Agents Do Charity - Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis to the fore

Hello and welcome to another Agents Do Charity, the weekly round up of fund-raising in our industry.

Once more our thoughts are with the victims in Ukraine, and further down this story we remind readers of a very special industry-wide campaign for that cause.

If you have any fund-raising work your agency is involved in right now, please let us know join press@estateagenttoday.co.uk and we will do the rest. Thanks!

-

Martin’s House Children’s Hospice:  A 12-strong team from Linley & Simpson is aiming to conquer the summits of the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales – all within 24 hours.

The National Three Peaks Challenge forms the centrepiece of the company’s pledge to raise £25,000 for Martin House Children’s Hospice, at Boston Spa, near Wetherby, as part of its 25^th anniversary year.

The dozen daredevils feature founders Will Linley and Nick Simpson, as well as colleagues from across its Leeds headquarters and its branch network across Yorkshire including Aydin Arslan, Helen Carter, Martin Elliott, Kerry Ferguson, Emma Field, Kathryn Miller, Lauren Sayles, Greg Smallwood, Mark Willetts and Alex Woodhouse.

They will begin with an evening climb of the 1,345m-high Ben Nevis in Scotland, before travelling to the Lake District as dawn rises to conquer the 978m summit of Scafell Pike – the tallest in England.

The total ascent is more than 3,400 metres – around the height of 800 double-decker buses and is double the scale of the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge, comprising Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough,

Linley & Simpson chairman Will Linley says: “This represents, by far, the most exciting yet daunting challenge we have set ourselves in our company’s history. Martin House has been a key partner on our journey and we are thrilled to support its amazing team once again, in this our 25^th anniversary year.”

The team will be waved off from Martin House at dawn on Monday June 27 and will return the following day. It will be guided throughout by mountain leaders from Kuta Outdoors, a West Yorkshire-based specialist in UK-wide hiking and outdoor team-building events.

-

Accommodation platform HousingAnywhere has launched a pan-European service (housinganywhere.com/support-ukraine) to support people who are displaced by the war in Ukraine and in urgent need of a safe place to stay.

Housing Anywhere says there are four key features:

- A simple and fast process: Organisations and individuals can make their living spaces available directly to Ukrainian refugees, indicating the maximum duration and the number of people they can accommodate. Places can be offered for free or at a reduced rental price;

- A safe and secure environment: Refugees from Ukraine can be in direct contact with the people offering a place with an easy and secure messaging system. In case of paid accommodation, the first month rent is protected for 48 hours after the move-in and released when the accommodation is provided as agreed;

- Multi-language support: The platform is available in 10 languages, including Ukrainian and Russian. A professional customer service team also provides multi-language support, available to anybody seeking and offering a place to stay;

- No HousingAnywhere fees will be charged to anyone.

Ukraine Crisis: A new service has been set up by Agents Giving to highlight how the industry can help the humanitarian effort in Ukraine.

The launch website says: “If you’re an estate agent, you may be wondering how you can help people in Ukraine after the recent events that have been dominating the news headlines of late. There are several ways you can get involved and donate your time and money to help those who need it most right now. Here are five suggestions of things that estate agents can do to help people in Ukraine today.”

The five ways are Collecting Goods; Raising Money; Organising Fundraising Events; Helping New Refugees; and Staying Informed and Spreading Only Correct Information.

The new platform suggests funds should be channelled to the Disasters Emergency Committee - regarded as the most significant fund-raising avenue in the UK.

Support for the fundraising comes from Propertymark, Boomin, Moneypenny, Agents Together, Kerfuffle, Pygott & Crone, The Guild of Property Professionals and Fine & Country Foundation.

You can see the website, and details of how to donate, here.

Nathan Emerson, chief executive of Propertymark, says: “Propertymark members have been galvanised by the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. As a sector, we have a strong record of working in our own communities, fundraising and generating charitable giving. We are proud to support Agents Giving in uniting the sector behind Property United for Ukraine and it is inspiring to work with so many agents who are helping in whatever ways they can.”