Agents Do Charity - climbing, bidding, and most of all fund-raising...

So here’s another week’s great work being done by colleagues in our industry - and we’re very pleased to salute them.

Everybody here has contacted press@estateagenttoday.co.uk to let us know of their fund-raising...please do the same, and we’ll give you publicity for your good cause. 

On with this week’s heroes...

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Agents Giving: The industry’s own charity has created a grant fund to help towards the set up costs of agent’s fundraising events, therefore maximising fundraising so more of the money you raise goes directly to your chosen charity.

The grant fund has been set up for agents and suppliers to the industry to help with their event set up costs. Grant requests should be made in advance of your fundraising event and Agents Giving will also help with the promotion of your event.

Many agents and their supported charities have already benefited from the fund, such as Chris Labram of Yopa who is trekking to Mount Everest base camp for Macmillan Cancer Care, the fund helped towards Chris’ registration fee.  

Yorkshire’s Finest Estate Agents are hosting a charity ball also raising funds for Macmillan with the Agents Giving grant fund helping towards the venue booking.  Paul Bampton of Samsome & George will be running the London Marathon this April for Centre Point with the fund helping towards Paul’s training equipment.

Peter Knight, Chairman of Agents Giving comments: “The Agents Giving grant fund is now helping agents with their event set up costs, meaning that more of the money raised at your event goes directly to your chosen charity.  Get in touch to see how we can help you, so you can raise even more money for the charities and causes you support”. 

Any requests should be made via a registration form on the Agents Giving website;  https://agentsgiving.org/the-agents-giving-grant-fund 

To apply for a grant you must be fundraising for UK registered charities and the registration number will be requested when applying.

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The Fine & Country Foundation: A team of technology consultants from Property Logic climbed Mount Snowdon on one of the most dangerous days of the year, March 10, to raise money for homelessness.

The team of five walked through bitter temperatures, snow and ice to reach the peak of Mount Snowdon to support the foundation, the homeless charity established by Fine & Country estate agents, sister company of Property Logic.

Adam Black from Property Logic says: “The conditions were horrendous, it was like being in the film, Everest. My friend Phil Pond slipped on some ice and would have fallen over a huge boulder if it wasn’t for another teammate, Matt Curwen, who grabbed him. Matt said he felt as if he was a father protecting his child: the adrenaline filled him up and there was nothing that would have made him let go of Phil.”

Thankfully, the whole team made it to the top. They were exhausted, covered in snow, and they raised £555.

Meanwhile the foundation has launched a proactive awareness campaign to run throughout the course of 2018, in a bid to combat homelessness.

It involves Sean and Talisha, who have experienced different forms of homelessness: they will both be interviewed and videoed at various points in the year by the foundation. 

Sean grew up in care and has lived on the streets for 18 years. His story begins just one week after he moved into his temporary accommodation and waits for his council flat. Talisha experienced hidden homelessness, often described as sofa surfing. Talisha is in her early twenties and is receiving support and training to help her become independent.

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Bath’s Bridgemead Residential and Nursing Home: It has raised more than £6,000 in a charity auction. 

Prizes included a tour of the House of Commons, a ‘Westminster experience’ with Lord Foster of Bath, and a trip behind-the-scenes at the Holburne Museum with the director, Dr Chris Stevens.

Matthew Blower of Fine & Country Bath, sponsor of the event, says: “We wanted to show our respect and appreciation for all the incredible work that Bridgemead achieves and to highlight this to our community.”

Bridgemead is a not-for-profit care home offering residential and nursing care for the vulnerable older people of Bath. 

Marie Curie: Ian Crampton of Ferndown Estates in Birmingham says his firm is on its way to raising £15,000 towards its local hospice by the end of May.

“Through our sales and lettings business and the local Marie Curie fundraising group we have managed to raise nearly £10,000. We have distributed over 3000 money boxes locally, supported The Great Tea Party in our village and held a recent Caribbean evening at a local social club.”

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Ashtons ‘For Life’s Great Causes’: Last month, Ashtons’ big charity fundraiser came to a close, and after a nail-biting final day of voting the total number of votes reached nearly 10,000 and the three winning charities receiving a share of £10,000 were announced.

The event was an overwhelming success, truly demonstrating the dedication and commitment made by those who care so much about supporting charities in the local community and generating much-needed awareness for some really great causes. 

The winning charities were:

1. £5,000 donated to The Friends of St Leonard’s Flamstead 

Andrew Lambourne, Heritage Fundraising Coordinator, expressed his appreciation: "Huge thanks to everyone who supported us, and especially to Ashtons for its charitable giving. We have to raise £250,000 of matched funding to support a Heritage Lottery bid to save 900 years of history including valuable medieval wall paintings, and this award really helps. The online poll is a great idea and has raised awareness of all the charities involved.”

2. £3,000 donated to Rennie Grove Hospice

Sue Varvel, Director of Nursing and Clinical Services at Rennie Grove Hospice Care says: “On behalf of everyone here at Rennie Grove I would like to say a big thank you to Ashtons for their very generous donation.  We rely on donations to fund the vast majority of the £8.7 million we need each year to continue to provide hospice care services to adults and children diagnosed with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses through our 24-hour responsive Hospice at Home, Day services and Family Support services.”       

3. £2,000 donated to Willow Foundation

Katie Fisher, Community Fundraiser, for the Willow Foundation says: ”Willow was thrilled to receive the third prize of £2,000 in the ‘Life’s Great Causes’ charity fundraising poll. We are so grateful to Ashtons and the local community for choosing to support Willow and helping us to create future Special Days for seriously ill young adults at a time when they need it most.”