Charity begins at home
beyond reports on how the team at Linley & Simpson is aiming to deliver a sackful of Christmas cheer to various good causes this festive season.
Y orkshire estate agency Linley Simpson are launching the biggest fundraising campaign in their 21-year history as they aim to help the homeless enjoy a warmer Christmas this year.
Among those benefitting are Leeds-based St George’s Crypt, Harrogate Homeless Project and SASH (Safe and Sound Homes) in York – three charities helping to improve the lives of rough sleepers and an initial donation from the agency, which has 11 branches across North and West Yorkshire, is already being put to good use.
So far it has helped volunteers at St George’s Crypt fill Christmas stockings for more than 50 homeless people; bought 25 extra sleeping bags for those living on the streets of Harrogate and helped towards getting 27 homeless young people off the streets of York.
The agency is also raising awareness of Yorkshire’s homeless community through a series of mail drops, social media posts and email messages and every market appraisal generated in December will also result in an extra £25 gift to the charity in that location.
This support will build on the efforts of two Linley & Simpson colleagues, Leeds city centre Branch Manager Lauren Sayles and Senior Sales Negotiator Amy Norman, who took part in this year’s Sleep with Simon fundraiser, organised by homeless charity Simon on the Streets.
Martin House Children’s Hospice at Boston Spa – the agency’s chosen charity partner – is also a key benefactor of the Christmas fundraising campaign and volunteers from the agency will be out in force with collection buckets for Bradford City’s home game against Oxford United as the club kicks off its own partnership with Martin House.
Meanwhile teams from its Harrogate, Wetherby, Ripon, Horsforth and Saltaire branches are also selling Martin House Christmas cards at various markets and Morrisons stores across Yorkshire and Lynne Taylor, the agency’s Accounts Manager and Associate Director, will don a red suit to take part in the Santa on the Run event.
But it doesn’t stop there and other festive fundraising events will include a Christmas jumper day in aid of the hospice in December, support for Radio Aire’s Cash for Kids Mission with nine branches acting as a drop-off location for presents for disadvantaged and ill children and Linley & Simpson sponsoring the Saltaire Inspired Living Advent Calendar.
Emily Wilkinson, Linley & Simpson’s Customer Services Manager, said: “While it is a joyous time for many, it is also a very difficult and stressful time for disadvantaged and less fortunate people in our community and those with serious illness, particularly children and young people.
“We hope this series of initiatives will go some way to spreading some Christmas cheer wherever possible.”
