This year’s Yorkshire Property Charity Lunch has raised £65,500 for good causes, making it the most successful event in its 22-year history.

More than 600 members of Yorkshire’s property community attended the annual lunch at the First Direct Bank Arena in Leeds, following football and netball matches in which property agents faced teams of property professionals.

The football match was held at the John Charles Centre for Sport, while the netball teams went head-to-head at Gryphon Sports Centre, with the property agents triumphing in both events.

In a new addition this year, Run The Park saw more than 60 runners take part in a relay race around Aire Park in Leeds, with a four-person team from CBRE winning the inaugural contest.

All money raised during the day will benefit Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust, which organises the event, and Maggie’s, which provides free expert care and emotional, practical and psychological support to people living with cancer.

This year’s guest speaker at the lunch was television and radio sports presenter Mark Chapman, who spoke openly about the support Maggie’s provided to him and his family during his wife Sara’s battle with cancer. Sara died aged 44 in 2020.

Afterwards, ‘Chappers’ took part in an entertaining and in-depth question-and-answer session hosted by event compere David Parkin, answering questions from members of the audience on a wide range of topics.

An auction raised more than £15,500 with prizes including a behind-the-scenes Match of the Day experience for four people, a private dining experience for 16 people at San Carlo Flying Pizza, a box for a choice of events at the First Direct Bank Arena and a trip to Las Vegas. A raffle and not-so-silent auction also contributed to the fundraising total.

Craig Burrow from Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust, said: “This was the 22nd Yorkshire Property Charity Lunch and it proved to be as popular as ever, with support coming from companies and individuals from right across the region’s property industry.

“To raise such a significant amount of money is fantastic for everyone involved and we’ll make sure that every penny makes a genuine difference to people who need it.

“The football grudge match has become a key event in the property industry’s annual calendar and the netball, which we introduced for the first time last year, has also been a big hit. Run The Park was very well supported too and we can’t wait to build on it next year.

“Chappers was also a superb speaker and it’s easy to see why he’s a regular feature of BBC and Sky Sports coverage. He brought tears to everyone’s eyes when he described what his family had been through and how Maggie’s had made such a difference, before sharing a host of hilarious stories about the likes of Roy Keane, Gabby Logan and Wayne Rooney.”

The audience also had chance to speak to members of the team from Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes and see the charity’s new motorbike which was paid for by Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust. Whiteknights moves blood, plasma, tissue samples, documentation and other vital supplies between hospitals, hospices and supply centres at night and during weekends.

Sponsors of this year’s Yorkshire Property Charity Lunch included Towngate, Chameleon Business Interiors, Blacks, Walker Morris, Wainwrights, Xenon, Glenbrook, Citipark, Firecrest Construction, First Direct Bank Arena and Sterling Event Group.

Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust was established in 2015 by members of the property sector in Leeds. Today, the trust supports a wide range of charities across Yorkshire and encourages members of the property community to nominate charities, as well as supporting specific projects and the purchase of equipment. It has also match-funded members of the property community in their fundraising efforts.

Maggie’s is 100% funded by the generosity of individuals, local businesses and corporate partnerships, which all ensure its support remains free. Maggie’s also provides free Cancer in the Workplace sessions and volunteering opportunities for companies. Anyone wanting to find out more can contact Fundraising Manager, Sadie Munro at sadie.munro@maggies.org.

Anyone wanting more information about Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust should email gilly@yorkshirepropertycharity.com or DM via the Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust’s LinkedIn page. To find out how to apply for funding visit https://www.yorkshirepropertycharity.com/