Trade body’s community donations support Newman Holiday Trust
LONDON, Thursday 7th December 2023: The NACFB has exceeded its £50,000 charity fundraising target in aid of the Newman Holiday Trust. An entirely volunteer-led, donation-funded charity, the Trust arranges holidays for children with specials needs.
Thanks to the generosity of the Association’s Members, Patrons, Partners and head office team, the charity will continue to deliver holidays across the UK. The final amount raised by the NACFB is still being tallied, as donations from various sources continue to come in.
The target was neared last Thursday 30th November at the NACFB Commercial Lender Awards where guests participated in a game of Heads & Tails for the chance to win an iPad Pro, kindly provided by NACFB Partner, VAS Valuation Group. Further funds were raised from bidders in both the silent and live auction, hosted by celebrity auctioneer, Jonny Gould, whose deftness encouraged guests to bid for a range of tantalising lots including tickets to a Tottenham Hotspur match – kindly donated by Ultimate Finance’s CEO, Josh Levy.
Commenting on the funds raised throughout the partnership, Dr Anand Chitnis MBE, chair of the Newman Holiday Trust’s board, said: “Very generously, the NACFB has partnered with us for two consecutive years, raising both the profile and the reach of the Trust.”
“We rely completely on donations; and receive no government support, so when you consider that each group holiday costs in the region of £15,000 to £30,000, the sum raised by the NACFB has an extremely positive impact. We are very grateful to the NACFB for their ongoing support” Anand added.
Established in 1981, the Trust provides holidays for more than 120 children with disabilities and special needs aged 4-18 each year, in various locations across the UK. Its success is owed not just to the donations it receives but also to the 200+ people who dedicate their free time to helping these children.
Other fundraising highlights from the partnership include:
- £1,000+ raised by NACFB communications manager, Laura Mills who ran the London Marathon despite an injury sustained during training, in 4 hours and 51 minutes and 38 seconds.
- £3,000 was raised from donations made by NACFB Members at the Commercial Broker Awards held at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester in September 2023.
- £5,000 was donated at Christmas 2022 by NACFB Member firm, Arc & Co. CEO, Andrew Robinson, said: “This is just a small gesture to help a very worthy cause.”
Kieran Jones, the NACFB’s head of communications and policy, and a former volunteer for the Newman Holiday Trust, remarked: “From personal experience, I can attest to the profound impact these holidays have. They are not only an annual highlight for the young people involved but they also offer precious respite from care for their parents. Moreover, for former volunteers like me, the experience is deeply fulfilling.
“The NACFB community should take real pride in this contribution, knowing it will significantly and positively affect the lives of so many young people,” Kieran added.
Fundraising for the Newman Holiday Trust remains open until the end of the year. Anyone wishing to donate can do so on the NACFB JustGiving page.
