Gunwharf Quays: Portsmouth shoppers raise £4,500 for local charities as Landsec matches donation

Gunwharf Quays' local community has raised over £4,500 for local charities including The Genies Wish, Wetwheels Foundation and Macmillan. Guests at the outlet were invited to ‘Spin the Wheel’ for a donation of £3 to The Genies Wish. Participants had a chance to win prizes including hotel stays with Marriot and Holiday Inn Express, family tickets to Vue Cinema and family access to the Spinnaker Tower. They were also able to win exclusive gifts and discounts from the outlet’s brands including Penhaligon’s, The White Company, Brasserie Blanc and Radley.

The Genies Wish is a charity covering England and Wales that that provides specialised experiences and equipment to individuals living with a critical or terminal illness. They also grant wishes for young carers aged 5-18. In total, Gunwharf Quays’ visitors raised over £1,300 of donations for the charity, with the outlet’s owner, Landsec, donating an additional £1,350 to the charity. The funds raised over the period have gone towards granting wishes for two people going through treatment; 11 year old Logan and 34 year-old Emma. Logan suffers from complex medical conditions including sensory processing disorders and was granted his wish of receiving a VR Headset and some Minecraft toys.

Meanwhile, Emma who is battling breast cancer, a chronic pain condition, neuropathy and an autoimmune disease was gifted driving lessons, which will bring her a much- needed sense of freedom and independence. What’s more, a local choir performed at the outlet and raised over £2,000, with all funds donated to the Wetwheels Foundation, providing opportunities for disabled and disadvantaged people of all ages to access the boating.

Moreover, the outlet’s guests also raised £200 over the festive period via the gift wrapping station, with the donation funding Macmillan nurse support to a cancer patient for 9 hours. Yvonne Clay, Centre Director at Gunwharf Quays, said: “We know that our charity drives are always met with the upmost generosity from our guests, but we have been amazed by the kindness shown on this occasion. We want to thank those who contributed so generously to making Logan and Emma’s wishes come true and also making a real difference to individuals and their families who are facing life limiting conditions. The events that we held have allowed us to support fantastic local charities, who are already carrying out great work within their own communities. Using our charity drives to support them helps ensure that the work we’re doing here at Gunwharf Quays has a tangible impact within our local community.”

Gunwharf Quays’ owner, Landsec, announced its commitment to investing in the local community in 2023, with the arrival of its social impact programme, Landsec Futures. The £20m fund aims to bring more value to the local communities where Landsec invests and is dedicated to enhancing social mobility in the real estate industry. Landsec is also committed to providing community grants between £1,000 and £3,000 to support charities and not-for-profit organisations in their daily activities to help accelerate their work within local communities.