Agents Do Charity - cleaning up for good causes

From bake sales to beach clean-ups, there have been plenty of ways that agents have been giving back for good causes this 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.

Esh Construction: Leeds-based charity Hamara Healthy Living Centre has been awarded funding from Esh Construction to create a rooftop community garden space.

Esh Construction awarded the funding as part of the Greener Communities programme, a grant-making initiative that was launched by the firm earlier this year in partnership with County Durham Community Foundation.

Hamara will use the funding to transform its roof top space into a garden area where members can grow their own fruit and vegetables while socialising with others to improve their own mental health and wellbeing. 

The group will run sessions each week, with specialist sessions planned for after school groups for children aged 12 and above, over 18’s and an over 55’s ladies group.

The charity’s HALO project, which supports adults with learning disabilities and autism, will also use the space.

Raheem Mohammad, interim director at Hamara Healthy Living Centre, said: “Hamara is honoured to receive this funding to support us with a project we have had the intentions to start for several years. 

“There has never been a more needed provision after the COVID-19 outbreak and the recent crisis that is upon us, the rising cost of living. Communities need a space to recharge, socialise and learn lifelong skills and thanks to Esh Construction and County Durham Community Foundation we are able to provide this.”

Megan Roberts, Esh’s social value manager across the Yorkshire region, added: “The aim of the Greener Communities programme is to help those within our local communities to reduce their carbon footprint and live more sustainability.

“We are working nearby the Hamara Healthy Living Centre and are delighted to provide them with the opportunity to create a rooftop garden which will provide a new base for outdoor activities and encourage their service users to develop their own green skills.”

Esh’s Greener Communities programme aims to help communities become ‘greener’ through carbon reduction, environmental improvement and education projects. 

A fund of £50,000 was allocated to support projects that are centred around green skills, climate resilience, improving green spaces and habitats.

Hamptons: Hamptons marked World Mental Health Day on Monday in support of charity partner Mind.

Every branch from across its 90-strong network carried out different fundraising activities with the aim of raising a business total of £10,000.

Hamptons partnered with Mind in May this year – alongside parent company Connells Group’s ongoing support for this charity - and since then has managed to raise more than £10,000 for the charity.

Initiatives included bake sales, bike rides, holding raffles and even hosting a bring your dog to work day.

Lesley Cairns, managing director at Hamptons, said: “World Mental Health Day is the perfect opportunity for the business to come together; to raise money, raise awareness and above all, recognise the need to prioritise our own mental health.

“One in four of us will experience a mental health problem in our lives, but many don’t seek help. In supporting Mind we hope to help those who suffer from poor mental health to get access to help they need and deserve. Since partnering with the charity back in May, we have raised £10,000, which goes some way to show how passionate our people feel about this very worthy cause.”

Charlotte Porter, head of corporate partnerships at Mind, added: “It’s been an incredibly challenging few years with the pandemic – and now the cost-of-living crisis – taking a huge toll on our mental health. It’s never been more important to speak about our mental health so that we can get the support we deserve.

“But we know that, sometimes, finding the words to say how we feel is tough. You can feel like you’re talking another language, and that one no one else understands. It can make getting the support we need, harder.

“That's why this World Mental Health Day we are encouraging people to reach out for support, whatever their experience of mental health.

“We want to thank Hamptons for standing with us this World Mental Health Day and helping us to change the way people think and speak about mental health problems.”

It comes after Hamptons gifted everyone within the business a volunteering day and a chance to give back to its communities on 6 October.

Hamptons employees took part in a beach clean on Brighton Beach in partnership with the Marine Conservation Society.

They collected 939 pieces of litter. The data collected will be used by the Marine Conservation society to campaign for change and help the push for policies to keep our ocean clean.
 
David Wilson Homes: Littlehampton Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club is close to reaching its funding goal to purchase a commercial van to sit alongside the container storage facility providing donated furniture for veterans in need, thanks to a £4,000 donation from David Wilson Homes.

The housebuilder, which is currently building its Ecclesden Park development just a 10-minute drive away in Angmering, has developed a longstanding partnership with the charity over the past four years.

Since its founding in 2018, the club has grown from weekly meetings to providing a diverse range of services including delivering meals during lockdown and providing housing advice to veterans.

The new van will be used to support a variety of club outings but will also be made available for a small contribution to other local, not for profit community groups.

Kimberley Benson, sales and marketing director for David Wilson Southern Counties, said: “It has been a pleasure to have worked with the team at Littlehampton Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club since its launch and we have been thoroughly impressed to see the club become incredibly central to the local community in such a short space of time. The van is a great investment for the members and will increase the club’s mobility to reach out to those who are further afield and in need of assistance.

“Alongside working with the Club for the past four years, we also have a multi-year partnership with the RBLI to support veterans across the UK. We look forward to continuing to support ex-service men, women and their families and hope the veterans in the Littlehampton area will feel the benefit from having the van to expand their reach into the local community.”

Ian Neville, founder and chairman of the Littlehampton Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club, added: “The support offered by David Wilson Southern Counties is vital for us to remain active in the local area as we operate on minimal overhead costs. We have strong local connections that will be boosted further by our purchase of this van, supporting the longevity of the club and helping further to bring together our community.”
 

Homeflow: Estate agency lead generation specialist Homeflow is hosting a charity beach clean with its staff near Portsmouth today.

The brand was inspired to join the event after visiting the area during the planning of its bi-annual conference. 

The business decided to invite their staff to swap their laptops for litter pickers the day after the conference in coordination with Hampshire-based charity the Final Straw Foundation, which works with businesses and communities to improve ocean health.

The charity beach clean will take place at Hill Head Beach and will be supervised by Lissie Pollard from the Final Straw Foundation.

Homeflow managing director Nik Chotai said: “Like many businesses in recent years, we know how important it is for team members to meet inside and outside the office.  

“While we appreciate that there is a national cost of living crisis, charities are also feeling the impact of the cost of giving crisis.  Volunteers give so much time to help others, so this is our way as a company to support one for a day with our time.”

Pollard added: “It’s fantastic that Homeflow has sponsored a Beach Clean with the team. Every donation, sponsorship and Beach Clean allows us to continue our work to protect our coastlines and countryside from the blight of plastic pollution.”

Find out more and donate: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/homeflow

Bond Wolfe: A team of brave volunteers from Birmingham property consultants Bond Wolfe took to the sky to raise money for the teenage cancer unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Four members of the business took part in tandem skydives for the Young Persons’ Unit via the University Hospitals Birmingham Charity.

Their efforts have already seen £1,119.73 of a target £1,500 raised.

Bond Wolfe’s skydivers were commercial property agent James Brady, head of content strategy Aimee Knight, cinematographer Adam Ebrahim and senior social media manager Lacey Waughman.

The team travelled to Hinton-in-the-Hedges Airfield, in Brackley, Northamptonshire for the jump, when they were all securely attached to tandem instructors who handled opening the parachute and landing safely.

They then flew to between 10,000 and 15,000 feet before exiting the aircraft for a 30-45 second freefall before their parachutes were deployed.

Speaking afterwards, Brady said: “There were some nerves beforehand but it was the best experience, and we all absolutely loved the thrill.”

Knight added: “We’re so proud that we have been able to raise money for this amazing charity, helping young people at such a difficult time in their lives.”

Gurpreet Bassi, chief executive at Bond Wolfe, said: “We are all tremendously proud of our colleagues for literally going above and beyond to raise money for this fantastic cause.”

Find out more and donate: https://www.justgiving.com/team/BWSkydive.