Bobby Scheme named Hopkins Homes' Cambridgeshire Charity of the Year

Tali — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 16:04:08 +0000

A charity helping elderly and vulnerable residents to secure their homes against burglars is £7000 better off after being named Hopkins Homes’ Cambridgeshire Charity of the Year.

Yesterday Hopkins Homes announced that the Bobby Scheme had won the competition, which invites members of the public to vote for their favourite local charity.

The Ely Foodbank and the Huntingdonshire Area Money Advice Service came second and third in the vote and will receive £2,000 and £1,000 respectively.
The campaign received more than 2,300 votes from Cambridgeshire residents who chose their favourite charity from a shortlist of six.

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A £10,000 donation from Hopkins Homes will be shared between the three charities receiving the most votes.
Additionally, Hopkins Homes will donate £250 to each of the three remaining charities – Emmaus Cambridge, Cambridge Street Aid and YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough – in recognition of the excellent work they carry out across the region.
The Cambridgeshire Police Shrievalty Trust has been running the Bobby Scheme in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough since 2001 and helped secure the homes of over 25,000 residents.
The Bobby Scheme provides a service for older, vulnerable, disabled people by improving their home security, to reduce crime, reduce fear of crime and increase independence, confidence and feelings of safety.
The scheme also secures the homes of domestic abuse victims.
Shirley Simpson of The Bobby Scheme said: “We are over the moon to win the public vote.
“The £7,000 will be a real boost for the charity and an acknowledgement of the valuable work we do helping vulnerable people in our community.
“We are currently raising funds to replace our Bobby van and the donation will help us with this cause significantly.
“We are very grateful to Hopkins Homes for including us in the vote and we have enjoyed this opportunity to further raise awareness of our work in the area.”
James Hopkins, Executive Chairman of Hopkins Homes said: “We are delighted with the level of local engagement that the vote received. All six of the shortlisted charities offer support and assistance to some of the region’s most vulnerable residents and we are proud that our donations will help them to continue the fantastic work they do across Cambridgeshire.
“Hopkins Homes is committed to building strong communities as well as providing beautiful new homes across the region, we hope that the charities continue to thrive and we look forward to hearing more about the work they do.”
The award-winning house builder is working on a number of developments across the area including in Ely, Burwell and Soham.

The post Bobby Scheme named Hopkins Homes' Cambridgeshire Charity of the Year appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Vote for your Cambridgeshire Charity of the Year

Tali — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 11:28:28 +0000

Three Cambridgeshire charities could be in for a cash boost – with the public getting to vote for their favourite.

Yesterday Hopkins Homes launched a new scheme, which will see three of six shortlisted charities receiving a share of £10,000.

Between now and 5pm on February 24, members of the public can vote online for their Cambridgeshire Charity of the Year.
Ely Foodbank, which supports hard up families across East Cambridgeshire is in the running, as well as The Bobby Scheme, which helps elderly, vulnerable and disabled residents protect their homes and personal belongings against crime.

Other local causes in the running include Emmaus Cambridge, assisting formerly homeless people to get back on their feet, Cambridge Street Aid, which is looking at helping teens who are sleeping rough to find accommodation, YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, which is looking to recruit counsellors for children in need, and Huntingdon Area Money Advice, a free debt advice service in the town.
The recipients will be chosen from a shortlist of six with awards of £7,000, £2,000 and £1,000 being made to the three charities receiving the most votes.
James Hopkins, Executive Chairman of Hopkins Homes said: “We are delighted to be launching this new initiative which will support some of the fantastic work undertaken by charities throughout Cambridgeshire.
“At Hopkins Homes we pride ourselves on not only building beautiful homes but also building lasting and self-sustaining communities. We are committed to supporting local causes and charities and hope that people will engage with this vote to support the good work being done in their area.”
The shortlist has been compiled by Hopkins Homes with the assistance of the Cambridge Community Foundation and focuses on key themes of homelessness and displacement, deprivation and vulnerable people.
The public can find out more about each charity and cast their vote by visiting: www.hopkinshomescharity.co.uk
Jane Darlington of the Cambridge Community Foundation added: “We’re extremely pleased that Hopkins Homes has decided to support some of our local charities. Their generous donations will help the chosen charities to continue their excellent work in our communities.
“I will be following the progress of the vote with interest and urge the public to spread the word and show their support for their favourite local causes.”
Hopkins Homes is involved on a number of key developments across East Cambridgeshire, including in Ely, Soham and Burwell.