Agents Do Charity - there’s a hard drive on for lap...

Hello and welcome to Agents Do Charity, the regular round-up of industry good work.

Whatever the cause, it’s great to publicise agents’ public spirited activities, but this week shows just how fleet of foot the industry can be. There’s been huge publicity on the need for laptops for children studying at home - and not every family can afford one.

So we have examples this week of agents and suppliers stepping in to help - bravo!

If you’re doing this kind of work, or for any other cause, please let us know on press@estateagenttoday.co.uk. Thank you!

Computers for School Initiative: Agents Giving is helping raise funds for the Computers for Schools initiative to purchase and donate tablets to children and families lacking access to IT devices.

This initiative is spearheaded by industry figure Stephen Brown at Stephen J Brown Consultancy and Jerry Lyons at Estate Agent Content - they want to raise £200,000.

“I would personally like to thank everyone who has donated to this initiative so far, all agents work in the heart of our local communities and our aim is for every agent to be able to donate one laptop to their local school” says Stephen.

A donation of five laptops by James Du Pavey Estate Agents is for the Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy, Stoke-on-Trent. The head teacher there says: “The donation of these laptops is incredibly appreciated by the academy. Serving a community in one of the most deprived areas of Stoke-on-Trent, the switch to remote learning has proved to be challenging across both lockdowns.”

Agents Giving wants the whole industry to get behind the initiative. You can make a donation to the overall fundraising effort or to be involved in linking up with your local school to make the all important donation. To find out more and get involved just click here.

Or contact Yvonne Martin at Agents Giving.

Computers for Schools Initiative (again!): Attwells Solicitors in Ipswich is one example of a firm contributing to Stephen Brown’s initiative.

Managing partner Nick Attwell comments “The route into law will now be much harder for children from low-income families because they will not have the same access to technology. Our purpose as a law firm is making the law accessible for all. We can’t do this if the next generation is prevented from getting the foundations of a basic education because they do not have access to the technology to continue their lessons”

In response Attwells has donated to the Computers for Schools Initiative, as well as supporting Emmaus Suffolk, a charity which helps vulnerable, socially isolated people and those at risk of homelessness in the county.

Cornwall Blood Bikes: This county has been in the news recently with huge TV exposure for its beauty and its food - and there’s a generous spirit there, too.

Steve Moir, chairman of the Experts in Property South West network, has taken on two new volunteering roles – one with Cornwall Blood Bikes, and the other at his local NHS COVID-19 vaccination centre.

Established in 2012, Cornwall Blood Bikes is a registered, self-funded charity providing a free delivery service to Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust outside the normal operating hours of regular NHS transport services.

With 15 police-spec motorcycles and a team of volunteers on call from 5pm to 7am on weekdays and 24 hours a day over weekends and bank holidays, the service provides urgent transportation of blood, drugs, samples, specimens and other medical requirements between NHS hospitals and hospices, clinics and laboratories for midwives, nurses, doctors and other NHS specialists. The service has recently expanded to include COVID-19 tests.

For more information on Cornwall Blood Bikes, or to make a donation, visit the Cornwall Blood Bikes website.

Teenage Cancer Trust: The team at property software suppliers VTUK have each signed up to squat 2,800 times throughout February.

Members of the team will be squatting 100 times a day, all for a charity close to their heart, the Teenage Cancer Trust. The charity faces severe strain due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

With VTUK’s staff all working from home, VTUK thought it was the perfect opportunity to help the charity they have long supported, whilst also, helping their own physical and mental health.

To donate to VTUK please visit their JustGiving page by clicking here.

St Luke’s Hospice, Sheffield: Nicola Spencer of Spencers Estate Agents writes: “You may have heard that my lovely Mum died on the 27th December 2020 after a very quick return of Lymphoma that took her from us within just ten days …

“St Luke’s was always close to her heart and we know too many people that have ended their days in their wonderful care.

“So, we at Spencers have decided that we will run 125km each in February in aid of St Luke’s, which is the distance from Mum’s house to Old Trafford, where she loved to go with my Dad to watch their team and where they had season tickets for many years.

“We invite you all to join in and attempt to hit a 125km target by running / walking / cycling / horse riding the same distance throughout February, or just to donate to this wonderful cause by supporting our efforts.

“All collections on Mum’s behalf will go to St Luke’s via this JustGiving page. Thank you so much for supporting us, Mum, and this wonderful charity. Love you Mum.”

Good luck to Nicola and everyone who takes part.