Quizzers from across the UK are being invited to test their wits and knowledge at 6pm on April 22.

Individual entry to The Big Quiz Live costs £5 and participants can also opt to pay another £5 to enter the draw for a range of exciting prizes.

The quiz is open to anyone who is interested and is being sponsored by CMS, Faithful+Gould, Cushman & Wakefield, Wright, Johnston &  Mackenzie, Bauder, SJS, Arcadis, Dentons, LSPIM and Turner and Townsend.

Topics covered will include music, movies, sport and general knowledge brain teasers.

The event is the brainchild of Priya Kharbanda. Priya, who works for Cushman & Wakefield’s Scottish Rating Team, and is an author and illustrator. She has been an active supporter of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity donating the profits from her Harriot McDougall children’s books to raise funds and is now also a supporter of Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Priya, who is the Junior Vice-Chair of the Glasgow and West branch of RICS Matrics, which supports new members entering the profession to engage and inspire the next generation, as well as working with RICS to shape the future of surveying, said: “During the pandemic we have not been able to do many of the traditional RICS fundraising and social events and the committee members felt it was important to keep people feeling connected and we came up with the idea for a virtual quiz.

“At first we were just going to run it for local members but there was so much interest from people we spoke to that we widened it out to everyone – whether they work in the surveying profession or not. It should be a lot of fun and hopefully we will raise money for both children’s hospitals as well. We are so grateful to our sponsors for making the quiz possible and looking forward to the event.”

To join in the fun, log onto the website to find joining instructions and payment details.

Priya’s books are currently still available for sale with profits going to the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity (GCHC) and the NHS which treats thousands of children from across the country every month.

The books, aimed at the 3-7 age group, follow the adventures of a Scottish lass from the Highlands and her animal friends Bonnie the Shetland Pony, Haggis the Highland Cow and Fergus the Scottish Terrier dog.

Copies of the books, which are priced at £4.99 each, are currently available here.

William McGowan, head of fundraising at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Priya for both donating her book profits and nominating us as recipients for the quiz funds along with Great Ormond Street.”

Laura Foy, fundraising executive at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH), added: “On behalf of everyone at Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH), we’re incredibly grateful and honoured to be one of the children’s hospitals that is being supported through the virtual quiz night hosted by RICS Matrics and Harriot McDougall Books. The support from the quiz will make such a huge difference and give hope to seriously ill children and their families. The money raised will go towards funding pioneering research, hospital redevelopment, life saving equipment and family services. Thank you!”

Stuart Dorward, head of Scotland for Cushman & Wakefield, added: “We are so proud of Priya who has an incredible amount of energy – not only writing and selling her books to help raise money but organising exciting charity events.

“It has never been more important to stay connected to people and events like this are a great way to keep in touch with colleagues and share experiences. Although lockdown is starting to ease, many people will be spending a lot of time working from home for the foreseeable future and it is important to keep social contact up.”

Priya wrote and illustrated her first Harriot McDougall book to celebrate the Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow in 2014.

Harriot McDougall Goes to the Commonwealth Sports Day quickly became a hit, appearing in the front windows of Waterstones and resulting in a school book tour and two further books Harriot McDougall Goes to the International Sports Day (the revised edition of the Commonwealth Sports Day book) and Harriot McDougall and the Greedy Gannet.

Donations can also be made on the Harriot McDougall Books website. The money will be used to buy new Harriot McDougall books for children facing challenging circumstances with all proceeds donated to GCHC and the NHS.