Variety, the Children’s Charity, raised £36,000 at its fourth annual “the PROPS” Breakfast held at The Dorchester, Park Lane. Following 23 successful years of “the PROPS” Lunch, the Committee initiated a breakfast networking event to bolster the opportunities for the property industry to show their support for the charity.

Attended by over 300 people, the breakfast hosted a debate between Bill Hughes of Legal & General Property and Tony Pidgley CBE of The Berkeley Group. The topic “Commercial V Residential” was moderated by Emma Crosby, Channel 5’s news presenter.

Guests joined in the debate with a Q&A and a live twitter feed during the event, with tweets from a diverse range of heavyweight guests.

The audience participated in a live vote on whether they would invest in commercial or residential property, with the majority of the audience leaning more towards the residential market at the outset, however by the end of the debate the room was really split.

Proceeds from this event go to the charity’s Grants Programme and the funding of powered wheelchairs, providing families with essentials that often transform lives of children in need, their siblings and parents.

With a focus on helping children who are disabled or disadvantaged to make the most of their childhood, Variety, the Children’s Charity, provides practical support through its mobility (Sunshine Coaches and electric wheelchairs), caring and health (equipping children’s hospitals), youth and education programmes (Variety at Work and outings to exciting places).

In 2014 alone, the charity will ensure that almost 60,000 children throughout the UK will be taken on fun days out.