Industry charity sells off homes

Trade charity Hospitality Action is considering offers for its five residential homes for pensioners in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle, all of which it intends to sell.

Head of fund-raising Suzanna Axisa said the charity (formerly known as the Hotel & Catering Benevolent Association) had decided to sell its sheltered housing because there was no shortage of similar accommodation. Tight regulations also mean that running such homes requires high levels of investment.

She added that the trade had indicated it wanted the charity to focus more on raising money to help hospitality staff and their dependants of working age.

The residential homes will be sold to registered social landlords, and current residents will be able to stay on, but the charity will keep the London club that provides cheap accommodation for young people taking their first hospitality job in London.

The charity wants to raise £1.2m this year, £2m in 2001 and £3.5m in 2002. It needs to boost its income as it has made twice as many grants this year as in 1999, largely because it has lowered its eligibility ceiling from 10 years' service in the trade to one.

It has increased its fund-raising team from two to seven and its grants award staff from two to three.

Recent pledges of cash to Hospitality Action include £250,000 this year from Forte, £25,000 from the Metropolitan Police catering division and £100,000 from contract caterer Aramark.

Forte's fund-raising this year has included parachute jumps, job swaps and golf challenges. And on 11 September it is holding a charity comedy night with Frank Carson at the Posthouse Glasgow City.

Hospitality Action's friends scheme, which already has 60 corporate donors, is to be relaunched next year to attract new members from the pub and fast-food sectors.

• For details about the comedy night, call 0141-275 4271. Tickets cost £37.50, tables for 10, £350.