Hilsea estate agents ROK Marsh supports city charities and pledges to do even more in 2023

Hilsea-based ROK Marsh has been working hard to raise funds and awareness for several charities over the last few months, with big plans culminating for the coming months and into next year, pledging even more support. The firm has four charity partners – SSAFA, Mind, Shelter and Friends Fighting Cancer – for whom the team aims to undertake a fundraising initiative every quarter.

The most recent fundraising activity was sponsoring fighter Wayne Holden at the Friends Fighting Cancer charity boxing match on Saturday, October 22. The event, which ROK Marsh director Matt Marsh hosted, saw more than 600 guests take to the Mountbatten Centre to watch 12 fights, raising a whopping total of £38,633.

Matt said: ‘I’ve been working with FFC for around 10 years now and will continue to support them because I really believe in the work they do and can see exactly how they directly help people. For the event to have raised almost £40,000 is incredible and it’s a great feeling knowing that we played a part in that.’

Some of the firm’s other fundraising initiatives have included holding a mental health walk for Mind, encouraging people to come along and talk to each other while walking along the Hayling Billy Trail, in a bid to get people opening up and to raise awareness for the charity. The team often partake in office days where they will wear a colour related to a charity and bring in a donation.

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ROK Marsh’s sister company, mortgage brokerage RBM Solutions, also recently supported Fareham-based charity Sophie’s Legacy. The company made a donation towards the charity’s initiative Sophie’s Saturday Night Supper – where it offers pizza for the parents and children on neonatal wards across the city.

Matt said: ‘It’s massively important to us to give back to the community and support the organisations that we’re passionate about and that are close to our heart. If our support makes even just a little bit of difference, then we’ve done our jobs. Whether it’s just getting people talking about their mental health or donating money that will be put to a good cause, we want to help in whatever ways we can.’

Over the coming months and throughout next year both the estate agency and mortgage sides of the business, plan to take part in more initiatives for their chosen charities. This month the team went to the cenotaph on Remembrance Day to represent SSAFA, laying a wreath and paying their respects to those who lost their lives in World War I and World War II.

Matt said: ‘Being ex-military myself and having served on HMS Triumph and HMS Turbulent, supporting an armed forces charity means a great deal to me, which is why supporting SSAFA was a no-brainer. Also, with Portsmouth being a naval city, it’s a great cause to support.’

In December they plan to support local food banks and help homeless people in the city on behalf of Shelter, as well as supporting Helping Hands – a charity which provides food for homeless people every Sunday – which is run by team-member Aleah Mo’s family.