Agents Do Charity - now, where are my Plus Fours?

Hello and welcome to Agents Do Charity as we are on the threshold of May why not get on to the golf course? Or get running? Or do that trek for charity? 

Whatever you’re doing this spring and summer, please let us know if it involves raising money for good causes. Just email press@estateagenttoday.co.uk and we’ll do the rest.

Now the first fund-raiser this week came with the entertaining headline: “It’s a fair way off…” - anyone with that sense of humour deserves a mention! Here we go…

Birmingham Foodbank, Mind and Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid:  One of the Midlands’ most popular fund-raising events is to be revived later this year.

The Bond Wolfe group, which includes Bond Wolfe Auctions, is to hold its annual golf day at Edgbaston Golf Club on Tuesday September 14.

Gurpreet Bassi, chief executive of Bond Wolfe Auctions, says: “The event has been on hold for a couple of years, with the launch of Bond Wolfe Auctions in January 2019 and the lockdowns in 2020 and into 2021, making it impossible to stage as we would have wished. But we wanted to signpost the roadmap back to normality by giving all our friends, contacts and suppliers something to look forward to in September.”

The three charities were selected as the company decided to focus on local charities that have been relied upon heavily during the pandemic.

Since its launch over 15 years ago, Midlands’ charities that have benefitted over the years include Mary Stevens Hospice, Barnardo’s, Macmillan and The Olivia Clark Appeal, to name just a few.

For further details or to book, please email events@bondwolfeauctions.com.

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Billericay Baby Basics: This great charity is receiving a welcome funding boost from the Beresford Foundation for its work supporting mothers and families who are struggling to cope with the financial pressures of looking after a new baby.

The charity, which was only recently established, is already proving to be of huge benefit to local families. 

A grant of £800 will help them to buy essential items including shelving, storage boxes and bags as well as enabling them to produce leaflets and a banner to help publicise their work.

Paul Beresford, chairman and managing director, said: “Being a business with over 50 years’ experience of working in Essex and London, we are committed to supporting charities and projects in the areas where we work. Many of our customers are families with young children who are trying to buy their first home or make the next step on the housing ladder. 

“Billiericay Baby Basics really resonated with us. We’ve seen how the pandemic has put a financial strain on many families, especially those who have lost jobs or been furloughed.  Having a new baby adds a whole extra layer of cost, so helping those who, for many reasons may find themselves struggling is something we are very pleased to support.”

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NHS Charities: A Midlands agent has handed over a £700 cheque to its local NHS charity after a commitment made at the start of the first Covid-19 lockdown.

Nicol & Co, which has branches in Droitwich Spa, Worcester and Malvern, announced in March 2020 that it would donate £100 for every new instruction signed up in the following month to thank local hospitals for how they have been tackling COVID-19.

The promotion also helped the company to highlight how it was carrying out valuations by video for anyone thinking of selling their home, which was a brand new offering a year ago.

Seven of the 10 property instructions signed up between March 21 and April 21 last year have now completed their sales, resulting in the presentation of the £700 cheque to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity, which supports Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Matt Nicol, managing director, says: “Like everyone across the UK, we are very grateful to our NHS for all that they have done and are continuing to do in what has become such a huge battle against COVID-19.

“Back at the very start of this pandemic, while everyone was self-isolating at home, by using the latest Gavl Livestream technology we were able to ensure that business continued as usual for our customers.

“We offered video valuations for anyone thinking of selling throughout the pandemic, and buyers could view via a Livestream meaning everything was Covid safe. As one of the first UK estate agents to do this, our business continued to thrive.

“Perhaps more importantly, we used our promotion of this service to make a commitment to contribute to the NHS as a big COVID-19 ‘thank you’ statement, and so we were delighted to hand over the £700 with more to come.”

Cornwall Community Foundation: Cornwall agency Lillicrap Chilcott has made a second annual donation of £10,000 to the foundation.

Groups such as Noah’s Ark Family Project, a community group based at Mount Hawke, near Truro, that works with young people aged 10 to 25, have benefited from a grant of £2,000. 

Foundation chair Jane Hartley says: “We are very grateful to Lillicrap Chilcott for this continued support, especially in these times that are very challenging for many people. The funding is being used to support a range of community groups and charities who support those most in need across the county and it will make a real difference to the lives of the people helped.”