Agents Do Charity - the Phew What A Scorcher edition...

Welcome to this week’s ADC…and what a week it’s been. Politics? No, hot air of a different kind - the weather. 

Yet thankfully record high temperatures have not deterred agents and the industry’s suppliers from diligently raising funds for good causes.

Everyone here contacted us on press@estateagenttoday.co.uk and if you do the same, you could be here next week - whatever the weather…

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Agents Giving: Property industry charity Agents Giving is continuing its support of The Trussell Trust for the summer holidays.

More children than ever are expected to go hungry this summer.  Almost 87,500 foodbank parcels were provided to children by foodbanks in the Trussell Trust's network during summer 2018, a 20 per cent increase on the same period the previous year.

Foodbanks will do all they can to help families over this summer, with some running holiday clubs or working with other local groups to support parents who find their income simply won’t stretch to cover the cost of extra meals or additional childcare during the holidays.

This high demand often causes many foodbanks to distribute more food than is donated, leaving them short of food supplies.

Make a difference in your community today by donating the items your local foodbank is most in need of. 

The Trussell Trust support these families by supplying Holiday Boost Bags and by working alongside referral agencies they are able to help families who they know would struggle with their food bills to feed their families during the summer holidays. The Trust prepares these bags and then get them passed directly to the families who need them the most.

Find your local foodbank and see what items they require & share with us which foodbank you are supporting and any collection photos.

For full information on how to get involved with this initiative, please visit agentsgiving.org to find your local foodbank and support this great initiative.

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CatFest: Industry trainer and consultant Julian O’Dell and his wife Cat held their annual fundraising music festival Catfest on July 13 in their garden near Milton Keynes. 

Twelve months of planning and hard work culminated in a brilliant day which raised a new record of £52,607 for charity Action Against Cancer.

Julian says: “I’m so proud of Catfest - this was the fifth time we have held it and it was widely regarded as the best ever. The weather was perfect and the feedback we’ve had from attendees saying what a great time they had makes the effort all worthwhile. Obviously the main objective is to raise money so to beat our record was a nice bonus!”

The O’Dells’ chosen charity Action Against Cancer helps to fund cutting edge research which will ultimately save lives. Cat herself has been living with cancer for over 9 years and recognises that research creates hope for victims of the disease.

Catfest wouldn’t happen without the help of a number of special people including sponsors from the property industry TM training & development, Kerfuffle, Rightmove, Elevation Estate Agents, Driver and Norris, JNP Estate Agents, Acaboom, Reapit, Myhomemove, Agency Express, Manning Stainton, Land and New Homes Network and many more. The event was attended by many of the sponsors, their guests and numerous estate agency folk.

Top quality live music over 10 hours was provided by a fantastic line up - Elizabeth & Jameson, Gareth Nugent, The Brethryn, Poke, Fred’s House, ABBA Arrival and The Alice Band had the crowd singing, smiling and dancing from first note to last.

The amazing total raised was boosted by some great auction lots including an England rugby shirt signed by Martin Johnson and holiday packages in London and Norfolk. A collection of Julian’s drawings of music stars, many signed by the subjects themselves, fetched almost £2,500.

A selection of guitars which Julian had managed to get signed by the great and the good of the music world (including Brian May, Mark Knopfler, Robert Fripp, Steve Harley, Midge Ure and many more) helped boost the total hugely.

Julian says “Cat and I cannot thank enough all those people who helped before, during and after Catfest, our range of suppliers, the bands, the sponsors, the attendees, anyone who bought raffle tickets, bid on auction lots, bought my pictures and so on. They should be proud of themselves for raising money for great causes. We are thrilled to have beaten last year’s record.”

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Guiseley Primary School: Yorkshire school children are the latest to benefit from an independent estate agent’s growing programme of support for its local communities.

Agency Dale Edison is backing a £50,000 fund-raising campaign launched by parents to create a Multi-Use Games Area at Guiseley Primary School, between Leeds and Bradford. 

It would add an extra dimension to facilities by giving the youngsters access to more sporting activities all-year-round.

As the primary school has two entry forms, it has a growing need for an all-weather, multi-sport surface. This would help the children keep active by enjoying sports and outdoor activities.

With £33,000 already raised, the school is now in its own race to collect the remaining £17,000 as soon as possible so building work can start as early as this September.

To help them get over their finishing line, the good sports at Dale Eddison have now pledged to donate £100 to the appeal for every home sold through its Guiseley office. To find out more, look out for the special flyers being distributed throughout the local community, or call its team on 01943 873613; or email guiseley@daleeddison.co.uk.

Do It For Dom: Dominic Subbiani of FBM Estate Agents, a Welsh agency in RAN and Fine & Country, was struck down with Huntington’s, a terrible degenerative disease.

After last year’s success with 50 people climbing Snowdon and raising managing to raise around £72,000, this year there’s a canoe ride along the river Wye covering 26 miles.

Over 100 agents and industry figures are in support and the organiser, Suzanna Mavity, says: “We are canoeing 31 miles down the River Wye from Hoarwithy to Monmouth, stopping in Ross-on-Wye in the evening for a mini festival. There are over 100 property professionals joining us in the challenge, so far, and it is turning out to be one of the biggest charity events the industry has ever seen.  

“By day we will be taking to our canoes and covering 31 miles of river and rapids, by night we have a mini-style festival which includes tipis, BBQ, professional DJ, our own ‘Do It For Dom’ band, stand-up comedy, a charity auction and games to have fun and help raise more funds.”

The event is on September 4 and 5 and starts and ends in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.

To join costs £125 per person which covers canoeing with professional guides, meals, entertainment and accommodation. Your commitment is to come along and enjoy yourself and raise sponsorship of a minimum £300.

If you want to join email suzanna@acaboom.co.uk or call 07815 748713 and to donate please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/do-it-for-dom-2019.

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St Francis Hospice: Beresfords agency has joined forces with Sanders Solicitors for a charity Golf Day in aid of St Francis Hospice, a charity which supports thousands of local people across West Essex, Brentwood, Havering, Barking and Dagenham with life-limiting illnesses.

Over 60 players including Sir Trevor and Lady Hilka Brooking - patrons of the hospice - joined for 18 holes on a gloriously sunny day at Thorndon Park Golf Club. 

The auction and raffle raised a fantastic £5,300 for the hospice.

Tom Murtagh, Corporate Partnerships Manager at St Francis Hospice says: "We are delighted to have been involved in Beresford’s and Sanders Solicitors golf day. The support of companies like theirs is vital in helping us raise the funds we need to care for those who need our hospice. We thank the staff at both organisations for putting on such a fantastic day and all their clients and colleagues who joined in and helped raised such an incredible amount."  

Paul Beresford, chief excutive, adds: ‘It was a great event, and a real privilege to have Sir Trevor and Lady Hilka in attendance supported so well by Anne, Lauren and the team at the hospice. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we managed to raise a fantastic amount for such a worthwhile and important cause!’