Agents Do Charity – running and fundraising as the weather sizzles

We’re undergoing another heatwave at the moment, with the mercury rising above 30 degrees for five successive days before it breaks on Monday.

But despite the sizzling temperatures, there is no sign of the industry slowing down with its fundraising efforts.

Quick reminder - if there are charitable endeavours you think the rest of the industry should know about, please email us on press@estateagenttoday.co.uk, or get in touch via our social platforms, and we’ll do the rest.

Preston Baker: A group of six colleagues from Yorkshire-based Preston Baker Estate Agents completed the York 10K last week, raising money for independent mental health charity York Mind.

Although some of the group were regular runners, some were not. But the group was keen to come together and complete the challenge to show support to York Mind and the work it does. On a hot Sunday morning, all six staff members - Jenny Peacock, Megan Griffiths, Anna Greaves, Julia Pease, Honor Davage and Susan Preston - put in great runs.

“The York 10K was such a great event and there was great camaraderie in the Preston Baker group, with everyone supporting each other round, and the people cheering us on through York were fabulous,” Susan Preston, the agency’s marketing manager, said.

“We wanted to support the great work of York Mind in providing a wide range of services to help individuals as they recover from a variety of mental health conditions. Mental ill-health affects many people and anything that can be done to raise awareness and combat stigma is to be supported,” she added.

If you would like to support the group, you can still donate on their JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/PrestonBaker10kfundraiser.

Agents Giving: the industry charity is providing a helping hand with industry fundraising. Not only does Agents Giving help firms with ideas for fundraising, but it also offers a grant to help with the set-up costs of an event or challenge and even help with promoting the event itself, so more of the funds raised go directly to the charity of an agent’s choice.

The Agents Giving Grant Fund, backing the fundraising efforts of the industry, is supported by Agents Giving and The Guild of Property Professionals.

“The Agents Giving Grant Fund offers a helping hand with your fundraising events and challenges, meaning you can raise more funds for your chosen charities,” David Newnes, Chairman of Agents Giving, commented.

Stephanie Slade, Senior Tenancy Manager of M&M Estate Agents in Gravesend and the team recently attended the Mark Greenfield’s boot fair, raising money for MIND.

“Thanks to Agents Giving & The Guild for their support and their grant towards the fundraiser, we have managed to exceed our target and raised a HUGE £1,100 in just three weeks,” Slade said.

“This means so much to us as a company and others personally. I was diagnosed with depression eight years ago and understand the struggle and stigma attached, as well as the pain of friends who have sadly taken their own life. Knowing that we have raised this amount of money for MIND to continue their ongoing AMAZING work, is just incredible and I couldn't thank everyone involved enough!''

So, Agents Giving says, what are YOU waiting for? Agents can plan their next charity fundraiser or event and apply for an Agents Giving Grant to assist with the costs. Any requests should be made via the registration form on the Agents Giving website - http://agentsgiving.org/the-agents-giving-grant-fund.

To apply for a grant, you must be fundraising for a UK registered charity.

Convey Law: The Newport-based conveyancer has raised more than £15,000 for vital work being carried out by Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) in Wales. This comes after a sustained fundraising effort for the charity, including a fundraising walk from Convey Law’s Newport offices to the Dementia Research Institute in Cardiff.

In total, a team of 10 volunteers from the conveyancing practice walked the 11.5 miles into Cardiff, raising £550 in sponsorship. Meanwhile, a further £15,000 was donated to the appeal from Convey Law from funds raised through the Conveyancing Foundation’s Charity Lotto.

The innovative Lotto was launched to help conveyancing, legal and property businesses raise charity funds through a voluntary donation at the end of a client’s transaction with the chance of winning £500 towards their fees.

The money raised will go into supporting ground-breaking research into Alzheimer’s Disease at the Dementia Research Institute’s Wales Network Centre.

Convey Law’s staff were also given an orange kit to wear to support awareness of Alzheimer’s Research’s #ShareTheOrange campaign, with an orange representing the weight loss (140g) of the brain of a person affected by the disease.

Jade Morgan, Conveyancing Foundation Charity Co-ordinator, said: “By taking part in the very simple but effective #ShareTheOrange campaign, we wanted each and every member of staff to stop for a few moments and consider exactly what Alzheimer’s does to the brain and why it is so crucial that we try and support research into the disease.”

Lloyd Davies, Managing Director of Convey Law, who took part in the charity walk, said he was eager for the funds to be used to support vital projects and research being undertaken in Wales, where the Convey Group is based.

“The money will help the charity to continue their invaluable work. I think we all know someone who has been touched in some way by this devastating disease and, as a company, we were keen to support Alzheimer Research’s ongoing research,” he commented.

“We are very grateful to our customers who have helped us to raise these funds and to our team who have supported this fundraising.”

Hunters and The Nikki Waterhouse Trust: Well-known agency Hunters and the charity it founded, the Nikki Waterhouse Trust, entered the Dragon Boat Challenge on the river Ouse in York for the first time ever on Sunday 10th July.

“The weather was glorious and as well as Hunters the estate agent staff, we also had friends of the Nikki Waterhouse Trust making their mark and offering to row or bake or provide some well-deserved sustenance! It was a day of getting together to make a difference and as a result we all raised over £2,500.”

The York Dragon Boat Challenge – which is organised by the local Rotary Club, with whom all donations are shared - is now in its 15th year.

“Everyone enjoyed the day,” John Waterhouse, a Trustee of the charity, said. “It was great to see so many local people taking part and supported by so many local businesses too.”

Set up in February 2015, the Nikki Waterhouse Trust was established in memory of the 32-year-old estate agent who worked for Hunters and was tragically taken away from her family and friends in October 2013. Nikki loved children, so it felt right to create a trust in her name to help make a difference to their lives.

“The Trust has donated to children and organizations across the country, but local charity Martin House and York hospital have been regular recipients of the Trust’s assistance. We also help individual children under 18 and we support every application if we can,” Martin Robinson, a fellow director of the Trust, said.

The Trust has also donated to a local initiative covering Nawton Primary, Kirkbymoorside, Helmsley and Ry dale School, providing free lunches for those in receipt of free school meals.

The Nikki Waterhouse Trust welcomes applications for funds from all over the UK. For more information or to find out whether you can apply for support, visit http://www.thenikkiwaterhousetrust.com/.