RMS in the Community

RMS cheers on Northern Sparkles

January 2012

Cheerleading squad & Hip Hop Group, Northern Sparkles based at Shandon Way Community Association, near Kenton Park,  recently took part, winning first place in both the Junior Hip Hop and Senior Hip Hop national Hip Hop competition in the world renowned venue, the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Northern Sparkles have a firm base behind them, Shandon Way Community Association was set up 12 years ago, a voluntary management committee of local people who plan and develop community based leisure activities for young local people with the object of improving their conditions in life. It provides a focal point in a socially deprived area of Newcastle. Northern Sparkles Cheerleading Squad and the community association will always need funding to help them to continue with their good work. Local estate agent, Rook Matthews Sayer were inspired by the squad, knowing they needed more funds to enter and travel to competitions. A raffle was held amongst the staff at RMS with prizes donated by local companies including PFS Flooring, Sachins Restaurant, As You Like It
 and ITPS donated match tickets for Newcastle United. RMS even auctioned an additional day off on holiday. Local financial services companies including Precise Mortgages, Abbey, Friends Life, NMS Financial, Regency Finance and First Complete all generously helped. Janet Walker, Director from Rook Matthews Sayer presented the cheque to the Northern Sparkles who said: “We were thrilled to help the team, I was very happy to hand over a cheque for £2,150, with an additional £250 afterwards”.

iCan Day at Rook Matthews Sayer

November 2010

 We are asking all Rook Matthews Sayer staff and members of the public to donate a can of food for iCan Day on Saturday 13^th November.

Rook Matthews Sayer, iCan Day is one of many – a day in which we can help people in the North East who are short of food. Everyone has a can of food in their cupboard which they won’t miss, but donating that can of food can help close the door on food poverty in the North East.

The cans can be donated at Rook Matthews Sayer, Home-Sale network members, branch offices on Saturday 13^th November, the cans will then be picked up by Fareshare, a food charity. Fareshare’s North East branch run a community food network and redistribute food to those in need. Fareshare support hundreds of people each week by running lunch clubs and make food available to families who for whatever reason don’t have enough to eat. Fareshare currently distribute food to 38 projects in the North East. If you would like to donate a can, visit your local Rook Matthews Sayers branch, during the week before or on Saturday 13^th November. For our branch addresses visit  www.rookmatthewssayer.co.uk. If you would like to organise an iCan Day in your community or organisation please visit www.icanfeed.org

RMS team join stampede fundraiser

October 2010

 Five members of Rook Matthews Sayer, Home-Sale Network members and several friends have entered the British Heart Foundation Newcastle Stampede which will take place at Gosforth Park on Sunday 21^st November. Set within stunning grounds and challenging terrain of Newcastle Racecourse, the course promises to be different from any adventure run the team have entered before. They will be running 10k across a natural rugged landscape and if that is not challenging enough, there are unique and varied obstacles which have been designed by the Royal Marines. The obstacles are designed to push the limits of abilities and fitness levels. The team from Rook Matthews will take on obstacles such as Pond Plunge, Subterranean Sewer and Cargo Net Valley, before making their way through Gosforth Grunge, climbing up the Gauntlet and over the Hay Bale Hair Raiser, before getting a dunking at the Sheep Dip!

 These five brave guys, Jason Roberts, George Smith, Phil Quigley, Phil Wragg and Michael Fox are raising money for the British Heart Foundation which funds pioneering research, vital prevention activity and ensuring quality care and support for everyone living with heart disease. If you would like to support these stampeders and make a donation to the British Heart Foundation go to justgiving.com/stampede.

Coastal agent's three day bike challenge

September 2010

A normal day in the life of Marie Cochrane, Valuation Manager from Rook Matthews Sayer Estate Agents in Whitley Bay, includes looking after her family and running around valuing homes for sale and to let. Taking three days out of her busy life to complete a bike challenge was a complete culture shock, but the decision to do it is one she doesn’t regret. “My nephew had mentioned that his sister Jasmine, needed a new wheelchair. Jasmine was born with Cerebral Palsy and she currently had been managing with a manual chair, but as she is approaching her 17th birthday she was desperate for more independence and an electric wheelchair. I made the decision that I would cycle the ‘Coast to Coast’ route and help raise the money for an electric wheelchair for Jasmine. The C2C, as it is more commonly known, is 140 miles from Whitehaven to Tynemouth. I was determined to complete the course but also very aware of my limitations, as I was no seasoned cyclist. We set off on Friday 24th September, all was well until we hit the first inclines, the weather didn’t help, very warm and very windy. For the following two days I experienced physical pain, tears and disbelief, could I make it?”

