Agents Do Charity - spellbinding support

Check out some of the latest charitable endeavours from agency and property brands this week.

If you have a charitable event or donations 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.

David Wilson Homes: Housebuilder David Wilson Homes recently sponsored local Whitfield Aspen School’s annual summer trip to Warner Brothers Studios.

The developer, which is currently building at Richmond Park in Whitfield, Dover, donated £800 towards the running costs of the day, helping to cover the travel at a time when school budgets are stretched due to the cost-of-living crisis.

The trip, which took place in the summer, saw 68 year six children travel to Warner Brothers Studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire. 

The students had been studying Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone as part of their English curriculum since September, and the project concluded their studies with a final piece of work which was to recount their experience of the trip. As a treat after their SATs, the children received a ‘behind the scenes’ experience on the tour, as well as workshops to inspire their writing on the day.

Natalie Perry, sales and marketing director for David Wilson Kent, said: “Harry Potter is, for many people, an iconic part of British culture, so we are pleased to have made the trip possible for the pupils at Whitfield Aspen School. 

“It is so important that the children can let off a bit of steam as we approach the end of term, despite school funds being tight. We have been worked closely with Whitfield Aspen School ever since works began at Richmond Park, are we are so pleased the students got to top their hard work off with an unforgettable school trip!” 

Jason Cook, headteacher at Whitfield Aspen School added: “The Warner Brothers Studios trip is a much-anticipated trip here at the school, and we are so glad we have been able to send another set of students on what is dubbed ‘the best school trip ever’. Thank you so much to David Wilson Kent for sponsoring our school trip, the children are looking forward to receiving their letter from Hogwarts very soon…”

Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company: The Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company (WBRC) and Taylor Wimpey have completed work on a charitable house renovation after a biking accident left a member of the community paralysed from the armpits down.

In 2021, Greg McKenna of Godalming, Surrey, was injured in a life-changing cycling accident which left him needing the permanent use of a wheelchair and dependent on carer assistance.

Following the accident, Greg was unable to lead an independent life, exacerbated by restrictions created by his home which was unsuitable for a wheelchair.

Through his friends and family, Greg was put in contact with Taylor Wimpey and the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company who, with the assistance of numerous local tradespeople and contractors, embarked on a major project to modify the home. 

The full scope of works include a major ground-floor extension to provide step-free access through the home; a fully accessible bedroom including a hoist to enable Greg to more easily move between his chair and bed; a fully accessible kitchen; a full bathroom refit so that Greg can wash and shower with assistance; electric doors throughout the home; and the creation of a therapy room to aid with physiotherapy sessions at home. 

The upstairs has also been spruced up to create space for Greg’s live-in carers.

While WBRC and Taylor Wimpey have led on the project, it has only been possible thanks to the generosity and efforts of a large number of local contractors, most of whom have worked for free or at a significantly reduced price.

This included Reconomy’s work to ensure that 96% of all waste products created by the project avoided landfill and GW & E Wright Electrical’s effort with ensuring that the home is fully accessible and that all of the incredible technology that facilitates Greg’s independence works correctly.

The contractors involved in the project were: 

•    Blaze Construction
•    Reconomy
•    KFH Roofing
•    JLO Carpentry
•    BDL Drylining
•    VELUX Windows
•    GW & E Wright Electrical
•    HPS Plumbing
•    Furniture Helpline Bordon
•    MD Brickworks and Scaffolding
•    KL Scaffolding
•    ST Contracting
•    RDBS Robert Dales Building Services
•    Mantech Sealants
•    FSL Developments
•    Millbrook Healthcare
•    Steadfast Automation
•    Peach Joinery
•    Hencroft
•    Automatic Access
•    Cozens Smith
•    Stankovic Engineering
•    Brian Eldridge

Greg said: “I’m delighted with the result of this project and immensely grateful to all of those who have helped along the way. 
“After what has been, to say the least, an incredibly challenging couple of years, to have a home in which I can live as independently as possible is a huge step forward for me.

“Simple things like being able to wash, cook, and leave the house by myself and of my own accord are more important than a lot of people will understand. The most frequent word I’ve heard to describe the product we’ve ended up with is 'envy' and this wouldn’t have been possible without the input from WBRC, the contractors and my parents. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

James Child, project lead at The Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company, said: “This has been an important project for us and we’re delighted that after an often complicated process, Greg finally has a home that brings proper independence and autonomy back to his daily life. 

“All of us here at WBRC wish Greg the very best and sincerely hope that the home is everything he wants and needs it to be. We will always be on hand to assist should any issues crop up with the refurb, but we’re most excited to see how Greg continues to settle into and tinker with the property to truly make it his own.”

Wards: Staff at agency brand Wards have been busy with a range of fundraising activities including a rounders tournament and a football match. 

The events raised £1,200 altogether.

This year the agent is supporting The Children’s Trust, a charity for children with brain injury and neurodisability.