Homewise pledge to walk and run over 600 kilometres to raise money for local charity
Homewise is pleased to announce the launch of this year’s fundraising challenge – The Big Blind Run 2018 – in order to raise money for Time to Talk Befriending.
The challenge is broken up into two parts. Firstly, on November 4th half of the Homewise staff will be running 10K in pairs, with one of them being blindfolded throughout.
Along with this, all the Homewise employees will be pulling on their hiking boots and heading out on a sponsored 10K coastal walk from their offices in Worthing two days earlier on November 2nd.
In these two events the Homewise staff are going to cover the distance from Brighton to Belfast!
Their aim is to raise at least £10,000 for Time to Talk Befriending, who will use this money to hire a new permanent staff member, ensuring their befriending services are not limited to Brighton and Hove, but will run in the Worthing community as well.
You can donate to Homewise’s fundraising effort for Time to Talk Befriending though their Just Giving page.
Homewise has taken on this challenge after being inspired by Bill, a visually-impaired veteran. Staff members from Homewise visit Bill fortnightly as part of their volunteering work with Time to Talk Befriending. Bill sometimes feels lonely in his care home and is struggling with losing his sight, so Homewise is passionate about raising money to help Time to Talk Befriending continue to help people like him.
Everyone at Homewise is getting involved in some way – even staff members who aren’t able to take part in the larger group challenge will be ‘submitting their steps’ in the run-up so they can help Bill and others like him.
Mark Neal, Managing Director at Homewise, said of the fundraising challenge:
Here at Homewise we’re committed to causes affecting the older community and, having spent time volunteering with Time to Talk Befriending myself, I can’t think of a greater way to support our community in Worthing.
The £10,000 we raise will help fund a new member of staff for the charity, meaning they can launch the befriending scheme here in Worthing on a permanent basis.
We value passion and empowerment at Homewise and our dedicated team are going to conquer this feat together for a wonderful cause.
I’m so proud of everyone and look forward to seeing us all unite to motivate and encourage each other on the day.
The blindfolded 10K event for the first part of the challenge is organised by the RSBC (The Royal Society for Blind Children), so Homewise’s admission fees for the event will go directly to supporting this charity as well.
Read more about the Big Blind Run and watch an interview with Emily Kenward, founder of Time to Talk Befriending.
About Homewise
Homewise want to revolutionise retirement in the UK. Their aim is to give everyone, no matter what their circumstances, the chance to retire happy. To have the security of a safe home, free from money worries and free to enjoy that garden for the dogs to run around in and those extra rooms for the grandchildren to stay in.
Homewise has been working in the over 60s property market for more than 40 years and has helped thousands of people move home using their Home for Life Plan. Put simply, they help people find, move and live happily in a house they couldn’t previously afford with no rent, repayments or interest for their lifetime.
About Time to Talk Befriending
Time to Talk Befriending is a small local charity rooted in the Sussex communities it serves. By relying on the support of volunteers and fundraisers, the charity offers a personalised model of intergenerational befriending, community outreach and seasonal campaigning, signposting and group befriending across the City of Brighton and Hove.
The charity works with vulnerable older people aged 65+ who experience chronic loneliness and social isolation, working collaboratively with individuals and organisations from different backgrounds, faiths and beliefs to tackle the serious issue of loneliness head on.
