Property professionals take 166,691,897 steps towards ending youth homelessness for LandAid in October

More than 500 property industry professionals have now taken enough steps to walk three times around the world during October. They were taking part in Steptober, the first industry-wide step challenge sponsored by Abstract Securities. The event has now raised over £100,000 for LandAid, the property industry’s charity. 

Steptober challenged property professionals to walk, jog or run to see which team of four could log the most steps throughout October – improving mental and physical wellbeing whilst raising money to end youth homelessness. The challenge came to a close just in time for the annual LandAid Day on 1 November, property’s biggest day of fundraising, which saw property companies taking part in wacky and wonderful activities across the UK. 

The event culminated with a prize giving on LandAid Day, kindly hosted by CMS. Four coveted prizes were given out. Leach Rhodes Walker Architects Team CJG walked away with the Team with the Highest Step Count Award, logging a staggering 3,056,138 steps between them and holding the top spot since the off. They were closely followed by Leach Rhodes Walker Ltd Team JB and Northern Scam in second and third place, respectively.

#4CEOs4Steptober, David Atkins of Hammerson, Chris Grigg of British Land, Robert Noel of Landsec and David Sleath of SEGRO, clearly won the Highest Team Fundraiser Award, sponsored by IPSX having raised over £45,000, enough to fund at least 3 beds spaces for young people who were homeless.

Archie Blair, Abstract Securities won the Individual with the Highest Step Count Award taking 1,106,032 steps – an average of 35,000 steps a day. The North won the Location Outside of London with the Highest Step Count Award, sponsored by Gerald Eve. 

The challenge was made possible due to sponsorship from Abstract Securities, support from media and data partner EG, who promoted Steptober each week throughout October, and Prize Giving sponsor CMS. 

This year’s LandAid Day saw the property industry doing even more to raise money to end youth homelessness. Paragon BC, one of LandAid’s newest Foundation Partners, undertook a company-wide challenge to cycle the distance between Lands End to John O’Groats – a massive 874 miles! Goldcrest Land planned an inventive race across London, where teams vied to be the first to get from their offices in Fulham to Hoxton, using a different mode of transport each. A whole host of other companies, such as British Land, Knight Frank and PwC all took part in an assortment of unique activities throughout the day, raising even more to help end youth homelessness in the UK. 

Paul Morrish, Chief Executive, LandAid: ‘At LandAid we always know that our audience can be competitive but we’ve really seen this taken to the next level during Steptober – from running marathons, to climbing mountains, from taking in steps in Paris to San Francisco, even to me making the most of walking meetings – we’ve seen the property industry step up once again to end youth homelessness. A huge thank you to everyone who took part, and in particular to the #4CEOs4Steptober, who have now not only taken time out of their busy schedules to get competitive but also raised over £45,000 for LandAid! I have certainly enjoyed my first Steptober. LandAid Day was a little different this year, but we still saw the usual weird and wacky fundraisers from our supporters. All of which prove the great steps the property industry can take towards ending youth homelessness when it unites. Thank you.’ 

Mark Glatman, Founder and Chief Executive, Abstract Securities: ‘It has been an absolute pleasure to be the headline sponsor for the first ever Steptober. I have been wanting to have an industry-wide step challenge for a long time, knowing that this was a great way to harness the competitive nature of LandAid’s supporters. It’s been a great way to motivate my staff to get active, with some like Archie, from Abstract, who took home the prize for the most steps taking this challenge to the extreme! Thanks so much to everyone who took part – every step you took has taken us one step closer to ending youth homelessness.”