Our headline Sponsor for the 25th Anniversary of the Apple and Harvest Fayre 2025 is Cheffins.
A Brief History of Cheffins
Established in 1825 by RD Thorogood, Cheffins is this year celebrating its bicentenary.
The business was originally set up as an auctioneering firm but, over the years, several departments have been borne out of a need to replace lost income from other areas of the business which were suffering in the face of adverse trading conditions. The firm is now a solid auctioneering and professional services business covering areas such as estate agency, commercial property, planning, rural consultancy as well as the traditional auctioneering departments of machinery, fine art and property.
Since its inception, Directors of each generation have guided the firm through a succession of agricultural depressions and economic recessions. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions Cheffins has evolved to become a modern and dynamic partnership with offices throughout East Anglia including Cambridge, Ely, Haverhill, Newmarket, Saffron Walden,, and our machinery sale ground at Sutton.
The result today is an established auctioneering and professional services business with a solid financial foundation and a reputation for excellence and experience across all of the sectors within which it operates.
Why community engagement is important to you?
We’re proud of our long history of working with local communities outside of our day-to-day business. We support fundraising initiatives, projects and events that are important to our clients, our colleagues and our local communities.
By giving our time and financial support to help local good causes, we hope these projects can raise more money, address important issues and provide opportunities for others. Community support is part of our DNA; we want to see our local communities thrive and prosper.
Cheffins has its own grass roots community fund which is managed through Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) where we make regular annual donations to the Cheffins endowment fund and this money is then used to support grant requests from local grass roots charities.
CCF supports projects that make a real difference to the lives of local people. Since 2004, over £5,000,000 has been donated to local causes.
In our bicentenary year we have chosen to direct our fundraising efforts towards the new Children’s Hospital at Addenbrookes. We’re hoping to reach our goal of £200,000 by the end of 2025 through fundraising events and donations.
What are you hoping to achieve from the sponsorship?
We’re hoping to enhance our relationship with the local community and meet as many people as possible! We’re also looking to gain more exposure and as much support as possible for our fundraising efforts for the new Children’s Hospital at Addenbrookes. Plus, we’re looking forward to getting involved in this highly popular local event in front of the iconic Ely Cathedral!
Engagement on the day of the event – will you be in attendance to talk about your company?
Yes, we will be there on the day with the Cheffins gazebo, fully branded in our navy and orange livery. We will also have a rare vintage Ford Super Dexta tractor on display for everyone to see. We have had it restored, and we will be auctioning it off for our chosen charity – Addenbrookes Charitable Trust – at our Vintage machinery sale on Saturday 18th October.