Story of Christmas aims to break £1m mark

The Story of Christmas Appeal is gearing up for its 46th annual event this year, after raising more than £800,000 from its star-studded carol service and charity auction in 2022. Real estate professionals gathered last week at a cocktail reception sponsored by Bohill Partners and IPSX, held at McKinsey & Company’s gallery and terrace at The Post Building, WC1. The 45th Story of Christmas event, held last December at St George’s Hanover Square, W1, raised £820,000 through donations from the real estate sector. Additionally, the charity also launched a new initiative last year called The Ambassadors Programme, enabling young people from supporting companies to take part in fundraising. A 13-strong cohort took part, raising more than £80,000. Delegates heard speeches from The Story of Christmas deputy president Aled Jones (pictured above), Place2Be’s director of fundraising Jackie Segal, Tunde Olanrewaju, managing partner of McKinsey’s UK, Ireland and Israel offices, and The Story of Christmas chairman Ian Womack. Jones thanked guests for their support and encouraged the room to help boost this year’s total to the £1m mark. This year’s 16 nominated charities are: Beyond Autism; Centrepoint; City Harvest; Firebird for Schools; Kids Network; The Passage; Place2Be; Restore the Music; Single Homeless Project; St Christopher’s Fellowship; the 18 Keys Project at St Martin-in-the-Fields; Starlight; Transform Housing & Support; West London Mission KPH; Opora; and Baby Basics. This year’s Story of Christmas event will take place on 13 December. To send feedback, e-mail pui-guan.man@eg.co.uk or tweet @PuiGuanM or @EGPropertyNews Photos © Leon Foggitt