Kendal estate agent Iain (Scott) Bainbridge urges businesses to donate part of their profits to charity

I believe that businesses should give something back to the community

I am Iain (Scott) Bainbridge and I have a small, independent estate agency based in South Lakeland with offices in Kendal Market Place. I am a true Kendalian and am delighted to be able to live and work in the area along with my wife and son.

After being made redundant as a solicitor I decided to set up a lettings agency and this business has developed into a full estate agency. This has involved three years of very hard work and the support of my wife, family and friends.

We seem to be getting close to a situation when we will actually be making a profit which, given the economic climate, is encouraging.

As a Christian I am committed to ensuring that Scott Bainbridge operates not solely on the basis of maximising profits. I am therefore keen to ensure that if the business generates profits we give something back to the community that has supported us by using our services.

One of my pet hates is tokenism and I would not want to get involved in charitable schemes that involve a lot of effort but actually achieve little, though I recognise that often charities are as eager to raise their profile as they are to raise money.

I had the idea that in 2015 we could donate 10 per cent of our fees for selling houses to great local causes.

I am aware that a number of local charities are suffering in the current climate and am keen to do what I can to help them to survive.

I have multiple sclerosis but am personally totally opposed to attempts to legalise euthanasia and assisted dying. I believe that every human life is worthy of absolute protection under the law and that changes in this direction would make those that have life-limiting illnesses feel obliged to opt for this.

It seems highly appropriate therefore that I should back the wonderful work that local hospices do to provide support to those with life-limiting illnesses and to provide the best palliative care. I have therefore decided that in 2015 Scott Bainbridge will seek to raise funds for St John’s Hospice and other charities that are of great benefit to our local community.

I personally feel that it is a sad indictment of our prosperous society that hospices providing palliative care to the seriously ill should be so heavily reliant on public donations and fundraisers. I feel that they should be a fully funded part of our wonderful National Health Service.

I have spoken to other business owners in the area and already a good number have indicated that they would be eager to participate in the scheme.

Among those getting involved in the scheme are Stuart McGurk, of Prudential Financial Planning; Paul Rodman of Kendal Wills and Stuart Parkin, of Lakes Flooring Solutions. I hope many others follow them.

I appreciate that many businesses are already involved in fundraising for local charities and do not want to be dismissive of the huge efforts already being made but I would love to generate a new wave local philanthropy in the South Lakes and beyond.

As a Christian I try to take the words of Jesus seriously. He told his followers that the sincerity of their faith will be demonstrated by how they treat the least of their brothers.

I believe our society can be judged by the way in which we care for the most vulnerable in our society and the hospice movement has a tremendous role to play here.

I hope many other businesses will participate in the scheme or do something similar.