Agents Do Charity - and there’s extra daylight for fund-raising now…

Normal life still seems far away so there hasn’t been the usual spotlight on a good-news-feeling that comes every year on this particular weekend - the clocks change, marking longer days and light into the evenings.

So with temperatures rising gently and (day)light at the end of the tunnel, why not boost your fund-raising? If you do, please drop an email to press@estateagenttoday.co.uk and we’ll publicise your efforts and fund-raising page. That’s what this week’s heroes have done…here we go…

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Phabshop: An agency in Rayleigh has recently supported the work of a charity shop which provides volunteering opportunities to people with disabilities, learning difficulties and mental health issues.

Nest In Essex donated £200 to the Phabshop to support its work in the community. The donation will enable the charity to provide help to local people by offering a range of services including training, work experience, companionship and much more.

Nest in Essex’s owner, Nick Cheshire, says: “We’re a family-run, community orientated business and we’ve heard about the amazing work the people at the Phabshop do. A lot of local charities are finding it hard to raise much-needed funds due to Covid-19 restrictions, so we just wanted to help in our small way.”

A social media post from the Phabshop said: “A very big thank you to Nest in Essex for donating £200! Lots of businesses and charities have struggled during this time so we are very grateful for their support. It helps take some of the financial pressures off.”

The donation was match funded by marketing subscription service provider, the Estate Agent Content Club’s Karma Club, which supports good causes its members get involved with.

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Shoreditch 300 Challenge: London agency ludlowthompson and its local employability partner at Wesley’s Chapel & Leysian Mission are participating in the Shoreditch 300 Challenge.

This aims to raise £200,000 to give 300 members of the local community access to laptops and the internet for an entire year.

So far, Hackney & Islington Citizens, a branch of community organising charity Citizens UK, have 138 laptops. These will be distributed amongst 78 households.

Meanwhile tech companies headquartered in Shoreditch, like Amazon and Box, are helping a further 60 households through cash donations and used laptops. 

Anthony Harmer, member of Hackney & Islington Citizens and Chief Executive of ELATT, a digital skills education charity, says: “All our students have found the last few months really tough. We’ve worked hard to ensure student access to laptops and the internet, keeping education attainment high. But there is still a huge need for laptops and internet in our communities. Amazon and Box have made a positive contribution to our neighbourhood. I would strongly urge other tech companies to reach out to us and join in”.

And Stephen Ludlow, chairman of ludlowthompson, adds: “Covid 19 has highlighted access problems for many people in the capital. This means they are unable to stay connected with friends and family, continue education or even apply for employment.”

“This year’s virtual initiative ensures people can still engage with employers for job opportunities as most recruitment processes are online at present. This is a hugely worthwhile cause and helps our community members greatly, and we look forward to helping Citizens UK reach their goal.”

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East Cheshire Hospice: The Gascoigne Halman agency has handed over a cheque for £3,000 to support East Cheshire Hospice.         

On hearing of the challenges faced by charities, the team at Gascoigne Halman were keen to do something to make a difference. They chose the hospice as it supports people from a wide area, mirroring the communities served by the agent’s 22 offices.

Executive chairman John Halman says: “The property sector has been one of the least impacted by the pandemic with our operations continuing to keep people moving, albeit under strict Covid conventions. We wanted to do something to give back to the people in the communities we serve and a donation to East Cheshire Hospice felt wholly appropriate.”

Karyn Johnston, chief executive of the hospice, adds: “It has been a really tough year in all sorts of ways and the need for our work has never been greater, but we are incredibly grateful for this kind of support from Gascoigne Halman, a company that really cares, is all we need to carry on.”

Design A Shirt Competition Winners: Kerfuffle and Marvellous Training Solutions recently teamed up to hold a competition for the children of estate agents and industry suppliers. 

Julian O’Dell, founder of Marvellous Training, has been working with Kerfuffle to create a suite of bitesize training resources for Kerfuffle members. In each of the training videos Julian wears a different, somewhat eccentric shirt and he wanted some wild designs for some new ones, so he challenged the children to dream some up, and they certainly obliged.

Julian says: “It was clear from the conversations I was having with property industry people that home schooling was taking its toll on them and their children in many cases. We wanted to give the kids something a bit different to do where they could use their imaginations and which might help brighten a difficult day. The kids really stepped up. The designs were all marvellous - I’d happily wear every single one of them.”

After such a high standard of entries, Julian found it hard to pick the winners from the four age groups but after much deliberation, he confirmed that the four prizes of £100 Amazon vouchers across four age group categories will go to:

5 and under: Charlotte Gale

6 to 8 year olds: Matthew Booth

9 to 11 year olds: Luca Neal

12 and above: Hannah Gunn

The overall winner was Luca whose shirt design will be made into the real thing for Julian to wear on a subsequent training video.

Simon Whale of Kerfuffle adds: “Thank you to everyone who took part in this fun competition; the entries were all terrific and they have given me lots of inspiration for new attire for conference season.”