London, December 12, 2023 – The annual Christmas Networking & Charity Drinks Event was held on 5th December 2023 at Home House, in London by The AFPA Trust, a charity that supports charitable organisations and builds connections within the asset finance and leasing sector. Bringing together professionals, business leaders, and supporters for a fun-filled day of generosity, the event raised an incredible £13,000 to benefit the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service. With this donation and the money from the summer event, a total of £23,000 has been raised over the past six months.
The AFPA Trust, committed to making a positive impact on the community, once again showcased its dedication to supporting charitable causes through meaningful initiatives.
A lively Christmas spirit pervaded the afternoon’s festivities, which included networking opportunities, a charity raffle, and an auction. The attendees’ extraordinary generosity was the event’s high point, as seen by the enormous £13,000 donation they made to the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service.
Robert Taylor, Chairman of AFPA Trust, expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support, stating, “We are thrilled with the success of this year’s Christmas Networking & Charity Drinks Event. The generosity of the asset finance and leasing industry in supporting the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service demonstrates the positive impact we can achieve when we come together for a noble cause.”
Aysha Ellis-Aziz, Deputy Chairwoman of the AFPA Trust, commented on the occasion, stating, “It is encouraging to see how our sector as a whole is working together to support philanthropic causes. The children and families that the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service serves will see a major improvement in their quality of life thanks to the money contributed. We are appreciative of the kindness and generosity shown by our sponsors, attendees, and members.”
Maddie Jones, Corporate and Events Fundraiser at Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service, expressed her heartfelt appreciation, stating, “The support and kindness from the AFPA Trust and its members for our children’s hospice service has been wonderful to see. We are so grateful to have been asked back as the AFPA Trust’s chosen charity especially as Christmas is a precious and magical time for our families and support like yours is even more vital at this time of year. Thank you all for your support this year in helping us give the most cherished gift of all, family.”
About Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service
Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service is a charity that provides specialist care and lifeline support to children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and their families, across Berkshire and surrounding counties.
Our service means very different things to each child and family and as such our care is very individual and holistic. Whatever and wherever the need, we are dedicated to bringing comfort and care to these families. We offer respite care, specialist play, symptom management, family support, end of life care and bereavement support. These services are provided in family’s homes, in hospital, in schools or within our very own children’s hospice, which was opened in summer 2018.
AFPA Trust is proud to announce our 2023 Christmas Drinks, Networking, and Charity event. This leading Asset Finance & Leasing industry event is being held at the very Christmasy Home House, Portman Square, London venue. Enjoy the company of more than 100 of your industry colleagues whilst supporting a good cause community charity. See you there!
Asset Finance Professionals Association (AFPA) Trust is delighted to announce the appointment of Aysha Ellis-Aziz as the new Deputy Chairwoman, reinforcing the charity’s dedication to dynamic and impactful leadership.
Aysha offers a deep understanding of the organisation’s principles and goals from her five years of dedicated service as an AFPA Board Trustee, further enhancing her capacity to make significant contributions in this expanded leadership role. In this role, Aysha will collaborate with the Board as a whole, including recently appointed Chairman Robert Taylor, to steer strategic initiatives, strengthen the Trust’s outreach programs, and offer invaluable leadership.
Robert Taylor, Chairman of AFPA Trust commented, “We extend a warm welcome to Aysha in her new role as Deputy Chairwoman, leveraging her extensive five-year tenure as an AFPA Board Trustee. Aysha’s proven dedication and deep understanding of AFPA Trust’s values make her a natural choice to lead in this capacity. Her leadership will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in advancing our mission and driving positive change within the industry.”
Aysha commented on her new role “It’s an honour and a pleasure for me to take on the role of Deputy Chairwoman at AFPA Trust. Working together with our new Chairman, Robert Taylor, and the entire Board of Trustees, I’m eager to continue this journey in a more significant capacity. She goes on to say, “As Deputy Chairwoman, my primary focus will be on building upon the strong foundation we’ve established and driving the Trust’s mission to new heights.”
The Asset Finance Professionals Association (AFPA) Trust, a renowned and impactful charitable organisation dedicated to establishing itself as the leading charitable entity within the asset finance and leasing industry – fostering networking and charity in tandem, is thrilled to announce that it has raised an impressive total of £10,000 in support of the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice during its annual Summer Drinks event held on 17th August at London private member’s club, Home House.
The Summer Drinks event, saw an incredible turnout of asset finance and leasing professionals, all coming together to contribute towards a noble cause. The event provided an afternoon of drinks, canapés, and networking in the exclusive Georgian townhouse, Home House, all while promoting a shared commitment to supporting the vital hospice services needed by children and their families.
The funds raised during the event will go directly to the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice, an organisation that provides essential care and support to children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, along with their families. The hospice is known for its exceptional and compassionate care, creating a safe and nurturing environment where children can receive expert medical support, while also enjoying the simple joys of childhood.
