ALTHOUGH the public apparently love programmes about buying and selling property, estate agents have long suffered a rather dubious reputation.
Which is why an estate agent in Dundee says she has teamed up with Maggie's Cancer Care Centre to try to restore some faith in her profession.
Frances Benison, an associate agent with Remax Professional, has pledged to donate £25 to the Dundee ce
ntre for every property she sells. The donation matches the amount the centres estimate to be the cost of each individual visit to the centre.
Valerie Busher, the regional fundraiser for Maggie's Dundee, says it is the first time she's heard of an estate agent allying their work so closely with a charity.
"We have had several solicitors who have offered to draw up a will for somebody provided they include a donation to Maggie's in that will. But this is the first time we have had somebody do this kind of thing. I think it's brilliant."
Maggie's centres have agreed Benison can use the centre logo on her business cards along with the pledge: "For each property I sell I will donate £25 to Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre, Dundee."
Busher says: "It's a lovely idea and it will beneficial to us at the centre. We run entirely on charitable donations. We offer a range of services including psychological support, relaxation, nutrition advice, art therapy and a library. There is no charge to people who use the centre but on average a visit to the centre costs us around £25 per person.
"We have around 250 people a week coming to the Dundee Centre. We get no government or NHS funding and the centre costs about £250,000 a year."
Like many who become involved with Maggie's centres, Benison's inspiration came from a personal experience.
"Last year my mother went through cancer. She recovered, but it made me very much aware of what she went through."
Her first contact with the Maggie's Centre came when she went to take pictures of the building, designed by Frank Gehry, as part of a project for a photography course: "I decided to have a look inside and I was really impressed. It's a wonderful building but there was also a great feeling inside, it was so relaxed and calm."
When Benison started work with Remax Professional she decided to make a commitment to helping Maggie's: "I am aware estate agents can sometimes have a bit of a reputation, but I wanted to do something that showed my personality. I've done a lot of work for charities in the past, some of it paid some of it unpaid. I've enjoyed doing that kind of thing.
"As I build my business I want to feel like I'm putting something back. This is just a start, as my business grows I would like my involvement with Maggie's to grow as well. I'm really excited about it. It just feels right."
As well as adding to Maggie's coffers with every property sold, Benison hopes having the Maggie's logo on her business cards will help spread the word about the work being done and encourage those who need it to seek help there.
"A lot of people don't realise how much support they can get so I will be talking to people about it when they ask what it's about."
Busher says she believes the arrangement will be mutually beneficial and hopes it will be an inspiration to others: "It's just great when somebody like Frances takes the initiative to do something like this. I would like to thank her for taking the step. And I'd like to think her idea would encourage other estate agents to do this in other areas."
