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Property’s great and good turned up in droves and dug deep to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for sick children at the Variety’s Club’s annual Props awards lunch, writes David Hatcher. Photographs by Andy Paradise
This year’s Props lunch, organised by the Variety Club, saw more than 900 guests give generously to raise £400,000 to purchase wheelchairs for sick and disabled children and young people. This was the 24th year of the event, held at the London Hilton on Park Lane, W1, on 12 May. It was hosted by former England rugby international Martin Bayfield. The awards recognised the best in UK property, including CEO of the Year John Burns of Derwent London. Burns fought off competition from a shortlist of eight business leaders voted for by readers on Estates Gazette’s website. Some 270 wheelchairs, costing £3,500 each, were bought by attendees for the Variety Club, with Berkeley Group chairman Tony Pidgley buying 10. Robert Bourne, who won the tongue-in-cheek Newcomer of the Year award, donated 100 tickets to Billy Elliot. The lunch was organised by Neil Sinclair, chief executive of Palace Capital, along with his daughter Emma and wife Pamela, as well as Nick Shattock of Chainwork Capital. Next year’s event will be held on 10 May. david.hatcher@estatesgazette.com
