Construction professionals raise significant sum to help house young homeless

Construction professionals raise significant sum to help house young homeless

Close to 1,000 construction professionals attended the annual Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Greater Manchester Quantity Surveying (QS) & Construction Dinner where £11,500 was raised to help house the city’s young homeless.

The popular dinner - held at The Point, Emirates Old Trafford - is the RICS’s largest event in the world and every year it attracts professionals from all over the UK – not just the North West – who together celebrate their achievements and raise funds for a chosen charitable organisation. This year, the funds raised - through a charitable auction and donations on the night - will go to property industry charity, LandAid, as part of a campaign, known as Pledge150.

RICS launched the Pledge150 campaign as part of its 150th anniversary this year, and it aims to unite those working in the region’s property sectors in raising £2.25 million by December 2018 for LandAid. This money will be used to fund the creation of at least 150 bed spaces for young people at risk of homelessness.

The RICS Dinner – sponsored by PP.O’Connor - was hosted by the RICS Greater Manchester QS & Construction Professional Group – a support network for local industry professionals which delivers low-cost seminars and networking activities.

Chairman of the group, Rob Higginson of Laing O’Rourke in Manchester commented: “Manchester has a rising homeless epidemic, and the wider property industry needs to work together better to help alleviate this problem. Pledge150 aims to do just that, and I am delighted that we raised such a significant sum, which will go towards this campaign and putting a roof over some of the city’s most vulnerable young people. I’d like to thank all our guests, and our headline sponsor, PP.O’Connor for making the evening such a success.”

Paul Morrish, CEO LandAid adds: “There are thousands of young people living in overcrowded accommodation or sofa surfing in Manchester, but no one counts them, or keeps records of how many people are suffering. We aim to get as many young people without a safe place to call home, in to secure, affordable accommodation, therefore we are delighted to be teaming up with RICS in what is our biggest ever fundraising campaign to end youth homelessness.”

RICS plans to raise funds for the Pledge150 campaign at a variety of corporate events and challenges in Manchester and through staff and partner university initiatives in the North West. Individuals as well as companies can get involved with fundraising, or even make Pledge150 their ‘giving something back’ initiative. As part of this campaign, property professionals are also being encouraged to consider providing pro bono property advice to help local charities supporting disadvantaged people, including those experiencing homelessness.”

For more information on the RICS Pledge150 campaign visit: www.rics.org/150 or follow the initiative on twitter using the hashtag #Pledge150