Social – 2 July 2016

WAEllis_TimDesForges_SimonGodson_DragonRide-iPad-cropDirectors slay Dragon

WA Ellis directors Simon Godson and Tim des Forges swapped their suits for Lycra and took on the Welsh Dragon in the Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales by le Tour de France. The duo cycled the 153km Medio Fondo route along the L’Etape Wales, raising more than £6,000 for MacMillan Cancer Care. To read their story or donate click here. 

 Coming up

Spence to tell tale of two cities

London & Cambridge properties regional manager Tony Spence is in training for a 300-mile bike ride in memory of his wife. The ride, from London to Paris, takes place on 20 July in aid of St Cuthbert’s Hospice, Durham, which provides services for people with life-limiting conditions. To donate click here.

Grainger rowers hit the channel

On 22 July six Grainger employees will take on the gruelling 23-mile stretch of the world’s busiest seaway. The team, The Fast and the Fury Oars, will row from Dover to the Abbeville Buoy, just off the French coast, in aid of The AHOY Centre. To make a donation click here.

Scrumming down at beach rugby games

BNP Paribas Real Estate’s rugby team will complete with 25 other teams at this year’s London Beach Rugby Corporate Cup. The five-a-side touch beach rugby tournament on 29 July in Finsbury Square will be played in support of London’s Air Ambulance. For more information click here.

 Cyclists get on track


Track cyclists from across the industry gathered at the Olympic Velodrome last week to release their inner Chris Hoy at the inaugural Estates Create Velodrome Challenge.

Teams from Savills, Colliers International, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, and an Estates Gazette-curated team battled it out in the Italian team pursuit.

The EG team was the fastest, completing the four-lap challenge in 1.14. Colliers International came in second with a time of 1.17 and JLL was third with 1.18.

Henry Yates, chief executive of event organiser Estate Create, said he was inspired to host the event after his first cycle on the boards at the velodrome.

“I was blown away by the exhilaration I felt riding around the track. The idea of having teams of surveyors racing on
the track where Chris Hoy won Olympic gold really caught my imagination,” he said.

“Everyone seemed to love it, so we will definitely make the Estates Create Velodrome Challenge an annual event.”

Stirling-Moss-composite-570px Super car pageant helps the kids

This year’s St John’s Wood super car pageant was hosted by British former Formula One driver Sir Stirling Moss.

Sponsored by Knight Frank, the event is on track to raise more than £20,000 for Rays of Sunshine, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of seriously ill children in the UK.

The car-fest featured such classics as a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB (pictured), an Aston Martin DB4 GT and a 1968 Jaguar Series 1 E-Type, among many others.

Money was raised through private donations, a silent paintings auction and a fun fair and Scalextric track amusements.

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A slice of the action

Retail and leisure specialists spent Brexit morning with their hands in the dough – pizza dough, that is – at the annual Davis Coffer Lyons Property Chef competition at Pizza Pilgrim in Covent Garden, WC2.

Under the adjudicating eyes of experts, including EG’s 2015 Rising Stars and Pizza Pilgrim founders Thom and James Elliot, the teams created their own pizzas, and mixed cocktails – a welcome challenge given the morning’s Brexit result. Colliers International was the overall winner, while Dean Gambles was best in class in the mixology round.

Firms competing included Dean Gambles, Shelley Sandzer, Levy, Colliers, Lewis Craig, CBA, Restaurant Property, Davis Coffer Lyons, Cedar Dean Gilmarc and AG&G. Estates Gazette was the media partner.

Savills-rowing1-570pxSavills’ rowing team ploughs the Thames

Savills’ leisure team took to the river at the L&G Real Assets’ Row the Thames race, raising £2,500 for watersports charity AHOY. Savills’ team – David Bell, Carlene Hughes, James Hurst, Natasha Sidoli, Jonothan Holmes and James Burke – finished the 8.5-mile race in 1hr 4min, competing against L&G, Pinsent Masons, Macfarlanes, Eversheds, Wells Fargo, JLL, Knight Frank and CBRE.

To donate, click here

Team-570pxLSH walking team hits the heights

Staff from Lambert Smith Hampton’s Leeds and Newcastle offices completed the Lake District 10 Peaks event in support of the Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia support and research charity.

The team of 24 completed the 15-mile, ten-peak challenge in just over nine hours, raising more than £3,000.

1-Nairac-Rogue-Riders-finish-line-Bridlington-570pxRiders go coastal

A team of 25 cyclists from NewRiver Retail negotiated a coast-to-coast route in honour of NewRiver Retail development director François Nairac, who died from pancreatic cancer in April.

The team, Nairac’s Rogue Riders, included members of François’ family as well as riders from NewRiver Retail, Jackson Criss, DWF, Corstorphine + Wright, Knight Frank, HSBC, Workman and Barclays. The cyclists completed the 170-mile Way of the Roses route from Morecambe to Bridlington over three days, raising money for Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund UK.

The challenge, which began and ended at NewRiver’s shopping centres Arndale and The Promenades respectively, has so far raised £16,000 of the £20,000 target.

Help the team to reach it by donating here.