 Marie Cochrane did make it, exhausted and exhilarated, she was met by friends, family and her niece Jasmine. “I can only encourage others to get a bike and start cycling, completing the challenge and fundraising only makes it better. If you would like to donate, please email marie.cochrane@rookmatthewssayer.co.uk

Pain? What pain

September 2010

If you have a back problem, the last thing a normal person would want to do is take part in a Triathlon. However Jason Roberts, Manager from Rook Matthews Sayer, members of the Home Sale Network, is not your normal type of guy. “I had a back operation in 2004 to alleviate pains from a prolapsed disc, but the pains and problems have come back again to the point where I have had some serious flare ups in the last few months”.  An MRI scan in early 2009 showed Jason had suffered a further disc pro-lapse and a consultant surgeon recommended that he have surgery. He made the decision not to go ahead with the operation but to seek advice from Back Care, a nationwide charity, who offer advice to sufferers and promote self help. He decided to raise his fitness levels and increase the muscle strength in his back, his fitness has increased to such a level he now regularly runs and swims.

After his success, Jason decided to support the charity by taking part in a Triathlon, the Ashington Sprint. “I wanted to take part in this event, to prove I could do it, but at the same time raise money for Back Care. Jason raised over £500 for his charity and was sponsored by Rook Matthews Sayer.

RMS makes a splash

June 2010

Estate agent Rook Matthews Sayer (RMS), members of the Home Sale Network, has been making an effort to get involved with the local community, most recently supporting the City of Newcastle Amateur Swimming Club by sponsoring its summer barbecue, which took place on June 18, 2010.

The club, based at the City Pool in Newcastle city centre, develops swimmers to enable them to take part in competition at regional, national, international, Commonwealth and Olympic levels. David Jones, valuation and marketing manager at RMS Gosforth, explains how the company got involved: "Following the change in government, the swimming club is going to lose funding and it needs to raise money simply to keep everything running. “There are several squads comprising around 150 swimmers who take part in local and national galas that incur transport costs and so on." He continues: "It’s a fantastic organisation. My 11-year-old son goes frequently, and it's great to see that it works with all ages of swimmer, from five years old upwards, across the city. The standards of the club become clear when you consider that it has produced some high performing athletes, such as Chris Cook." The club was formed in 1977, when head coach Ian Oliver became chief swimming coach/organiser at Newcastle Council. During his career, he has coached swimmers to win nine Commonwealth medals, including five Golds, and this will be the 15th year that swimmers from Newcastle have competed in major swimming events. David adds: "At RMS we've made a donation of £1000 to sponsor a fundraising barbecue at the Northern Rugby Club, Gosforth, where there’ll be a raffle to raise funds. “From the company’s perspective, we’re always looking to put something back into the community and this seemed like an ideal project.

"For more information on the club, log on to www.cityofnewcastleasc.co.uk or call Russell Mills on 07986 793800.

New veterans centre benefits from donation from RMS

April 2010

Rook Matthews Sayer, esate agents and members of the Home Sale Network were pleased to hand over a cheque to North East housing support charity, Norcare in January. The money was raised during RMS’s campaign, ‘The market is moving,’ which ran during September and October 2009. For every home listed, an amount would be paid to Norcare. Clive Rook said “The market was improving, but we had no real idea how much money we would end up raising for the charity. We were pleased to raise £6,350, which will go towards the purchase of a mini bus for Norcare. This will allow the staff to take residents out and about, so they will be able to benefit from all the North East has to offer. All the staff at RMS participated in the campaign, their energy and enthusiasm helped raise the amount we did. In addition to the money raised by RMS, one of the companies we work with Simply Group, raised £246 for the charity, which will go towards the mini bus also. We chose Norcare to support, because of their work with the homeless and we were excited to find out that they were opening a new centre for vulnerable veterans.” Norcare is working with the Royal British Legion to pilot a centre that will re-create home life for ex servicemen and women that have fallen on hard times, to help them re-build their lives.