Agents Do Charity - why not fund-raise instead of going on holiday?

As the official advice over holidays descends into farce - can we go this year? if so at home or away? - there many be a good alternative.

Fund-raising may do little to help the tan but it sure warms the heart, as the industry has found it in recent times. 

Everyone featured here today contacted us via press@estateagenttoday.co.uk - please do the same with your charity and fund-raising exploits, and we’ll give them the publicity they deserve.

British Heart Foundation: A team of more than 250 people has raised £68,000 for the BHF by completing at least 100 kilometres in the 37 days from Boxing Day to the end of January.

The #BHF100K challenge, which was promoted by Pygott & Crone agency in Lincolnshire, involved many staff members, friends, families, and other local businesses; as well as companies and personalities from the estate agency industry across the UK and overseas.

Participants were asked to run or walk 100 kilometres and to track their progress using fitness apps – sharing their progress on social media. Each person set up a fundraising page with a suggested target of £100, which then linked to a main team page containing the grand total.

The idea for the challenge came from Jamie Aspland, branch manager, together with the BHF’s Gary Burr. Jamie takes up the story: “We wanted to do something to support people both locally and nationally, and so Gary and I put our heads together and came up with the idea of running 100 kilometres in a month which I felt was do-able”.

Kevin Scrupps, Pygott & Crone director, says: “Many of the people taking part have had family members affected by heart and circulatory disease, and I was particularly touched by the story of Andrea Catley, a fellow estate agent from Somerset. Her daughter suffered a heart attack on Boxing Day 2019, and the following Easter her fiancé was also rushed to hospital with arterial fibrillation. 

“Andrea was inspired to change her lifestyle, started jogging, and subsequently joined the #BHF100K challenge. She personally raised a tremendous £3,500, which was the most by any individual taking part. Our sincere thanks go to everyone who took part, donated, or supported us in this fantastic campaign”.

Well-known figures from the world of estate agency that took part: Peter Knight; Simon Whale; Josh Phegan; Julian O’Dell; Stephen Hayter; Kevin Scrupps; Yvonne Martin; Gary Barker.

Estate agents from across the UK that were represented: Pygott & Crone, Barbers, Dawsons, Lawson, Paramount, Newton Fallowell, Base Property, Richard James, Anthony Pepe, Rochills, Ferndown Estates, Nicol & Co, Robert Watts, Lawrence Rand, Geoffrey Smith, JR Hopper.

Estate agency industry suppliers from across the UK that were represented: Kerfuffle, Relocation Agent Network, Brief Your Market, GoTo Group, Reapit, Iamproperty, Land & New Homes Network, Coadjute, Moneypenny, Dataloft.