MILLER Homes has smashed its fundraising target of raising £100,000 for Habitat for Humanity GB’s Hope Builders campaign four months ahead of schedule.

The leading housebuilder pledged to raise the sum for the international development charity throughout the whole of 2016 and thanks to the tremendous efforts of its team that fundraising target has already been reached.

Chris Endsor, chief executive of Miller Homes, who is currently in Malawi with a team of volunteers from the company building ‘Habitat Homes’ and experiencing the work Habitat for Humanity does first hand, commented: “We have a brilliant team working across our developments and in our offices and we’ve been amazed at how much effort they’ve put into achieving our goal and raising awareness of the charity’s fantastic work.

“I am incredibly proud of them for helping us reach our fundraising goal at this early stage.

“We still have a number of events in our fundraising calendar and we are looking forward to adding significantly more to our fundraising tally and helping lift even more people out of poverty housing.”

Among the activities organised by the Miller Homes team included fun runs, fitness challenges, golf days, bake sales and bikeathons.

A Habitat Charity House is also under construction in the North East of England, with the cost of time in labour being donated to the Hope Builders campaign, and a number of gala balls are scheduled to take place over the next few months.

Chris added: “As one of the UK’s leading housebuilders we recognise the importance for all families, no matter where they are in the world, of having a place to feel safe, secure and to build a future.“By supporting this campaign we have a fantastic opportunity to use our experience, resources, enthusiasm and determination to make a real difference to those who need it most.

“However, I wanted our support to be about much more than just fundraising, so we also sponsored a team of 16 volunteers from a cross section of the business to travel to Malawi to actually build three of the ‘Habitat Homes’, giving them a unique opportunity to experience our fundraising effort in action.”

“For all of us it has been an incredibly emotional yet extremely rewarding experience and has allowed us to see for ourselves the massive difference our fundraising efforts will make to the families we are supporting.”

Meryl Davies, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, said: “Miller Homes is the perfect partner, passionate about the importance of home in all of our lives and determined to be part of making homes places of stability and self-reliance for the poorest of families.

“Seeing the hard work of the Miller Homes team in Malawi as they work with families there is inspirational for us and all UK house builders.

“Surpassing their goal will mean they can help even more people who really need it and I can’t thank Chris Endsor and his team enough.”

Habitat for Humanity’s focus is on shelter and it recognises that home is the cornerstone of hope for those who are living in poverty.

The charity works with established partners in more than 70 countries across the world to offer simple, sustainable solutions by working with the poorest and most vulnerable people to provide the support needed to help them lift themselves out of poverty by building homes and communities and restoring their independence.

The average cost of a ‘Habitat Home’ is £3,000, so the money raised by Miller Homes will lay the foundations for the building of over 30 new ‘Habitat Homes’, helping to lift many people out of poverty housing.

To support Miller Homes’ fundraising efforts for Habitat for Humanity GB’s Hope Builders Campaign, please visit the company’s Just Giving page justgiving.com/Millerhomes to donate.