SVA sets high bar for charity target

Shoreham Vehicle Auctions (SVA) is appealing to all south coast used vehicle dealers and consumers to donate any unwanted running vehicles or part-exchanges to its annual charity auctions for The Chestnut Tree House.

This year, SVA is looking to break through the £150,000 barrier and better last year’s total fundraising effort of £34,000.

The charity car auction takes place on Monday 18 November, with a light commercial vehicle (LCV) auction on Tuesday 26 November. Both auctions take place at SVA’s site on Chartwell Road, Lancing Business Park, Lancing, West Sussex.

SVA is calling for all running cars and vans, regardless of age, shape and size, with or without an MoT, from dealers across Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey to auction and raise funds for the Arundel-based children’s hospice. Donations are also being sought from businesses and individuals alike as pledges to pay for one-hour hydrotherapy care (£50.00) or one hour’s care at Chestnut Tree House (£250.00).

Having first opened its doors in 2003, The Chestnut Tree House currently cares for 300 life-limited children, both at the hospice and in families’ own homes. The hospice offers several types of support which includes; end of life care, psychological and bereavement support and short-break care. It currently costs well in-excess of £3.5m each year to fund all the care services provided by Chestnut Tree House which relies heavily on the generosity, help and support of the people of Sussex, including the help received from the south coast motor trade.

SVA received fantastic support from the region’s motor trade in 2018 with donations from Yeomans Group, Tates Group, Caffyns Group, Dinnages, Frosts4cars, Harwoods, Newton Honda, Dees Croydon, Southern Motor Group and Vanfair Ltd. Support was also received from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and NextGear Capital Ltd. More than 24 cars were donated to the auctions, with five coming direct from the general public.

In addition to the generous donations, for every charity vehicle auctioned, SVA added a further £200 to the sale price, with no additional auction fees.

Catherine Stone, SVA’s dealership sales manager who has led the campaign since SVA began supporting The Chestnut Tree House in 2011, said, ‘Last year exceeded all expectations, with all our wonderful business partners and the local community, helping us to raise over £34,000 from the two charity auctions. The support we receive year-in, year-out never fails to amaze us. This year we have the £150,000 total fundraising milestone firmly in our sights and we are determined to break through that in style.’

Caroline Roberts-Quigley, community fundraiser at Chestnut Tree House, said, ‘We are incredibly grateful to Shoreham Vehicle Auctions and their clients and customers for their continued support and generosity in donating auction lots and raising funds at their Charity Car Auction. We need to raise £6,850 every day to pay for all the specialist care services provided by Chestnut Tree House – both at the hospice and in families’ own homes – so support like this is invaluable.’

Anyone with a car to gift to the charity auction can email [email protected] or call 01903 851200.