Band of Builders’ Christmas auction raises £20,000 for future projects

Band of Builders, a charitable organisation that helps tradespeople in their hour of need, has marked the end of 2018 by raising a stunning £20,000 at its charity auction.

The annual event is the culmination of 12 months of work by BoB, which helps members of the UK construction industry through practical projects and support.

This year has seen members from across the UK devote over 3,000 man hours to 6 Projects, including installing a specialist bathroom for 2 year-old Pippa Atkinson, who suffers from a rare skin disorder, and landscaping the garden of Jamie Thompson, a builder who suffers from Motor Neurone Disease, so he can spend time with his children.

Band of Builders operates solely on the generosity of its supporters and the annual Christmas auction is a key fundraiser for the organisation.

The 2018 auction was a glittering black tie event sponsored by Jewson, On The Tools, Metabo, Weber, Advent Tools and Expert Trades and was held at the Windmill Farm Hotel In Lincoln – home city of BoB’s founder Addam Smith.

Attendees included beneficiaries Jack Nottingham, who BoB organised to walk the match ball onto the pitch at Wembley during the Checkatrade Cup Final, and Pippa Atkinson’s mum Rhiannon – who both gave speeches about the life-changing support they had received from Band of Builders.

The grand finale was an epic charity auction involving 42 lots donated by individuals and companies from across the UK.

A total of £20,000 was raised, which will fund a project in 2019 to help a tradesman or woman in need.

The evening also saw the introduction of the Keith Ellick Special Recognition Award for someone who has gone above and beyond to help BoB, and this year went to Louise Stevenson for all her work behind the scenes to help Band of Builders.

Addam Smith, founder of BoB, said: “It’s hard to believe how a group of builders who met up to do a good deed for my mate Keith has grown into the organisation it is. To be back in the place we all met up before that project for our own charity ball was both amazing and humbling.

“The generosity of people throughout this journey has blown us away, and the Christmas Auction was no different – £20,000 is a huge amount of money and really will allow us to do a whole extra project in 2019 to help someone who needs us.

“We want to thank everyone who donated lots for the auction, who put their hands in their pockets to bid, to our beneficiaries who came on the night and shared their stories with everyone and to all our supporters who support us continuously. Band of Builder is nothing without the people who back it, and it’s those people who make it what it is. We’re looking forward to what 2019 holds for us.”