If there is one thing that the real estate industry is good at, it is giving. It is one of the most charitable professions in the country, hosting numerous events that raise millions of pounds every year.
This year JLL will have raised more than £1.3m through the hosting of its Property Triathlon and Property Swim. And in 2015, with the addition of some new events, it has introduced two new charities that are already benefiting from the association.
JLL’s corporate charity this year is Starlight, a relatively small outfit that grants wishes to seriously and terminally ill children.
Neil Swan, chief executive of the charity, says that relationships with corporate entities are vital for charities, particularly those that have no funding from government or the lottery.
In the few short months that Starlight has been supported by JLL, the business has raised more than £160,000 already. “That money massively transforms what we can do,” says Swan.
In the 28 years of its existence, Swan says, Starlight has never turned down a wish from an ill child. Wishes can be anything as simple as wanting to be a fireman for a day, he adds, or as magical as wanting to swim with dolphins – or as heartbreaking as wanting three stars to be named after a poorly child and their two siblings, so that they can still talk to one another when one is in heaven.
On average, a wish costs £3,500 to be granted, so every penny raised is appreciated.
Alongside granting wishes, Starlight also provides entertainment and distractions for ill children in the nation’s hospitals and hospices. These include Starlight Fun Centres, entertainment systems that look like robots that can be wheeled onto wards to distract and entertain children as they undergo often frightening and painful treatments. Each centre includes a TV, Nintendo Wii and Blu-ray player and costs about £3,000 to provide. So far, Starlight has installed more than 1,300 of them in children’s wards across the country. It would like to do more, says Swan, but the cost can be prohibitive for such a small charity.
However, in its bid to keep ill children entertained and happy, the charity has also come up with the Distraction Box, a collection of 40-50 toys that keep children entertained for two to five minutes – just enough time for nurses to administer any treatments. Distraction Boxes cost around £100 each, meaning the Property Triathlon and Swim could provide hundreds.
Alongside Starlight, JLL and Peel Holdings – its partner for the Northern Triathlon in Manchester – are supporting the Christie Charitable Fund.
The local cancer charity is close to Peel director James Whittaker’s heart, following the death of a close friend’s wife.
“We wanted to do something that made people aware of the families that it helps,” says Whittaker. “If we can get 1,000 people taking part in the Property Triathlon North, £25,000 will go to Christie and that will go a heck of a long way.”
Andrew Hynard, deputy UK chairman at JLL, says: “Our triathlon is the major fundraising event every year, and it is great to see its continued growth and how the money raised benefits our partners. Having a charity partnership really enthuses staff and we lose track of the amount of cake sales and fundraising events that offices up and down the country hold to raise money. Our £2m goal is now in sight, and we hope to raise much more over the next few years.”
● To let Starlight make even more wishes come true, contact the charity at fundraising@starlight.org.uk, and to help Christie look after people affected by cancer, enter the Property Triathlon North at www.propertytriathlon.com.
The benefits of giving
Business is all about reputation. If you want to succeed, you need your customers to see your firm in a positive way and to trust what you do. Many business leaders will tell you that reputation is achieved by doing the job well – which is true. But if you really want to build your reputation as a strong and trustworthy business, new research shows that embracing your corporate social responsibility activities could be the answer.
According to research from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in the US, acts of social goodwill can alter perceptions of companies, with consumers viewing products (or services) created by socially responsible companies as performing better.
One of the best forms of CSR is charitable giving. However, charity events can be time consuming and expensive, so it is vital to have a plan. Here, the Fundraising Authority offers some advice:
PURPOSE – Make sure you know what the point of your event is. Is it to raise money, gain publicity or network? It can have more than one goal, but you should be able to identify what they are.
GOAL – Set a goal. Know how much you want and need to raise.
BUDGET – Make sure you know all the expenses that will be required. The budget should take into account your fundraising goal to make sure you raise above and beyond the expenses. Don’t forget to allow for unseen costs.
LEADERSHIP – Put a team in place, not to manage the event, but to help reach fundraising goals.
MARKETING – Spread your message. Make sure you convince your audience that your event is worthy of their time and money.
PRACTICE – Make sure everyone knows what their responsibilities are on the day of the event and have a mock run-through.
REWARD – Don’t forget to say thank you to your supporters. Sometimes a simple thank-you note means more than that medal or over-sized T-shirt.
