By Anton Constantinou
At SilverDoor Apartments, it’s customary for us to host an annual company auction as a way of raising money for charity. As Head of Charity, I took charge of this year’s event, with the help of others in our social committee, and had the responsibility of managing it from start to finish. In last year’s auction we made roughly £1,000 for our charity, Mind, and the plan this time around was to replicate that success.
For a period of three weeks in August, staff members had the opportunity to buy and sell items with a view to doing their bit for mental health. There were cigars up for grabs, brew rounds, language lessons, even a wine tasting experience. Our Managing Director incentivised people to take part by offering mornings and afternoons off work, which received a lot of pick-up. A similar of level of interest was paid to some sausage rolls put forward, which, in the end, went for £26.
Some of the weirdest items on offer included an evening of music, horror and virtual reality, and a jar of spiritual salts. Some went down the abstract route of submitting services like childcare and manicures. Others kept it simple by offering cakes, chocolate, and various other sweet treats.
In the end, we raised a total of £837 for Mind – to add to the £3,000 or so already made this charity year – which is a tremendous achievement.
Mental health is a cause worth fighting for. And, while this year’s auction may have come to a close, our quest for Mind continues. Stay tuned for more charitable events from the team here at SilverDoor Apartments.
