Agents Do Charity - breaking the budget for good causes

Much of the focus may have been on the Spring Budget this week but a variety of charities have received support from the property industry.

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.

Building Relations: Property PR agency Building Relations has partnered with Brixton-based charity Housing for Women this International Women’s Day. 

Housing for Women is a housing provider and charity with a mission to empower women and challenge inequality.

It supports hundreds of women every year through affordable housing across the city together with specialist projects. The charity provides specialist support   through a range of services including Domestic Abuse refuges and community-based support, SafeSpace drop-in support (for women survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery), ReConnect+ accommodation-based support (for women leaving prison).  

Zaiba Qureshi, chief executive ofHousing for Women, said: “It was great to be approached by Building Relations to support our charity, especially in the current climate. At Housing for Women, we pride ourselves in supporting those in need and spreading the word about the work we do, so it’s a great addition to have a PR agency who aligns with our values to promote equality, provide housing and empower women. We are looking forward to Building Relations joining us on our journey.”

Rachel Colgan, founding director at Building Relations, said: “It is of the utmost importance that as an established agency we partner with and support a charity which aligns with our values. We feel Housing for Women encapsulates everything we stand for here at Building Relations, having backgrounds in property, being a team of mostly women and promoting home ownership.  

“The whole team is both proud and excited to help support the initiatives at Housing for Women through events, volunteering hours and running a number of workshops to share and teach skills to those who need it the most.  

“As you might expect in a communications agency, we offer excellent writing services, and we feel some of these useful life skills could help other women too. We look forward to our first charity partnership and hope our support will help this fantastic charity create a bigger impact.” 

Barratt Homes: St Albans charity, The Counselling Foundation, has received a £1,500 donation from housebuilder Barratt Homes to support its counselling services in the Hertfordshire area. 

The Counselling Foundation is a charity that has been providing professional counselling training and counselling services since 1974. It is  regulated by the BACP which ensures its training services and counsellors are bound by an ethical framework.  It offers counselling in-person or remotely via telephone or video. In 2023 The Counselling Foundation delivered on average 2,000 counselling sessions per month which equates to roughly 400 clients each week across all their services and centres in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.  

Alongside its counselling service, the charity also provides professional training courses for those  wishing to train and become a qualified counsellor.  The Counselling Foundation is currently training 147 students of which many will go on to help the NHS, open private practice and continue to work for the Foundation.  

The donation from Barratt Homes will support individuals who may struggle to fund the full cost of their weekly counselling session, allowing them to access much needed counselling. 

This donation comes from The Barratt Foundation, the housebuilder’s charity partnership, which aims to support local charities and groups wherever Barratt Developments PLC operates across the UK.  

Barratt Homes currently operates housing developments across the Home Counties including in Aylesbury, Sawbridgeworth, Buckingham, Leighton Buzzard and Houghton Regis.  

Tracy McPhillips from The Counselling Foundation, said: “Many people struggle in silence on a daily basis, which is why it is so important that people in the community know they have a safe and confidential space to get support. Our amazing team of hardworking staff and well-trained counsellors provide an essential service for those in need.  

“Barratt North Thames’ donation will go towards making sure that individuals who might not be able to access counselling will be able to seek help and ultimately this will change lives, for them and those around them for the better. We are grateful to Barratt Homes for their donation and for choosing to support us”. 

Marc Woolfe, director of sales and marketing at Barratt North Thames, added: “Mental health issues can affect anyone, and it is of the utmost importance that the community can access help in their time of need. We hope that this donation will help those in need to access the services offered by The Counselling Foundation and continue to raise awareness to help others through their difficult times.” 

Manning Stainton: Leeds-based estate agent, Manning Stainton, has partnered with women’s employment charity, Smart Works Leeds, and will raise £1,500 for the charity over the next 12 months.

Smart Works Leeds supports local women from different backgrounds and age groups get back into employment by providing coaching and clothing. 

To mark International Women’s Day and the start of its partnership with the charity, Manning Stainton has paid for 10 clothing collection bins to be designed and produced.

A key part of the work Smart Works Leeds does is to collect high-quality, second-hand interview and work-appropriate clothing for the women it works with, so they can feel their best at job interviews and when they start employment. The clothing bins funded and created by Manning Stainton will be placed in busy offices across the city, including one in Manning Stainton’s head office, to encourage year-round donations of high-quality workwear.

Kate Murphy, centre manager at Smart Works Leeds, said: “It’s fantastic that Manning Stainton will be supporting us over the next 12 months and it’s a pleasure to welcome the company to the Smart Works Leeds Collective, a network of forward-thinking, dynamic and supportive Yorkshire businesses who have pledged to help us support local unemployed women into work.

“The clothing bins Manning Stainton has produced will be fundamental in helping us to collect high-quality clothing for the women we work with, enabling them to feel their best when they attend interviews and start employment.”

Mark Manning, managing director of Manning Stainton, added: “We’re delighted to be supporting Smart Works Leeds, who do fantastic things. Employment is key to transforming women’s lives, and by helping women on their journey into work, Smart Works makes a real difference. We’ve pledged to raise at least £1,500 for the charity over the next 12 months, so our team will be undertaking a variety of fundraising initiatives to reach our target.”

Pattinson: Pattinson Estate Agency has reached an impressive milestone, having donated a cumulative total of £50,000 to various deserving causes.

The fund has supported a range of local charities and voluntary organisations, helping young people and care leavers, survivors of domestic abuse, ex-offenders and those who are homeless or face housing challenges.

Since its inception, the partnership between Pattinson Estate Agecy and The Community Foundation has been instrumental in providing essential support to organisations dedicated to addressing homelessness and housing related issues. 

The core focus of grants distributed by Pattinson Estate Agency encompasses four key categories, each addressing critical areas of need within the community.

Elaine Holdsworth, senior philanthropy Advisor at the Community Foundation, said: “Through the fund, Pattinson Estate Agents have shown a commitment to the area they serve and helping tackle some of the most pressing issues facing our communities. I am thrilled that by reaching this landmark, we can celebrate the impact of their generosity.”

Carolin Pattinson, managing director of Pattinson Estate Agency, added: “We set up the fund to mark the 40th Anniversary of Pattinson Estate Agency, almost seven years ago, and through it we can give grants to a range of smaller charities across the region. 

“We are immensely proud to have reached the milestone of £50,000 in donations through our partnership with The Community Foundation. The heartwarming feedback we have received from the organisations we support reaffirms the importance of our collective efforts in making a meaningful difference in the lives of those facing housing related challenges in our communities.”

Martyn Gerrard: London agent Martyn Gerrard has helped a 36-hour fundraiser by Food Bank Aid attract more than £1.3m.

The Food Bank Aid charity helps 31 food banks across north London and Hertfordshire support more than 20,000 vulnerable people, including 5,000 children, weekly. 

It delivers 70,000 items to these food banks every week, thanks to its team of 400 volunteers.

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