Manheim sales raise more than £20k for Make-A-Wish UK

Manheim Auction Services has raised a further £20,467 for children’s charity Make-A-Wish UK with a special auction of donated vehicles and other items.

The auction, held by Cox Automotive's Manheim remarketing operation in Leeds on January 9, saw 22 lots go under the hammer, including cars, football tickets and wine donated by Manheim vendors, suppliers and partners.

Bidders in the auction also showed their generosity, with the hammer price averaging nearly £1,000 per lot, and one vehicle (a Ford Fiesta) achieving £3,000.

Ben Musther, vendor account manager at Manheim Auction Services, said: “We have strong values as a business, and one of them is always doing the right thing. It’s an honour and a pleasure to support Make-A-Wish. They do something that means a lot to us all: putting a smile back on a child’s face. If we can do that just once, even for an hour, it’s all worth it.

“Our colleagues really got behind this auction – not just here in Leeds, but also other branches and teams in head office. It was a real team effort, and supported fantastically by our customers and business partners, whose donations of lots made the whole thing possible.”

As well as hosting the fundraising event, Manheim provided a free collection service for donated vehicles and waived all auction fees.

In December 2021 Manheim raised £30,000 for the charity, meaning auctions at Manheim Leeds have raised more than £50,000 in 13 months, in addition to that raised by other activities organised by parent company Cox Automotive.

Musther added: “To see the total for the two auctions cross £50,000 really gave us a buzz. Now, we’re working on pushing that total even higher by organising another auction, to take place in January 2024.

“We’ve got the foundations in place, and we have secured regular supporters. Our plan is to keep building on this and supporting our charity partners.”

Alex Greig, corporate partnerships manager at Make-A-Wish, said: “We’re delighted to have been Cox Automotive’s charity partner for two years now.

“So many people from the business have lent their time, skills, and networks to raise money, from auctions like this to sponsored walks and much more and we are extremely grateful.

“These fundraising efforts mean we can keep granting wishes for critically ill children, creating hope, happiness and memories families can cherish.”