Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign let's Talk Lets, an original podcast from the Lettings Hub. Hello and welcome to the latest episode of our podcast, let's Talk Lets. I'm Heidi Shackle, the CEO of the Lettings Hub, the tenant referencing business that got good at tech. Let's Talk let's is our regular roundup of news and views on a whole range of subjects specific spanning the private rented sector. In this session I'm thrilled to be joined by Yvonne Martin who is a fundraiser for Agent Giving and I think it's fair to say has had a huge impact on the charity since she joined. For those that don't know, Agents Giving is the official charity of the UK property industry and not only fundraises in its own right, but it also helps agents up and down the country with their own fundraising efforts with grants and practical fundraising support. A big welcome to you, Yvonne. Please introduce yourself to our listeners and tell us a little bit more about how you got involved in the first place with Agent Giving and anything else about the organization.
[00:01:10] Speaker B: Thank you and thank you for welcoming me onto your show. I really appreciate it and it's a good, it's great to be able to speak about Agents Giving which, you know, the agents, the property industry charity. So yeah, really pleased. Thank you.
I got into agentsgiving, I was actually working for another charity at the time and a friend of mine approached me and said there was a position coming available in agentsgiving. Somebody was going on, somebody was leaving anyway, so I thought, yeah, why not? I've got time to do something else. Apparently it was a part time role and anyway I had an interview with Peter Knight who was chairman at that time and then he announced at their summer ball that I was actually joining them, which was great because he invited me as well. So I was really pleased and I have actually been astounded how much I've actually enjoyed being and working with Agentsgiving.
[00:02:08] Speaker A: Wow. So how long ago was that then, Yvonne? How long have you been with the charity?
[00:02:13] Speaker B: It was back in 2015. Yes, 2015. It was at their ball that they this summer ball that they announced I was working there. So that was great. I'd only just had the interview, so I was thrilled.
[00:02:27] Speaker A: So you celebrate 10 years this year then?
[00:02:30] Speaker B: Yeah, I think I do actually, yeah. 10 years, yeah. My colleague Vicky, who's absolutely amazing, she's been hit there right from like the fruition to the, to the start conception of the charity. Yeah.
[00:02:43] Speaker A: Oh wow. Okay. So I'm sure there's a lot that's obviously happened in that 10 years, but I know I, I mentioned in the introduction that the charity is a charity in its own right, but it also helps agents tell us a little bit about what your role would involve day to day, week to week, and what and where the. I suppose the charity spends most of its efforts and time.
[00:03:05] Speaker B: I think realistically what it is, if you look at it, say it's a good time to do an overvalue of it because basically this is the start of 2025. So for, from November, December, we're thinking about 2025, how we can be bigger and better from 2024. And we had a fantastic year, 2024. So it's all been about planning events. And you're right in your summary that basically, you know, the charity is all fun events. You know, we hardly do anything any serious. It is all fun because basically it's, it's about getting agents and suppliers involved, jump on board with us and collaborate with us and take part in all our events. And it's team bonding.
They're such great fun and it works so well. And basically you're raising funds, you're working as a team, as a cohort, all together and to get your end goal to work for the charity that we're.
For instance, if we were doing a dragon boat race, we will be this year doing it for magic moments, Children's hospice. So of course, you know, people buy into that because obviously you really, you're having great fun, you can bring your friends and family and at the same time you're raising vital funds for a brilliant children's charity.
So lots of planning goes into different events. We try to basically work out every couple of months that there is an event that people can, you know, combine to and network and be able to put their self forward, their team, their community engagement, which, you know, enhances everything.
[00:04:52] Speaker A: So if we then look back to 2024, because like you said, it always feels like a new start, doesn't it? Even though we just kind of roll on. But if we look back to 2024, what were your highlights?
What were the most successful events that you held? Both, I suppose, from the money raised or lessons learned or ideas for the future.
[00:05:15] Speaker B: Obviously we have a very substantial board of fantastic trustees and board members and our chairman as well, David Nunes. So these are basically scheduled on our quarterly meetings on how the progress and we run through really strategically of each event, each campaign and each event so everyone buys into it. And then obviously this is set out for our agenda for the year. And obviously then it's networking between Our trustees. Sorry, our board members, they are trustees. And to see that, you know, through their network, how they can support as well. So that's how it's scheduled out, through a calendar. They all stand out, do you know what I mean? Because everyone is meticulously worked out from our golf days to our Dragon Boat Race to our summer balls, you know, everything is worked out to get the maximum support from.
