Thought of the Week
Making a difference this Christmas with Alzheimer’s Society
December 19, 2024 4 Minute Read
Christmas is a joyful time for many, but for those going through a difficult time or have family and friends who are ill, Christmas can be an especially hard time of year. Charities are very much aware of this and support thousands of people across the UK over the Christmas period - whether that is supporting those facing additional financial burdens or vulnerable people seeking shelter and warm clothing in the colder weather.
Like many industries, the charitable sector has been under increased pressure this year. Weathering the recent economic impacts of world events, charities have been faced not only with rising costs but also increased reliance on their services. The Charity Aid Foundation reported this year that 81% of charities have seen the demand for their help increase which means more and more charities are undertaking initiatives to try and ensure they stay afloat.
At CBRE, we acknowledge we are in a position to make a difference. We have a long and successful history of partnering with charities, through a mix of corporate donations, staff fundraising, high-value events, pro-bono activity and skill sharing.
Every three years, we work with a new charity partner, as chosen by our employees. Having a charity partnership for three years means we can make a tangible and meaningful difference, and 100% of our fundraising goes directly to the cause. We are proud to have added almost £5m in value for the partners we have worked with.
In January this year, we launched our new partnership with Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia charity. Dementia is a cruel disease that strips away people’s memories, identity, and independence. Someone in the UK is diagnosed with dementia every three minutes, and by 2040 it is estimated there will be 1.6 million people living with dementia. Dementia is one of the biggest health and social care challenges of our time, impacting 59% of the UK population in some way. It is no wonder then that the charity resonated with so many people at CBRE and was chosen to be our new partner.
We have already run several successful fundraising initiatives, including employee-run bake sales, our Row50 challenge or the Forget me not Appeal. This year’s Row50 challenge was our biggest in 10 years, bringing together colleagues from 10 of our offices who took part, including a team on the roof of our Glasgow office. We managed to raise £55k, a feat that we’re very proud of. And June saw the return of our flagship charity event, the Great Property Bike Ride. This year, CBRE welcomed over 600 cyclists from across the property industry to Sandown Park racecourse in Surrey to tackle either 40km, 70km, or 122km in 30-degree heat! And we have just announced the Great Property Bike Ride will once again feature in our calendar next year.
To date, we have raised over £500,000 for Alzheimer’s Society, making it a record-breaking year for our fundraising and our relationship with the charity is fast growing. This December, we ran a “Sponsor a Bauble to Remember a Loved One” initiative, where CBRE employees were invited to sponsor a handcrafted wooden bauble with the name of someone dear to them, in return for a donation to Alzheimer’s Society. The reception area in our UK headquarters, Henrietta House, has been lit up with a Christmas tree full of baubles serving as a beautiful reminder of those we cherish and those impacted by Alzheimer’s.
Wishing our colleagues and clients an enjoyable festive break and look forward to connecting in 2025.
For more information, please contact Steve Timbs, Executive Sponsor of our partnership with Alzheimer's Society.
Thought of the Week
Contacts
Danielle Devine
Director, UK&I Project Management and Building Consultancy
