Regional estate agent and property group Andrews has given a boost to Bristol youth homelessness charity 1625ip following a Christmas appeal.
Keynsham-based Andrews’ ‘Jolly Good Christmas’ campaign invited any customer booking a valuation or mortgage appointment in December to vote for one of three charities that Andrews already worked with closely.
The firm, known for its commitment to ‘giving back’ to the communities in which it operates, would then make a donation based on the number of votes for each good cause.
1625ip received 54% of the vote meaning it has now received £5,000 from Andrews group chief executive David Westgate.
Andrews has already worked with 1625ip on an innovative housing scheme called [establish]. Launched as part of Andrews’ 70th anniversary celebrations in 2016, it aims to buy 50 homes in areas where Andrews has a presence over the coming 50 years as a means of supporting young people leaving the care system. The first was in Lawrence Hill, Bristol.
David Westgate said: “Andrews is a business built on a firm foundation of ‘giving back’ and as a result, we’re fortunate to regularly engage with a number of incredible charities.
“This past Christmas, we were keen to give a little more and decided to focus our campaign on those organisations with whom we already work, so that the £5,000 donation became a valuable additional contribution to their funds.
“All of the organisations that we chose are important to Andrews, but 1625ip holds a particularly special place in our hearts as it was our first partner in the delivery of our [establish] programme that supports young, vulnerable, people with their housing needs. I don’t doubt that they’ll put this additional donation to great use.”
1625ip partnership director Jamie Gill added: “The relationship that we’ve built with Andrews in recent years is very important, but certainly isn’t something that we take for granted. To, therefore, receive additional financial support from the team there is fantastic and will help us to continue our important work here in Bristol and across the wider region.”
The two other charities involved in the ‘Jolly Good Christmas’ campaign were CAYSH, which has a similar mission to 1625ip focused on South London, and Carers Worldwide, which provides support to carers in low and middle-income countries around the world.
Cecil Jackson Cole, who set up Andrews in 1946, structured it to share a minimum of 35% of its profits each year with two charitable trusts that, ultimately, own it.
Since 1985, the business – best known for its chain of nearly 60 Andrews Estate Agent branches across the South of England – has paid out over £10m to the Andrews Charitable Trust (ACT) and Speaking Volumes, which publishes Christian books.
Pictured, from left: 1625ip partnerships director Jamie Gill, CEO, Andrews Property Group CEO David Westgate, 1625ip youth board member Thomas, and Sarah Hickie, 1625ip young ambition project worker