We work it out also through regions as well, you know, so that basically our golf days are. We have one in the south and we have one in, like the Midlands going towards North. We do need to do one further, but unfortunately we haven't set that. But I'm sure it's going to happen. We're doing more events now than we've ever done before. They've all been very successful and we're just very pleased and we want to build on that. Every year we have a budget. We have a budget, obviously, for every event that we have a budget forecast and we want to keep into that budget. And then obviously on our minds of how we feel that, how much each event can raise. But then obviously with these events that's raised, then obviously we work out the funds that are going to go to the charity that we're going to support. We have our grant fund and obviously we look at it, but some of the funds go to a charity that we choose for some of the events and the other funds go towards the grant fund, which goes to many, many charities throughout the year for anyone to apply. So, yeah, it's meticulously worked out, as I said, from events from 2024, you know, from the debriefs and things that we could do better, that we put forward to 2025.
[00:07:44] Speaker A: So 2025, I know you've already got some dates secured, which I think you've got a golf day on the 30th of April, the dragon boat race on the 18th of May and the summer board on the 11th of July. Are they kind of chosen again? Because they're the most popular events and they've worked well in the past to raise money.
[00:08:05] Speaker B: I think the golf days. We've got three golf days this year. The golf days have been so successful, so successful. We only had, originally, for the last few years, while I'd been there, only had one, and that was at Morley Hayes, which is in Derby. But obviously a lot of the supporters wanted to know why we couldn't have one in the south. And of course we capitalized on that. And then obviously Donington Valley, which agents giving, had had golf days there previously, many years. So yeah, both of those are very, very popular.
Last year we collaborated with a guild of property professionals and we put on a golf day in the belfry which was very, very successful. And this was in aid of the Sanjay cup and Phil Spencer came along, presented the awards. It was headline sponsor was the Esters very successful and obviously we're going to build capitalize on that and again that's booked in this year for the 9th of September.
[00:09:08] Speaker A: So if you're an agency out there that hasn't got involved before, I guess there may be. I'm just trying to think of like why, why somebody might, you know, worry, let's use that word of like trying to get involved. So I guess they feel that they, it's already a very established group of people and therefore they might feel uncomfortable kind of joining and not knowing anybody or you know, something like that. And I guess the second part is, is they might not have a lot of money that they can contribute or think that they could raise and that that might put them off. I guess there are two myths that you might come across.
[00:09:44] Speaker B: Yeah, well we have ample opportunity. We don't expect agents realistically to spend those funds for a golf day which can be quite high. We have many, many opportunity. I mean a lot of the suppliers that come to the golf days will ask the local agents to come along as well and that basically is fantastic for us. And I think we have a supporters scheme. We have a supporters scheme and we try to network all through the digitals eat property industry. I negotiate a property reporter that basically we try to get out towards the digitals every now and then about our supporters scheme maybe once a quarter and this offers any agent, any supplier who's not actually doing any CSR work, corporate social responsibility between, you know, within their community and for 99 pound you can become a supporter. Now these, that 99 pound goes to our grant fund which supports about 60 to 80 charities. Every year you go on our website, you have a page, it's getting all also link through to your office as well.
So it's showing the industry that you know, anyone can sign up for £99 a year. You can be part of our team that's supporting everything and obviously you'll get our weekly newsletter which will actually involve you and ask you to join some of the events. You know, just literally open up your office, open up your office on agents giving day which is the 19th of June this year and ask your community to bring some donations of food and you Take it to your local food bank, you know, and you always find that the agents and suppliers that do so much CSR work within their community are the ones that are the ones that always end up with the awards because they have such a great relationship.
[00:11:59] Speaker A: Yeah, well, I guess it's the culture of the business, isn't it? You know, whether you're a supplier or an agent, it's about giving something back. And how do you choose then the charities that you support and kind of proportion the funds? And do agents get the chance to maybe suggest some of their local charities or how does that process work?
[00:12:20] Speaker B: Well, there's several ways through our grant fund and anyone can apply within the industry through our grant fund. It's your chosen charity. So, you know, somebody will apply and say, I'm doing the marathon this year for Magic Moments. So therefore, we will support them. We'll write their story, put it on there on our website, and we'll post it out on our social media and we'll give you a grant towards your all depends how much you're fundraising. It's capped at a certain figure and those funds then go to your chosen charity. So in that respect, agents do get to choose their own charity. And let's face it, we're fundraising to be able to give you those funds to go to your charity. Certain events say, for instance, we're doing the Dragon Boat Race that has been decided to do.
Those funds will go to Magic Moments Children's Hospice.
That was a decision by the board, I think my colleague Vicki and I had some discussions and we thought that's, you know, that's charity. We hadn't supported a children's charity through an event before, and that's the road that we wanted to go down to. But also, Tom Charlesworth from Spicer Heart, they're giving us a lot of support this year, we with the Dragon Boat Race, because they've really, really networked within Spicer Heart to have quite a few boats at our Dragon Boat Race. And that is their charity. And that was also came into the decision that, you know, because they do such brilliant work taking children to Disneyland and. Yeah.
