A LETTING agent has raised more than £6,000 for hospice care after asking landlords to sacrifice a sliver of their income.

Finders Keepers rallied property owners across its Oxfordshire branches to support its Donate a Day’s Rent campaign for Sobell House Hospice.

The agent’s managing director, Dan Channer, said their efforts would help to support ‘invaluable’ work at the Headington hospice, which costs £4m annually to run.

He said: “The idea felt really straightforward: if each landlord donated a day’s rent to support our team’s activities, we could raise thousands.

“The amount we’ve raised has exceeded our expectations so we are absolutely delighted.

“The work Sobell House offers is invaluable to our community.”

Every two years Finders Keepers, which has eight branches including in St Clement’s Street in Oxford, chooses a local charity to fundraise for.

Sobell House has earned its support twice, including last year when staff took part in the Oxford Fun Run and Oxford Half Marathon to raise cash for the hospice.

The agent’s entire network of landlords was also asked if they wanted to take part in the Donate a Day’s Rent campaign.

Mr Channer said: “We were thrilled with the response.

“The responses were really enthusiastic and in cases where an owner had more than one property, they insisted the donation came from the rent that would deliver the largest financially, which was really generous.

“Sobell House Hospice supports about 3,000 patients and their families every year, so it’s important that local businesses like ours fundraise to ensure the hospice’s services can continue.”

Finders Keepers also raised £1,400 for Sobell at the fun run in May, more than £800 through a bucket collection at Sainsbury’s in Heyford Hill in October, and £708 through a bake sale in June.

A further £1,000 was raised through various other fundraisers last year, including another bake sale and a static bike riding challenge.

Tim Wraith, corporate partnership manager at Sobell House Hospice, said: “We were honoured to be chosen as the company’s nominated charity for a second time and are overwhelmed with everyone’s support.

“Finders Keepers has a huge network of contacts which has been instrumental in the success of this fundraising initiative.

“The Donate a Day’s Rent initiative is a great demonstration of how a simple fundraising mechanic can raise significant funds.”

He said corporate support, paired with important community fundraising, was ‘vital’ to ensure the hospice’s future.

Building work continues at the hospice, based on the Churchill Hospital site, for its new multi-million pound clinic and dementia-friendly garden annex.

The two-storey building will house six palliative care bedrooms, a lymphoedema clinic and new staff offices.

Sobell’s first key fundraiser in its 2018 calendar is its annual Winter Walk at Blenheim Palace, which takes place on Sunday.

The event, which is in its fourth year, sees scores of supporters stroll around the country house’s gardens in Woodstock.

To register to take part, visit sobellhouse.org/winterwalk.

The Oxford Mail continues to fundraise for the hospice’s new build, aiming to raise £40,000 to support its crucial care for people in Oxfordshire with life-limiting conditions.

To donate, please visit justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/shhc/oxmailsobellappeal