Agents Do Charity - with a festive focus on the homeless...

It’s that time of the week again when we focus on the great work done by the industry, usually without much recognition, to assist those who need a helping hand.

With Christmas around the corner there’s a focus this week on the homeless, although we have other good causes mentioned too.

We’d love to know what your agency is doing as we near Christmas; please let us know by email at press@estateagenttoday.co.uk. 

Now, before you put that dodgy festive jumper on, read about these great contributions…

Bond Wolfe Charitable Trust: A children’s nursery in the Black Country has started to restore its sensory room that was wrecked by thieves, thanks to the Bond Wolfe Charitable Trust.

The fund is run by the Midlands commercial property agency whiuch has given £250 to the Kinder Kids Day Nursery on Holyhead Road in Wednesbury. The donation came after thieves broke into the nursery and ransacked the sensory room – damaging doors, stealing projectors, smashing or stealing lava lamps, taking cash and a portable DVD player.

Jayne Taphouse, manager at Kinder Kids, says: “This donation really means to the world to us and we’d like to thank Bond Wolfe from the bottom of our hearts. The whole nursery was upside down after the thieves left, and they even threw the computer on the floor because they couldn’t remove it.”

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Centrepoint: Employees at property management and insurance firm FirstPort have voted overwhelmingly to make Centrepoint the company’s official charity partner for 2019.

FirstPort has committed to matching every donation it receives for Centrepoint, pound for pound to make a real difference to the 10,000 young people across the country the charity supports every year.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Centrepoint – the charity giving homeless young people a chance to turn their lives around, build firm foundations and prepare for a future where they realise their potential. Our business is all about the homes we manage and the people who live there, so it feels right that we are focusing our efforts on a charity that supports people to turn their lives around,” said Nigel Howell, CEO, FirstPort Limited.

This follows a successful partnership with homelessness charity, Emmaus, where £100,000 has been raised by staff over the last two and a half years.

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Wandsworth Respite Centre: Three super-fit Santas from Putney-based online estate agency MyHomeGroup dropped in on Certitude’s Respite Centre in Wandsworth recently to deliver some early Christmas presents for staff and people staying there.

A team of 17 runners from MyHomeGroup are hoping to raise £2,000 for social care provider, Certitude, by taking part in the Santa Run on December 8th in Battersea Park. 

Certitude provides respite services to Wandsworth families by offering short stays for adults with learning disabilities so that their relatives to can take a break and have some time for themselves. The runners incorporated their early delivery of festive goodies into their training programme.

Will Clark, Managing Director of MyHomeGroup and a Wandsworth resident, says: “Certitude provide wonderful support to local people with disabilities and we thought it would be a nice treat for Certitude staff and residents to drop in and say hello before the run on Sunday. The Respite Centre is fantastic because it gives people an opportunity to mix with new people and experience different things, while their relatives who care for them can take a break. This respite can be so valuable in the build up to Christmas.”

Fine & Country Foundation: Over 500 attendees gathered in the historic chapel at King’s College, Cambridge for a carol concert with the full ticket cost supporting three local homeless charities.

These were Emmaus Cambridge, Jimmy’s and Wintercomfort.

The event sold out with VIP seats filled within weeks of the event launching. Ticket sales, combined with donations on the day raised an incredible £15,486.62.

Following the carol performance, VIP guests were invited to the Provost’s Lodge for mulled wine and mince pies.

Neil Wise, managing director of Fine & Country Cambridge, says: “We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to work with King’s College who have been amazing at helping make this occasion a success. The response from our guests was overwhelming. We hope to see you back next year.”

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Mortgage Sleep Out: A 38-strong team from Paragon Bank’s Solihull and Southampton offices braved the cold recently to take part in the UK's first ever Mortgage Sleep Out. 

Swapping their warm beds for a night in a cardboard box, Paragon employees raised over £11,500 in sponsorship and donations for charity partner End Youth Homelessness.

The Paragon Sleep Out was one of network of mortgage industry events that took place across the country on Friday. A host of mortgage lenders and brokers took part, with all events raising a combined total of £95,000 so far.

Proceeds from Paragon’s Sleep Out will go to St Basil’s – a local charity affiliated with End Youth Homelessness.

Mike Potter, mortgage lending director at Paragon, says: “The Paragon team were quick to get on board with this national mortgage industry event. Homelessness can strike at any time and we all want to help.”