Over £15,000 has been raised for two Leeds charities, Holbeck Together and Re:establish, following a successful event at Harvey Nichols in Leeds, organised by Jonathan Morgan.
Jonathan founded property firm Morgans in 1997, pioneering city living in Leeds. For over 15 years the company hosted a Christmas party at Harvey Nichols every December, as a thank you to clients and staff.
After the business was sold in 2019, Jonathan and his family decided to reinvent the party to raise funds for two local charities that they have been supporting since the onset of the first lockdown.
Jonathan said: “We really didn’t want to confine what had become something of an institution to history, just because we sold our business. So, we decided to reinvent the Morgans Christmas Party as a fundraiser.”
Holbeck is just 1.4 miles from Harvey Nichols and is one of the most deprived communities in the country. Jonathan added: “Both Holbeck Together and Re:establish work tirelessly, and on a shoe-string, to hold together a community, which is under immense strain. Over the past few years, supporting these small but powerful charities has become a big part of our lives.”
Holbeck Together was established as Holbeck Elderly Aid in 1992, originally as a Neighbourhood Network, providing a wide range of services and support to a diverse and disadvantaged community including the delivery of meals, food parcels, prescriptions, and well-being packs. The charity has a dedicated, skilled team that work hard to ensure that no-one is left behind.
Elissa Newman, CEO at Holbeck Together, said: “We provide a variety of services, activities and opportunities for local people including a successful kid’s club, as well as hosting a full programme of activities for people across all age groups. The time and money Jonathan and his family have dedicated to our small charity has made all the difference, and we would like to thank everyone who bought a ticket and attended the event. The money will go a long way at Holbeck Together.”
Team leader and development manager, Jo Sunderland, at Re:establish, said: “We are a small but dynamic organisation with a focus on young people, their future and their families. We run lots of initiatives and programmes, including what we would all recognise as a youth club, and focus on helping youngsters to develop skills, self-awareness and resilience, as they seek to break the cycle of exclusion, under-achievement and adversity, which is so prevalent in South Leeds.
“We are very grateful to the Morgan family and everyone who came to the event who made this possible, ensuring that collectively we can achieve more! It’s given us a great start to the year, knowing that people believe in you and understanding the positive impact this will have on the lives of our local young people in Beeston and Holbeck.”
Jonathan added: “We are hugely grateful to our clients and friends, 200 of whom paid to attend our event for the first time in 15 years. We are also incredibly thankful to Phil, Sally and the whole team at Harvey Nichols for their generosity in helping to make the event viable, without compromising on quality. Harvey Nichols also donated three fabulous raffle prizes, which raised over £2,000 on the night!
“It is our intention to hold the event each Christmas and to continue to support these two incredible charities, who do so much to make sure that Leeds looks after its own.”
