LandAid’s Steptober challenge saw 848 participants take more than 16m steps over the past two weeks, raising more than £105,000 for the charity.
Despite the increasing move back into lockdown across many parts of the country, steppers, albeit from afar, joined with their colleagues and got out into nature to raise funds for LandAid’s mission to end youth homelessness.
The real estate industry-wide challenge was powered by headline sponsor Logicor and sector sponsors EGi (tech sponsor), Grainger (investor/developers and fund managers sponsor), Hollis (consultants and agents sponsor), Michael Sparks Associates (architecture and planning sponsor) and OakNorth Bank (legal and finance sponsor).
The challenge culminated in a virtual prize-giving event last Friday, where the winners included Alter Domus Coast Busters, the team with the highest number of steps, and Chris Cooper from DTZ, who won the highest individual step count award, with 705,130 steps – an average of 47,000 steps a day.
Paul Morrish, chief executive of LandAid, said: “This year has been difficult for everyone, but LandAid has been so proud to see the industry pull behind it and be such a force for good.
“Whether through the LandAid Covid-19 Emergency Fund, which raised a staggering £1m in a matter of months, or by taking part in Steptober, the industry has stepped up for its charity.”
Lowe launches foundation
Lowe has launched the Lowe Foundation, a charity designed to support young keyworkers, entrepreneurs and artists hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The property guardianship company manages and transforms buildings into accommodation for clients including London Square, Legal & General, Pocket Living and the local authorities in London.
The Lowe Foundation will support 24 guardians each year through the LoweKey Ambassadors Programme. The chosen ambassadors will receive a licence fee reduction of up to 60%, with rooms in central London costing as little as £150 per month.
They will also have access to a dedicated support network and the opportunity to work directly with the Lowe senior team to promote their work and launch community projects.
The first 12 ambassadors include a doctor, a teacher, a carer, an actor and a writer who have led community projects during the pandemic, including the creation of a studio space for community artists and a virtual guardian book club.
The foundation is also supporting homeless charity Spires Streatham with a donation for every new Lowe guardian or property agreed.
The next round of LoweKey Ambassador applications opens in January. Click here for more information.
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