Agents Do Charity - Doing it for Dom and more

Agents have been putting their hands in their pockets and getting active for plenty of good causes over the past week.

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.

Agents Giving: Industry charity Agents Giving attended the EA Masters last week with one aim, to raise funds for the Bring Dom Home appeal - part of the Do It for Dom fundraising effort.

Just over £20,000 was raised through donations from attendees, including £5,000 from Agents Giving.

EA Masters founder and Agents Giving board member Peter Knight supported the cause by letting the charity launch the campaign at the event, kicking off with a personal £1,000 donation.

Dominic Subbiani is a joint owner of a well-known estate agency in Pembrokeshire, Dom was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease in 2017 of which there is no cure.

Huntington’s disease is a condition that stops parts of the brain from working properly over time. Dom’s illness has now progressed to a stage where he requires round-the-clock medical assistance and is currently residing in a palliative care home.

Original co-founder of Do It for Dom Suzanna Mavity, from Acaboom, is spearheading the campaign by planning an industry-wide hike on 25 May 2023 to raise funds.
Previous events have raised almost £200,000 for the Huntingdon’s Disease Association.

David Newnes, chairman of Agents Giving, said; “Agents Giving was delighted to support the Bring Dom Home appeal by offering a helping hand with the fundraising.”

Suzanna added: ''Thanks to Agents Giving for their amazing support kicking off this new campaign and helping so much towards the fundraiser, let’s help get Dom home.

“This means so much to many of the industry who know Dom and his family. Knowing that we have raised this amount of money for Dom is just incredible and we couldn't thank everyone involved enough! Look forward to seeing many of you in May.”

If you would like to help you can donate by text or on the Just Giving page below. https://agentsgiving.org/fund-raiser/bring-dom-home/

To join the event in May, click here: https://bit.ly/DIFD23

Barratt David Wilson Homes: Aylesbury based charity CHAT Children’s Respite has received a donation of £10,000 from housebuilder Barratt David Wilson Homes. 

The charity was chosen as housebuilder’s Charity of the Year and will receive support though various fundraising events from the housebuilder in 2022.

Staff at Barratt David Wilson North Thames recently hosted the first fundraising event for the charity - a virtual racing night. 

The event was hosted at Rivets Sports & Social Club and raised £4,500. 

CHAT Children’s Respite helps families with children who have special needs, providing grants for families in need of a carer. 

Anthea Cass, of CHAT Children’s Respite, said: “We are a very small charity, but we strive to help as many people as we can, and therefore are in constant need of support. 

“This partnership will help to continue providing care to families that require our help so we are very grateful to Barratt David Wilson Homes for its generous donation.” 

Marc Woolfe, head of sales for Barratt David Wilson North Thames, added: “We are proud to support such a great cause that provides help for local families in need in Buckinghamshire, and we look forward to further fundraising events to continue to support this worthy cause.”

Barratt North Thames will also be hosting a golf and dinner day at Essendon Country Golf Club this October to raise further funds for the charity.

Beresfords: Employees at Essex-based property group Beresfords came together to take part in a skydive, raising much-needed funds for mental health charity MIND.
The estate agent set out to raise £5,000 for the charity, however the team exceeded their expectations by raising more than £6,000.
 
The funds will be donated through the Beresfords Foundation, which is managed by independent charitable trust Essex Community Foundation and allows Beresfords to award annual grants to local charities across the county.
 
Nicki Treffers, one of the 12 team members who took part in the skydive, said: “It’s safe to say that freefalling from an extreme height of 13,000ft at 142 miles per hour installed a feeling of both fear and excitement within me.
 
“I never would have believed I could be so brave to skydive from such a significant height. However, the experience was by far one of the most exhilarating activities I have ever been involved in and knowing that we raised such fantastic funds for a well-deserved cause makes it all the worthwhile.”
 
Nicki took part in the skydive alongside colleagues Sunita Glover, Jacob Farson, Holly Hussey, Steven Smith, Jessika Dalby-Randall, Yasmin Freeman, James Westbrook, Jade Donald, Jack Williams, Phoebe Holland and Kendall Hunt.
 
Donations to Beresfords’ charity skydive can still be made by visiting: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/beresfords-group1

Dundas: Independent Scottish housing developer Dundas has recognised the dedication and positive impact of five good causes in the Musselburgh community, awarding each with a £1,000 grant.

The Dundas community fund – which had been extended to allow more time for deserving groups in and around Musselburgh to apply – came to a close at the end of July.

Hollies Community Hub, Blue Triangle Housing Association, First Step Community Project, Changes East Lothian and DadsWork were the chosen recipients.

The roll out of the £5,000 fund came as the Livingston-based firm launched its 140-home Wireworks development in the seaside town, forming part of its pledge to deliver lasting benefits to Musselburgh, in addition to contributions of up to £400,000 towards schooling and infrastructure.

Craig Fairfoull, head of sales and marketing at Dundas, said: “We were thrilled that the decision to extend the community fund resulted in four times the number of original applicants. It did, however, make the decision to choose just five recipients out of a strong, deserving and varied group of applicants that bit harder.

“It has been a real pleasure to learn about each of the applicants, their inspiring causes and their contributions to the local community - I’d like to thank each and every one of them for their interest in the fund and wish them every success in achieving their project’s endeavours.

“While it has been a challenging task, we are really pleased to be able to announce the five recipients of the fund and believe that their initiatives are essential in supporting the local area.”

Hollies Community Hub, an organisation which aims to help elderly people in Musselburgh retain their independence by providing them with a safe space where they can engage with and meet their friends, will be using the £1000 fund to organise fun excursions to the East Coast for its members.

Blue Triangle Housing Association is a supported homeless accommodation service which houses up to 14 young people at a time, helping them gain independent living skills. The community fund will help the group revamp its enclosed garden area to provide its tenants with a safe and secure communal area for socialising.

Set up by a group of local parents over 30 years ago, First Step Community Project works within the close-knit Musselburgh community supporting vulnerable families who are facing extreme financial difficulties during the current cost of living crisis.

With its funding from Dundas, the group will be issuing Winter Warmer Packs which seek to provide families with essentials such as hot water bottles, flasks and thermals, as well as useful information on how to help save on energy bills while keeping warm and healthy over the winter period.

Changes East Lothian is a mental health and wellbeing charity which provides free support services for over 16s living, or registered with a GP, in East Lothian. The charity provides counselling, therapeutic and peer support groups, as well as a wide range of activities and volunteer opportunities. 

Marina Ramsay, Communications and Engagement Officer at Changes said: “Accessible mental health support is crucial for the happiness and wellbeing of people in communities across East Lothian and the funding will allow us to reach even more people, reassuring them that help is within reach and they don’t have to face challenges alone. We are incredibly grateful.”

DadsWork, a charity that delivers much needed support and services to men, fathers and male carers, will be using the fund towards its four-week programme for new expectant dads which aims to increase their confidence as they prepare for fatherhood.