Agents Do Charity - as summer begins to draw to a close

Awful isn’t it? Where was that sunshine? Well, the clouds have parted when it comes to fund-raising as the industry continues doing astonishing good work for great causes.

If you want to be part of the fun, drop us an email at press@estateagenttoday.co.uk and we’ll include you in Agents Do Charity soon.

In the meantime, let’s get some of those elusive rays and honour these heroes.

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Bookmark: Five members of the GOTO Group, an online auction firm, are tackling the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales on September 11. This is in support of Bookmark, the charity supporting children who need extra literacy help, through a flexible volunteer-led programme.

“We are so grateful to the GOTO Group team for taking on this challenge for Bookmark. The pandemic has had a huge impact on children’s literacy, with 380,000 children having spent lockdown without a single book. The funds raised will help us to provide critical catch up support to children that have fallen behind, giving them the reading skills and confidence they need for a fair chance in life. Thank you GOTO Group!” Says Bookmark’s Laura Burke

You can contribute here.

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Ocean Generation: London agency Chestertons and its associated charity the Chestertons Foundation, is partnering with Ocean Generation, previously known as Plastic Ocean.

Chestertons became the first large estate agency in the UK to be certified as Net Zero Carbon in February this year and has embarked on a mission to reduce its environmental impact through a series of projects and initiatives. It has already converted its entire fleet to electric vehicles and published guides for staff and clients on how to reduce their carbon footprint.

It chose Ocean Generation to become one of its nominated charities - alongside St Mungo’s - after going out to its staff and clients to vote for their favourite cause.

Salah Mussa, chairman of Chestertons and founder of The Chestertons Foundation, comments: “We have all become increasingly dependent on plastic as part of our everyday lives but this reliance is causing massive damage to the health of our ocean. Chestertons’ support of Ocean Generation will not only help raise awareness of this issue but also support people to make positive changes that will hopefully reverse this worrying trend.”

Cornwall Community Foundation/Wadebridge Foodbank: To mark its 50th birthday, John Bray & Partners organised a charity art auction, jointly in aid of the Cornwall Community Foundation and the Wadebridge Foodbank.

The online auction raised over £15,000 from the sale of 28 artworks, all portraying aspects of North Cornwall scenery and life, donated by 26 talented and generous north Cornish artists, photographers, illustrators, and individuals. John Bray & Partners rounded the sum up to £20,000, with £10,000 to each of the nominated charities.

The oil paintings Still of the Night (Polzeath) by Suki Wapshott and Wheal Coates (St Agnes) by Joe Armstrong were two of the highest achieving lots.

Josephine Ashby of John Bray & Partners says: ”We can’t think of a better way to have celebrated the agency’s 50th birthday. Never has a vibrant and supportive community been such an important aspect when it comes to property choice. Cornwall is such a fantastic place to live, work and visit but it is easy to forget that it is also one of the poorest counties in England. The contrast is enormous and support and awareness of this, never more essential. We’re enormously grateful to the wonderful artists who helped us with this auction, it was a magnificent showcase of talent. The proceeds will provide much needed support for these two fantastic charities that are very close to the agency’s heart.”

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Agents Giving: The industry’s charity is again recognising the industry’s Fundraising Champions with The Agents Giving Fundraising Champion Awards, to be held on September 24 at the Epsom Downs Racecourse.

The shortlist for all 10 categories will be announced prior to the event and winners announced by Phil Spencer on the evening of Friday September 24.