declared the day’s winner and awarded a voucher for a complimentary escape room experience, donated by Cliffhanger Escape Rooms.

The court adjourned to a networking luncheon hosted by Poppies, where participants reflected on the day’s lighthearted proceedings and strengthened business connections.

Annabelle Holloway, Corporate Partnership Manager at St Mary’s Hospice, expressed sincere thanks for the tremendous community support, underscoring the event’s critical role in enabling St Mary’s Hospice to deliver essential care.

She said: “The support from the local business community has been incredible, and we couldn’t be more grateful. It’s events like this that help us continue making a real difference for those who need it most.”

With its overwhelming success, ‘Lock-Up Your Boss’ is expected to return next year, offering yet another opportunity for local businesses to rally behind a worthy cause in an entertaining fashion.