Property professionals from across the region have topped off a series of festive fundraisers to help disadvantaged youngsters and their families with a charity event where they collected hundreds of gifts.
The Property for Kids Snowball at The Jam House, Birmingham, was the culmination of a number of activities by the property sector to raise money for charity.
A record 580 tickets were sold for the annual Snowball, which was sponsored by ESC Engineering, LCP, Overbury and Speller Metcalfe, where more than 700 gift-wrapped presents were collected from companies. These have been donated to Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid, which provides high quality support to women and children affected by domestic violence, who will distribute them to youngsters.
In addition, the Midland Licensed Surveyors raised £700 at a dinner in aid of Property For Kids, while dinner sponsor and organiser New River Retail matched it with a further £700. Speller Metcalfe also hosted a client Christmas drinks party and collected more than 200 presents from guests, who were invited to donate a gift for a child.
All the fundraising activity since November meant Property For Kids has been able to donate £6,000 for Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid to pay for fuel vouchers over Christmas; £1,500 to Chilwell Croft Academy, Newtown, to help towards the costs of a school Christmas lunch, reading books and a small gift for every pupil; and £1,000 to Ladywood Community Project, which will help pay for gifts for 150 youngsters attending a community Christmas party.
Jilly Cosgrove, Managing Director of Barques Design and chairman of Property for Kids, said: “The property sector has once again stepped up and done a magnificent job in raising thousands of pounds and donating hundreds of gifts for the most disadvantaged families in the city.
“The Snowball was the icing on the cake on what has been two months of incredible fundraising efforts by property professionals for Property For Kids and I couldn’t be more proud of what we have achieved this year.”
Maureen Connolly, Chief Executive of Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid, said: “We’re always grateful for the amazing support from Property For Kids and this year, to have the donation of money for fuel vouchers on top of the gifts is remarkable. This generosity will make a real difference to the women and children we help week in, week out.”