[00:14:09] Speaker A: So if you're an agent, kind of obviously the 99 pounds seems it's totally accessible for anybody, no matter what size of agency or anything else.
And then I suppose they can join and be an active member or can join and support locally and they can get involved in the. The more national events or. It's kind of something for everybody, I suppose, is what you're saying.
[00:14:35] Speaker B: It is absolutely something for everybody. I mean, we have regional ambassadors and they are, you know, dotted on the map around the uk. So obviously we try to incorporate that everyone can get involved. At the moment, we're doing Frosty Footsteps for Crisis where we're asking people just to literally go out, walk, run to bike, just 100,000 steps, which you can equate into 10km on a bike ride, anything. Get involved. And these funds will go to Crisis Homeless charity. And it's all about. Every step you take is to support and help stop Crisis, help stop homelessness. So, yeah, this is. That event is just going through. It's more a campaign than an event. And so that is the campaign that's running through January and through to the end of February. And it's spearheaded by Susannah Mavarty and Debbie Davis, that's Susanna Mavarty of acaboom and Debbie Davies of tds, both trustees on agentsgiving board.
[00:15:48] Speaker A: Okay. And my understanding as well is as much as you help lots of charities, you also do give back to the industry in the form of, you know, mental health support to the. To the agents network. But also if there is a property professional in.
[00:16:06] Speaker B: Oh, no, I'm gonna stop you there. We don't do that. That is agents together. Yeah, that is together.
[00:16:12] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:16:12] Speaker B: Yeah, that is nothing. We don't. We will support.
We will support any. Any agent or supplier who's fundraising for mental health, like mind.
And last year we did our cycle challenge for. For Mind.
But we do not offer any support within the, you know, to any agents or anyone within the industry. Yeah, I think that's more on the mentoring side. Yeah.
[00:16:42] Speaker A: Okay, fine. So let's kind of move on. So obviously the UK has gone through a few difficult years mainly around the cost of living crisis, and I'm sure that had an impact on you.
What would you. How did it impact you? And what would you say to agents about considering keeping up with the generosity and supporting the charity in the years ahead?
[00:17:07] Speaker B: I think for me, the key thing is, yes, you need to support your community. You need to support your community by several things that are not going to impact you with any costs. As I said, you know, the food bank appeal for the Trussell food Banks, you know, this is such a great. It's a great initiative and it's something that we do all year.
We encourage agents to basically support their local food bank. Yes. We do have Agents giving day where we try to get the industry to probably for a few days collect food and toiletries and then obviously take to their local food bank. But Then you have the winter coat campaign again. So it's aware. Again, we ask agents to bring in any warm, clean coats, get in contact with their homeless shelter, and then donate these as well as toiletries. So these are things. And we're very mindful that this last couple of years have been. The cost of living has risen and it is literally eat or heat. You know, we do know that. So obviously a lot of our campaigns have been. Our events and campaigns have been for the Trussell, so that we can. Our cycle challenge that we have just done last October was for the Trussell, obviously. And we asked the industry just to get out on your bike and cycle through October and fundraise for your local food bank. And obviously our Christmas stocking campaign, again, the same, because we knew that there would be a lot of homes, you would be without presents this year, and lots of children would go without. So again, we saw a lot of camaraderie come together, you know, and literally, I hate to say how many, you know, boxes of chocolates, cakes, puddings, pies, all went to their.
To their local food bank. So. Yeah, so I think you're finding with the statistics from the Trussell and all food banks, not just the Trussell, the statistics are overwhelming every year.
[00:19:26] Speaker A: And I think, as you describe that inirminath gives agents a calendar of events in the year for their staff to get involved in, for them to involve, obviously, their clients potentially. But actually, like, there is social benefit in. In getting involved in some of that. And it must feel so rewarding to. You know.
I'll say that again, and I know it's particularly rewarding when we do things for charity in our business and that, you know, all of the staff kind of come together. You mentioned camaraderie, but I think that's the really key thing. So it must create and strengthen that culture within an agency for people to get involved.
[00:20:04] Speaker B: Oh, it does, I think. You'll find. You know, I've been an agent myself many years ago. I used to be the manager of Lawlers in Loudoun, which I absolutely loved. And. But whenever we did. And sometimes your days are very tense. You know, you're working on leads, you're working on, you know, everything, viewings, everything. You know, it can be so intense. But then as soon as something, you know, we used to. Yeah. Do some campaigns and. And then everything, everyone's, you know, it goes. It's respite, you know, it's another thing you're talking, you know, you're called, you know, you're just getting Ideas to get together and to fundraise. It's team bonding. It's completely different, you know, and it's. It brings you all together and you're all. You all got the same mindset, you know, you just want to play it forward and give back.
