Member Article

Housebuilder raises thousands to fight potentially fatal skin condition through donation of showhome furniture

A regional housebuilder has helped a national charity raise thousands of pounds through the sale of its showhome furniture – vital funds which will help people suffering from the potentially fatal skin blistering condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

Charles Church North London, which has its headquarters in Maidenhead, has worked closely with DEBRA, the only national charity that supports people suffering from EB, and funds research into effective treatments and a cure for the condition.

In its most severe forms, EB is fatal. Even in its mildest forms, EB causes lifelong disability and pain. Blisters have to be drained and dressed every day – a painful procedure that can take up to half a day. People suffering from EB are often fighting infections, both internally and externally. Extreme disfigurement is often visible but internal tissue damage can be hidden.

The housebuilder has donated various pieces of furniture for the charity DEBRA to sell in its fundraising stores, helping to raise more than £6,000 to fight EB. Money raised could provide life changing care and support for people suffering from the condition and fund vital research, such as a clinical trial to investigate whether a drug, Rigosertib, could combat the aggressive and ultimately fatal form of cancer caused by some types of EB.

Now another batch of furniture has now been handed over from the builder’s Greenacres development, in Compton, Berkshire. The showhome was one of the last homes to be sold at the development.

Rachel Faulkner, sales director at Charles Church North London, said: “Greenacres has proved a very popular development and is now all sold out, but it is important to us to support local communities and charities throughout the region. Therefore, as the showhome sold, we thought it would be a good idea to support the charity in this way. It is clear that DEBRA provide invaluable support to people who suffer from this very painful condition and we are delighted that our showhome furniture can be put to such good use.”

Dan Moore, Head of Furniture and Electrical Retail at DEBRA, said: “We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Persimmon to give their showhome furniture a second home. Donations of such high quality go a long way to generating the much needed funds DEBRA needs to fight EB. We receive no government funding for our work – every donation makes a real difference and enables us to do more to help people suffering from EB here and now and fund research into effective treatments and a cure.”

Charles Church North London also has developments at The Grange, Chalfont St Peter, Manor Place, Maidenhead and at Hawthorn Chase, Aston Clinton.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ross Watson .