History of the BRENDA Awards

The BRENDAs (Birmingham Real Estate Novel Development Awards) came into being as a product of the Property for Kids fundraising event ‘A Night with the Stars’ in 2003.

The biennial ball was held at the Metropole Hotel in Solihull with over 500 people attending –the event was billed as far more prestigious than the Oscars….property professionals expounding their theories of life and the market place in front of their contemporaries was found to be a successful formulae.

It was decided at the PFK Committee meetings that followed that event, that the BRENDAs could be a success in its on right as a lunchtime fundraiser to keep the PFK profile riding high in the time between our ‘biennial’ main event.

The BRENDA itself was created by Chris Lea and Chris Read over 4 pints of Batham’s Ale in The Crown in Stourbridge, a hot bed of creativity in those days. The first Awards were crafted from the finest plastic West German-manufactured Gnome, sprayed gold and mounted on an English Oak plinth. Nowadays, the same sort of Gnome is ‘no-nailed’ onto a scrap of MDF board, and sprayed gold. Keeps the cost down!

Having just completed the 4th Brenda’s Lunchtime event – this has to be the most well supported and enjoyed event in the City of Birmingham.