Bunting cycles 350 miles for hospice care
Aitchison Raffety group director Mark Bunting has pedalled his way through a four-day, 350-mile cycle challenge for charity.
The keen cyclist joined Team FORGE (Friends of Rennie Grove Enthusiasts) to raise money for Rennie Grove Hospice Care in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
The challenge took them from the hospice in St Albans to the Isle of Wight and back, via Swindon.
Bunting said: “Despite our less-than-perfect physical state, together with bad weather and constant uphill climbs, we did it. It was a great four days with a fantastic group of people and some of the best cycling I have ever done.”
The cyclists raised £61,000.
Bellway backs RDA Quest horse riding day
Bellway Homes North London is sponsoring a group horse riding event on 18 October for the Riding for the Disabled Association’s Quest Group.
The sponsored includes a day’s riding across Chobham Common in Surrey to raise funds to help children and adults with disabilities through activities with horses and ponies.
Activities include riding, carriage driving, vaulting, show jumping and hippotherapy.
Garner and Close complete the Barcelona Ironman
Richard Garner and Richard Close, both from Fleet Street property agency Daniel Watney, showed true grit, Mediterranean-style, at the Barcelona Ironman.
Garner, who is head of commercial agency, and Close, head of lease advisory, swam 3.8km, cycled 180km and ran 42.1km to conquer the course, raising £3,300 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Brain and Spine Foundation.
Tyler hands CRASH job over to Brookes
Ian Tyler is stepping down after 10 years as the chairman of construction and property-led charity for homeless people CRASH.
He will be succeeded by Alan Brookes, chief executive of Arcadis UK, as the charity prepares for its 20th anniversary year in 2016.
Brookes, whose 30-year career includes running EC Harris’s Asian business from Hong Kong, played a key role in CRASH’s decision to expand the charity’s beneficiary base to include hospices.
Tyler is stepping down to concentrate on his duties as chairman of Bovis Homes.
CRASH focuses on providing professional expertise and building materials to homelessness projects and hospices.
At a recent awards ceremony, patrons Network Rail and Areen Design were recognised for their contributions to the charity, while EC Harris was named top fundraiser.
Southam’s golfing record attempt lands £4,000 for Sparks
Chainbow chief executive and London amateur golfer Roger Southam is resting his feet after a world-record attempt to play the most number of holes in 12 hours.
Southam sported his trademark vibrant threads, donated by Royal & Awesome, while playing at Fulwell Golf Club in Middlesex in a bid to break the 221-hole world record.
Sadly, it was not to be. A gallant effort saw him complete 169 holes in the allotted time, walking 40 miles, and raising £4,000 for Sparks, the children’s medical charity.
Southam said: “It was an amazing experience and one I have no intention of repeating, because there were moments when my legs were screaming at me to stop – though I had a lot of fun going round the course and playing through the same guys three times.
“I think it’s obvious I need to find a course with greens closer to the tees.”
Support Southam at www.justgiving.com/Roger-Southam2/
Football fans aim for ground tour in 24 hours
Seven football-loving friends are about to spend a frantic 24 hours driving to the 20 Premier League grounds for charity.
Organiser Gurpreet Bassi, an associate partner at auctioneer CPBigwood, has gathered together a group of friends and family to take on the challenge.
They will take turns driving a people carrier to the stadiums, starting at Norwich FC’s Carrow Road and finishing at Newcastle FC’s St James’ Park, taking a photo in front of each one before moving on to the next.
Bassi said: “We are all huge football fans, so the idea came up to hit every Premier League ground, injecting a bit of edge by giving ourselves just 24 hours in which to accomplish it all – and we won’t be asking for any ‘Fergie time’.”
The group hopes to raise £7,000 for Cancer Research UK, a charity that has been close to Bassi’s heart since his mother was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. “The medical attention has been excellent and this has inspired us to give something back,” he said.
The picture shows Dav Grewal, Kesh Madhas, Sukh Grewal, Dee Kalair, Gurpreet Bassi, Nav Madhas and Tim Grewal. They will set off on 13 November.
Support them at www.justgiving.com/20Stadiums24Hours
Classic motors mixed with music in Essex
Exeter agents Turner Locker Barnfield gave car enthusiasts an excuse to forget work for the day on 26 September.
For the second year, Barnfield Crescent played host to the Turner Locker Barnfield Revival, which, with its classic cars, motorbikes, bicycles and punters in vintage costumes, was a miniature version of the popular Goodwood Revival and Salon Privé.
Live swing and rockabilly music was the day’s soundtrack as attendees soaked up the sunshine, raising money for Help for Heroes.
Birkett’s Essex Soup evening raises £7,000
More than £7,000 was distributed to charities at a property-focused crowdfunding and business networking event organised by law firm Birketts.
More than 100 professionals gathered for the evening event, entitled Essex Soup. After hearing pitches from four local charities, attendees voted on how the money raised from the event should be shared.
Grace Kerr, head of property at Birketts’ Chelmsford office, whose team brought the idea to fruition with the Essex Community Foundation, described the evening as “very rewarding”. Dame Kate Barker, a trustee of ECF, was also at the event.
The funds were distributed among Families InFocus, Headway Essex, Beacon House Ministries and the South Essex Advocacy for Older People, whose representatives are pictured with Birketts’ Jonathan Agar.
rebecca.kent@estatesgazette.com