[00:21:01] Speaker A: And I suppose there's the added business benefits that come with meeting other people in sector networking, you know, I guess meeting new employees even at some times. Do you kind of see that happening across the charity as well all the time?
[00:21:19] Speaker B: Absolutely. I mean, when we have these big events, you know, at the. Even the Summer Ball, which is the Fundraising Champion of the Year Awards, and you have all these different agencies and suppliers and it's great the networking that goes on, it's fantastic. And obviously we support events that are going on. So if we go to do it, you know, if I go to do it for Dom, it's great to see all the different agents come together, have a brilliant time and network and, you know, it's really, really. It's fascinating to see the excitement at the event. It really is, and it's so rewarding.
[00:22:00] Speaker A: Can you remember what has been your most successful event in the history of agents giving in terms of raising most amount of money for the. For the charities you support?
[00:22:12] Speaker B: I think, I think, to be quite honest, I think it would be our summer ball, because that's basically our main event of the year, because this is the Fundraising Champion of the Year Awards and we've done Agents Got Talent and that has been hysterical. It has been absolutely. I've loved it. I've loved. It's. It's hard, you know, getting agents from all over the country coming along to have a. Their dance lesson, because obviously they need to learn their routine and it's all ready for that evening. And it is tense. It's tense. I'm not tense, but they're tense. It's tense. And I used to go along to pack practically all of their dance sessions and they'd have all have them at different times, but I tried to sort of get along to see most of them all the time. And from when they used to walk on the floor, you know, for their first day to when they actually went on that floor. But they raised a lot of money. They raised a lot of money and obviously the room was electric. Do you know what I mean? So, yes, I think the Summer Ball Fundraising Champion of the Year Awards has. You know, the ones that we've done have been fantastic, as we did. Also Agents Got Talent as well. You know, we used to swap it around so that, you know, one or the other.
So obviously not to get style. Something fresh. But no, they are. They are the biggest fundraisers for us. Yeah.
[00:23:42] Speaker A: And I think we're a fantastic industry, aren't we, when it comes to supporting other people within our sector and, you know, willing them to do well. So I imagine the enthusiasm in the room on those days was fairly electric.
[00:23:56] Speaker B: It was electric because obviously my colleague Vicki and I, we have to approach people and say, do you fancy dancing this year? Yeah, you know, some run. Run for the hills. And you'll be surprised the ones that go, yep, I'm up for that. Which is brilliant.
[00:24:12] Speaker A: Yeah, amazing.
[00:24:14] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:15] Speaker A: Okay. So thank you so much for telling us all about the charity and all of the great work that you do. Our listeners will know that before we end every podcast, we always ask our guests if they have a funny story or anecdote that they have to share.
Do you have one for us to do?
[00:24:37] Speaker B: I. I thought about that and Heidi, and I'm thinking the one thing that I've never laughed anymore in the charity is seeing Ben Madden wear a pair of black mesh tights and a mini leather black skirt. And, yeah, that to me, was my funniest. And seeing Simon. Wow. And Christian Byfield dressed up as the Spice Boys, I think that was. And now they strutted out onto that floor. I think that all in, you know, aid of charity. I just think that was a special moment.
[00:25:16] Speaker A: I think that the massive supporters of charity, aren't they, all of them, actually. And as such, they've got very big profiles within the industry for doing good. So all credit to them. Yeah, I'm sure someone will be able to find that online somewhere.
[00:25:31] Speaker B: Oh, it's there. It's on our website.
It's on a video somewhere. Yeah, I'm sure Christian plays it every night. Yeah.
[00:25:38] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm sure he's very proud of it, I'm sure.
[00:25:42] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm sure they are.
[00:25:45] Speaker A: So thank you very much, Yvonne, for your time and for all of our listeners. To ensure you never miss an episode of let's Talk, let's please follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcast. Leave us a review and thank you all so much for listening.
Thank you.
[00:26:03] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:26:05] Speaker A: Brilliant.
[00:26:07] Speaker B: I hope I didn't like gabble too much.
[00:26:09] Speaker A: No, it was good. It flowed really nicely. And actually, there's some people that talk a lot more than you. So you gave lovely succinct answers, which allowed me to ask the next question. And I think, you know, we went like all over and covered everything that we needed to by the end, so that was perfect for me.
[00:26:26] Speaker B: Good.
[00:26:27] Speaker A: Danny oh, wow.
How embarrassing. Brilliant. Well, there's a lesson in there, I'm sure.
Julie, thank you so much for your time.
For all of our listeners. To ensure you never miss an episode of let's Talk, let's please follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcast, please leave us a review. Thank you so much for listening and all of your support in 2024 and wishing you, your team, your families, a very merry Christmas and a brilliant 2025. Let's talk let's an original podcast from the Lettings Hub.
