More than 530 members of Yorkshire’s property community came together this year to raise £53,620 for Candlelighters and The Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust at the 21st annual Yorkshire Property Charity Lunch. The event took place at the First Direct Bank Arena and included sporting matches, auctions, and a guest appearance from rugby legend Kevin Sinfield.
Ahead of the lunch, the annual football match was held at The John Charles Centre for Sport, with property agents defeating the professionals. A new netball match at The Edge, University of Leeds, saw the professionals claim victory, drawing a large crowd of spectators.
Sinfield captivated the audience with stories from his childhood, his professional rugby career, and his fundraising challenges for motor neurone disease charities, which have raised over £10m. He also paid tribute to his late teammate Rob Burrow and participated in a Q and A session with attendees.
An auction led by James Pank from Auction House raised £6,750, featuring prizes including a Las Vegas holiday for six, an eight-person sailing day, and tickets to First Direct Bank Arena events. Additional fundraising came from a raffle and silent auction.
Matthew Wright from The Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust said: “Kevin Sinfield inspired everyone to give generously. This money will make a genuine difference to children battling cancer in Yorkshire, their families, and other local causes.”
Candlelighters supports more than 150 children diagnosed with cancer in Yorkshire each year, offering emotional, practical, and financial support while investing in vital research. The Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust, established in 2015, funds charities across the region and encourages property sector members to nominate projects or provide equipment.
Sponsors for this year’s lunch included Towngate, Chameleon Business Interiors, Blacks, Walker Morris, Wainwrights, Xenon, Glenbrook, Citipark, Firecrest Construction, First Direct Bank Arena, and Sterling Event Group.
For more information about next year’s Yorkshire Property Charity Lunch or to apply for funding, visit Yorkshire Property Charity
