Working with charities: Case study with Bidwells

In the second part of our series looking at the benefits to your agency of working with charities, we feature Bidwells celebrating their 175th anniversary with activities that engaged their local communities and produced long-term benefits – I’m sure they had a party too!

Patrick McMahon, Senior Partner at Bidwells explains,

patrick mcmahon senior partner bidwells on estate agent networking“Bidwells has recently been celebrating its 175th anniversary and we decided to coincide this with a big fund-raising drive.

“We were somewhat nervous about the target we set ourselves, but we found that once everyone got behind the event it just snowballed and become bigger and bigger as everybody embraced the spirit of the event.

“Bidwells raised a staggering amount of money for our chosen charities – more than £140,000, which is fantastic news and I am extremely proud of all who took part. As well as this, our teams also carried out 250 days of volunteering.

“One thing we found as a result of our fund-raising was that it really brought everyone closer together and helped our teams to further strengthen their relationships. I would certainly say that there are so many additional benefits as a result of CSR, not just the people you help with the money you raise, but it also helps the company to focus, and as a result bonds within our teams are stronger than before.

“Even though we are now almost at the end of our anniversary celebrations, one thing is for sure  and  that is that we will continue with our fund-raising efforts.  We are also now expanding this, so not just from fund-raising, but also continuing with our volunteering and if our business services can be of help to the charities then we will help in that way as well.”

One of the local charities that benefited from Bidwell’s fundraising activities was EACH, which supports children, young people and their families address the challenges which having a life-threatening condition brings. Services are provided either in the family home, the community or one of their hospices.

Camilla Haycock from EACH is delighted with the efforts of Bidwells’ staff and can see the long-term benefit for both sides, commenting,

“We see the partnership as a great way to engage Bidwells’ staff in exciting fundraising initiatives whilst helping them to celebrate their anniversary in a positive and meaningful way.  Many of the Bidwells offices, including their headquarters, are based in East Anglia and their fundraising will help EACH to continue with its work to support and care for children and young people with a life-threatening condition, as well as their families in the same region.”

And it’s a long-term productive and developing partnership, as the staff at Bidwells can see first hand the difference their efforts are making, with Richard Pilsworth, Head of Cambridge Bidwells adding,

“Having personally visited the EACH hospice in Milton, I am twice as determined to help them with the great work that they do.”

Check out the first part of the series featuring Barratt Homes and the RSPB here.

Cover picture (cambridgenetwork.co.uk): Bidwell’s Cambridge office selected East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) as the focal point of its celebratory 175th year.

Title image supplied by Bidwells.

Alex Evans

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Popping the Asking Price Bubble

Where in the Uk Can Buyers Snap Up Property Bargains and Where Properties Go for a Premium Above Asking Price   New research from fast selling property company, Upstix has uncovered the UK’s most surprising postcodes for snapping up a property at bargain prices this year, highlighting a widening gap between sellers’ expectations and the…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Highest demand to lease office space since pre-pandemic

The latest insights from the UK’s number one commercial property website Rightmove, reveals that the number of unique enquiries to lease office space is at its highest point since pre-pandemic, as businesses look for spaces that meet modern requirements. Demand to lease office space is 19% higher than the same period a year ago and…
Read More
Planning disputes on new build land
Estate Agent Talk

Planning consultations for major infrastructure to be streamlined

Robert Bruce, a planning and infrastructure partner at law firm Freeths LLP, said he: “Welcomed the change as a significant step to speeding up the DCO process and the focus on the quality and effectiveness of the consultation, rather than box ticking and a risk averse approach to pre-application consultation due to the current legal…
Read More
Breaking News

‘The property ladder pulls further away’ warns Open Property Group

For many first-time buyers across England, the dream of homeownership continues to slip further out of reach. Despite rising wages, soaring house prices are making it harder than ever to get on the property ladder. A leading UK professional house buying company ‘Open Property Group’ based in Buckinghamshire UK, has raised concerns over the ongoing…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

How Long It Takes to Buy a House in the UK: 5 Common Delays That Can Slow Down Your Home Purchase

Wondering how long it takes to buy a house in the UK? The average timeline ranges from 8 to 22 weeks, but even that can stretch significantly due to unexpected delays, especially if you’re a first-time buyer or caught in a chain. That’s why working with experienced professionals like Belvoir — one of the UK’s…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Rightmove to host Renters’ Rights Bill webinar with Guild of Lettings

Rightmove is hosting a live and interactive webinar session with the Guild of Lettings to help agents get Renters’ Rights Ready. The webinar will take place from 10:00am – 11:00am on Wednesday 23rd April. Susie Crolla, Managing Director for the Guild of Lettings, will be joining Rightmove to help agents with questions they may have about…
Read More