McCarthy Stone raises over £250,000 for Royal Voluntary Service
16 April 2018
The UK’s leading retirement housebuilder, McCarthy Stone, rounded off celebrations for its 40th anniversary by presenting Royal Voluntary Service with a cheque for more than a quarter of a million pounds.
In 2017, McCarthy Stone announced it would be celebrating 40 successful years since opening its first development by partnering with Royal Voluntary Service – one of the largest voluntary organisations in the UK and a charity which shares McCarthy Stone’s values of helping older people and their families to lead happier, longer and healthier lives.
Throughout its milestone year, McCarthy Stone employees and homeowners took part in a host of events and activities to raise funds for the older person’s charity. An initial target of £130,000 was triumphantly smashed, and a cheque for £269,000 was handed over to the charity’s ambassador, and much loved dancer and choreographer, Wayne Sleep OBE.
David Bridges, Group Sales and Marketing Director for McCarthy Stone, said: “When it came to commemorating 40 years of enriching lives, it seemed fitting for McCarthy Stone to show its support for Royal Voluntary Service. Through its network of committed volunteers, the charity makes a real difference to the lives of older people, helping them to stay active and independent for longer; and its fantastic work is therefore very closely aligned to our own aims and company ethos.
“We are extremely grateful to all those who got behind our fundraising efforts and helped us to more-than-double our fundraising target. The support we received was amazing – one golf day in particular raised a spectacular £40,000. Throughout the year, there were some quite phenomenal fundraising feats from our teams of dedicated employees. From running the Berlin Marathon and tackling the Three Peaks Challenge to a gruelling Dragon Boat Race and epic cycle rides, so many people pushed themselves to their limits to boost the funds raised for Royal Voluntary Service.”
McCarthy Stone also received a huge amount of support from homeowners and local communities, with people dropping-in to its developments up and down the country to take part in various activities including Vintage Tea Parties, craft workshops, and choir performances. Suppliers and contractors also backed the housebuilder’s fundraising efforts, with financial donations and their participation in events and activities.
David continued: “It has been a truly remarkable year in the history of McCarthy Stone, and we are very proud to be presenting Royal Voluntary Service with a cheque for such a considerable sum.”
McCarthy Stone kick started its 40th anniversary celebrations by pledging its support for Royal Voluntary Service’s GrandFest event – a national festival which celebrates talented older people and the diverse skills they can pass on through the generations.
During the spring months, McCarthy Stone developments then turned back time when they hosted Vintage Tea Parties; and, in the final months of the year, the retirement housebuilder supported Royal Voluntary Service’s annual Sing Your Heart Out initiative and invited community choirs to visit their local developments. As a fitting finale, a 29-strong choir of retired homeowners, aged from 79 to 92, joined a choir of McCarthy Stone employees to perform at Grosvenor Chapel in London.
Catherine Johnstone, Chief Executive Officer for Royal Voluntary Service, said: “This is a phenomenal fundraising achievement. McCarthy Stone’s wonderful employees and homeowners have gone to great lengths and worked very hard this past year to raise £269,000 for us. We would like to say a sincere thank you to them all. The funds raised will make a real difference to thousands of lives, helping to support the services we deliver in hospital, at home and in the community.
“We have enjoyed a fantastic partnership with McCarthy Stone this past year and are very grateful to have been its charity of the year for the 40th anniversary. We possess many shared values and McCarthy Stone constantly strives to enrich the lives of the people it works with, just as our volunteers do. We look forward to continuing our work with McCarthy Stone as Royal Voluntary Service celebrates its own milestone – 80 years of inspiring and enabling people to give the gift of voluntary service to help others.
Royal Voluntary Service ambassador, Wayne Sleep OBE, added: “I’m a firm believer in staying active as you grow older - I certainly have no intention of stopping or slowing down - so I fully support Royal Voluntary Service’ focus on helping older people participate and get the best out of life. It is wonderful to see how McCarthy Stone shares this ethos, and the difference that can be made when everyone comes together for such a worthwhile and heartfelt cause."
