Kent Estate Agent Wards Names ellenor As Charity Of The Year

Wards chooses ellenor as Charity of the Year to support hospice care for local families.

Kent’s largest independent estate agent has chosen ellenor as its Charity of the Year, committing the strength of its 44 branches and county-wide customer network to support specialist hospice care for local families.

The year-long partnership reflects us growing work with corporate partners and is expected to raise vital funds and awareness for services delivered on the charity’s inpatient ward in Northfleet and across neighbouring communities including Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley and Bexley.

Wards will bring together its staff and customers through a programme of fundraising and volunteering initiatives, beginning this Easter with sponsorship of ellenor’s Easter trails and children’s party. Staff and customers will also be collecting chocolate eggs to share with children, wellbeing groups and families receiving care at home.

Jemma Kemp, ellenor’s Corporate Partnerships Manager, said: “Wards are so enthusiastic. The fact that they have 44 branches across Kent is brilliant for us in terms of awareness, and each branch is already planning its own fundraising throughout the year. It’s fantastic that they’re looking at ways to engage their customers too.”

Brendon Church, senior Chatham branch manager at Wards, said:

“We have always had a strong desire to give back, supporting a wide range of charities over the years. This year, we wanted to focus our efforts closer to home and make a meaningful impact within the communities we serve.

“We were drawn to ellenor because of the incredible work they do for people and their families. As a company dedicated to helping individuals move forward on life’s journey, often by finding their next home, supporting a charity that provides such vital care within the home felt especially fitting and deeply relevant to our mission.

“Above all, our aim is to champion the incredible work ellenor does by raising awareness, fundraising as much as we can, and having plenty of fun along the way.”

Wards was established over 100 years ago in Gillingham and has grown to become one of the most recognisable estate agency brands in the county, offering buying, selling, letting, and mortgage advice.

Brendon said: “Our vision is simple: to help people move forwards and ensure every customer enjoys a positively memorable experience.”

The partnership has already begun with Wards’ annual Charity Day on 26 February, when branches across Kent organised fundraising activities including bake sales, sponsored walks and raffles. The day raised £5,460 for ellenor.

The Wards senior management team will be taking on the Chiltern Challenge in September, and many of the staff will be getting involved in volunteering activities at ellenor too.

Marketing executive Gemma Duckworth added: “We’re planning for some of our team members to visit the hospice so they can gain an even deeper understanding of the incredible work ellenor does and how they support people and their families. Throughout the year, we also hope to have staff volunteering at the hospice, getting involved wherever they can to offer hands‑on support.”ellenor offers a range of essential services including an inpatient ward and community services – made up of Hospice @ Home and Care Home Support. The charity also provides wellbeing and therapeutic services, to meet people’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs.

For children and young adults, there is specialised hospice care within the community, including end of life care, clinical nursing and oncology support in patients’ own homes, as well as respite and wellbeing services.

Gemma said: “Supporting a local charity is incredibly important to us. Every day, we help people navigate one of life’s biggest and often most stressful decisions – moving home – and our teams genuinely care about making a positive difference.

“Partnering with ellenor allows us to channel that desire to help into something even bigger, spreading support and awareness throughout the communities we serve. With so many branches across Kent, we have a real opportunity to make a meaningful impact. We’re excited to see what we can achieve for ellenor this year, and how our customers can join us in supporting such a fantastic local charity.”

Area mortgage manager Chris Peers agreed. He said: “We pride ourselves on truly understanding our customers and the situations that bring them to us. Moving home can be incredibly stressful, and often it’s driven by need rather than choice. Our teams genuinely care about supporting people through those moments, and giving back to our local communities is a powerful way to show that commitment.

“Partnering with ellenor allows us to demonstrate our values in a meaningful, visible way. It helps build trust with our customers by showing that we don’t just work in these communities – we care about them. We hope that by championing ellenor’s work, more people will feel confident turning to us for the services and support we provide.

“We’re incredibly excited for the year ahead. Our teams are already promoting their events and raising money for ellenor, and the momentum is only going to grow as the year continues. We can’t wait to see what we achieve together.”