“We are overwhelmed by the generosity and enthusiasm shown by our sponsors, members, and attendees at the Summer Drinks event,” said Robert Taylor, Chairperson of AFPA Trust. “The £10,000 raised will significantly contribute to the essential services and care that the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice provides. We are deeply grateful to everyone who participated in making this event a resounding success.”
Corporate and Events Fundraiser, Maddie Jones at Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice commented “We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the AFPA Trust and their sponsors and members for their exceptional generosity. We were delighted to be the chosen charity for AFPA Trust’s Summer Drinks event, and we are thankful to everyone who helped raise the amazing £10,000. This support of our hospice services will make a real difference to the children and their families that we care for.”
AFPA Trust extends its gratitude to all event sponsors, members, and attendees for their unwavering commitment to making a difference in the lives of children with life–limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families. The success of the Annual Summer Drinks event is a testament to the power of collective action and the shared belief that together, we can create positive change in our communities.
For further inquiries or to learn more about AFPA Trust membership and its initiatives, please visit here.
London, August 23, 2023 – The Asset Finance Professionals Association (AFPA) Trust, a renowned and impactful charitable organisation dedicated to establishing itself as the leading charitable entity within the asset finance and leasing industry – fostering networking and charity in tandem, is delighted to announce the appointment of Robert Taylor as its incoming Chairperson. This announcement follows the decision of Adrian Langford to step down after three years of dedicated service. Adrian’s tenure, extended from the usual one year to three years due to the challenging landscape of the Covid-19 pandemic, culminates as he gracefully relinquishes the position of Chairperson at AFPA Trust. Under his adept guidance, the charity has celebrated noteworthy achievements, notably its 10th anniversary, marked by the culmination of charitable contributions surpassing £350,000 through its collective events. Adrian’s commitment and dedication have indelibly etched an impact on both the charity and the communities it touches.
Adrian Langford, Retiring Chairperson, AFPA Trust
Adrian commented on the new appointment: “It has been an honour and pleasure to serve as Chairperson and I would like to sincerely thank the AFPA Membership, the Sponsors and my fellow Trustees for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout my tenure. I am very pleased to be passing the baton to Robert Taylor who as Deputy Chairperson has without question demonstrated considerable levels of ability and dedication to the cause. AFPA Trust is in very good hands and there has never been a better time to join us as a member and get involved.”
Robert’s expansive background encompasses stewardship across banks, lessors, manufacturers, and brokers, including the metamorphosis of a brokerage firm into a lessor as well as Trustee positions at several charities. This transformative acumen primes Robert to navigate AFPA Trust into a new era of growth and influence. His history of accomplishments and entrepreneurial acuity render him an impeccable match for this pivotal leadership role.
“I am truly honored to take on the role of Chairperson at AFPA Trust,” said Robert. “I am committed to building upon the foundation laid by Adrian and working with a dedicated team to further advance our mission and create positive change through the charities we support.”
The entire AFPA Trust community welcomes this transition with anticipation and extends heartfelt gratitude to Adrian for his profound contributions. Rooted in its unwavering dedication to solidifying its status as the leading charitable entity within the asset finance and leasing sector, fostering networking and charity in harmony, AFPA Trust eagerly anticipates Robert Taylor’s leadership, envisioning a continuum of impactful transformation.
Our first event of this nature focused on the combination of including Partners and weekend entertainment; a Summer Gala Dinner, was held at the wonderful venue of The Royal Overseas League Club House in St. James. It is a superb elegant historical venue overlooking Green Park and situated between the Ritz and St. James Palace.
The evening commenced with a reception, slightly longer than usual, as we needed time to introduce partners into the equation. This was held in the Hall of India and was followed by dinner and a musical recital in the Princess Alexandra Hall. The recital was a series of songs by Annabel Kennedy accompanied by Emily Ho on the piano, both of whom have recently won acclaim in their respective fields by winning the prestigious musical awards from the ROSL Annual Competition.
The Dinner was created by Irini Tzortzoglou, the 2019 MasterChef Champion and it was much enjoyed and appreciated by everyone. Irini was also kind enough to give us the background story to her success as MasterChef Champion and took some questions, much to the delight of the budding chefs in the audience.
We much appreciated sponsorship from Close Brothers, Lti Solutions, Rivermore Asset Finance and VitrX, for which we thank them for their generous support. Our thanks also go to Adrian Langford who acted as ‘Compare’, photographer and raffle supremo. We held a silent auction of a hand painted Chines Scroll donated by the Soper family, which raised £1000.00 for the charity.
As it was the first event of this type, AFPA would welcome feedback from those who attended and those who could not make it so you can help us refine our annual event programme. We were more than pleased with the reactions of the Partners who participated; “can we do it again and more of these please” was a popular reaction.
This event was in aid of AFPA chosen charity, the Soldiers, Sailors and Air Force Association (SSAFA). Derek Soper who helped to organise this first weekend Gala dinner for AFPA commented “we are pleased to confirm that £5,000 was raised for SSAFA and they are thrilled to receive this donation.”
