Portsmouth shopping centre gives boost to local charity The Genie's Wish with £2,700 donation

Representatives from Gunwharf Quays, which is owned by parent company Landsec, presented a cheque for £2,700 to Hampshire charity The Genie's Wish on Friday, March 1. The Genie's Wish is a charity covering England and Wales 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.

Speaking to The News, Gunwharf Quays centre director Yvonne Clay said: “It’s been our absolute pleasure today to be able to hand over a cheque to Genies Wish. It’s so important that we support the local community, and we do all we can to try and give back and help people where we can. What we’re loving about Genies Wish is that we are helping people in Portsmouth and making a real difference to people’s lives - and that’s just a fantastic opportunity.

Genies Wish charity director Katie added: “The money has been put towards two wishes. One is a young lad called Logan - he’s 11 from Portsmouth and he has multiple diagnoses. We’ve gifted him a VR headset and a gaming system for him to have at home so he can connect with his friends online when he feels more comfortable. We’ve also funded full driving lessons and a test for a lady called Emma. She’s 34 and she had breast cancer, so she is really looking forward to gaining her independence back by driving.

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. You can find out more about The Genie's Wish here.