Community has been at the heart of Esquire Developments since childhood friends David Braddon and Paul Henry founded the business in 2011. Fifteen years later, after growing the business into one of Kent’s best-known independent developers, David Braddon, Director at Esquire Developments, says the company’s values haven’t changed.

“People sometimes have this idea that developers are only driven by financials,” he says. “But that’s never been what we’ve been about. It’s always been about community, quality, relationships and doing things properly.”

Today, Esquire builds between 200 and 300 homes each year and has become one of Kent’s best-known independent housebuilders. But David says the company’s values have remained exactly the same.

“We’ve always wanted to keep that true essence of being a local SME. As we’ve grown, we’ve worked hard not to lose that personal service, attention to detail and connection with our community.”

They were the values that shaped the business from its earliest days.

David still remembers meeting Kent farmer Robert Filmer, who was looking for someone to develop land that had belonged to his family for generations. Larger developers had expressed an interest, but Robert chose to put his faith in two ambitious 23-year-olds instead.

“He put a huge amount of faith in us,” David says. “The site meant a lot to him because it had been in his family for generations. He wanted to leave behind something he could look back on and be proud of.”

More than 15 years later, Esquire has gone on to complete further projects with Robert’s family. David still describes that trust as one of the relationships that helped shape the business.

Those same values have shaped Esquire’s partnership with ellenor since 2016.

“As soon as we were in a position where we could start supporting local charities, ellenor was the clear first choice.”

For David and Paul, both born and brought up in Gravesend, the connection runs much deeper than business.

The charity had already touched their families long before Esquire was established. Paul’s grandfather received care from ellenor, while David also had longstanding family connections with the charity.

“We’ve always been very community focused,” David explains. “ellenor has always been part of the community we grew up in, so when we were able to start supporting local charities, it felt like the obvious place to begin.”

Over the past decade, Esquire has contributed more than £70,000 to help fund specialist hospice care for local families. But David is quick to move the conversation away from the figure.

“It’s lovely to know we’ve raised that amount, but it’s not really about looking backwards,” he says. “It’s about asking how we can keep growing that number and how we can continue helping.”

In fact, he doesn’t even like describing Esquire as an ellenor sponsor.

“I don’t really like the word ‘sponsor’,” he admits. “I’d much rather say we support ellenor. It isn’t just about making a donation. It’s about being part of what they’re doing.”

That support can be seen across many of ellenor’s biggest community events, from the annual Twilight Walk to this summer’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt art trail, where Esquire has sponsored two beautifully designed bear sculptures.

One sculpture, Blueprint, cleverly reflects the company’s work as a developer, while Bearly Behaving captures the fun, creativity and family spirit of the trail.

“I think they’re both fabulous completely different reasons,” David says. “Blueprint has that connection with what we do as a business, but Bearly Behaving captures the creativity and inclusivity of the trail. It’s something everyone can enjoy.”

For David, though, one event captures the spirit of ellenor more than any other.

Having supported the Twilight Walk since its early days, he has watched it grow into one of Kent’s best-loved community fundraising events, attracting around 1,500 people each year.

Now, his own children are old enough to take part.

“One of my favourite moments is arriving at the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara halfway around the route,” he says. “You see hundreds of people coming together, volunteers preparing food for everyone, families stopping to chat and support one another.

“When I stand there with my children, I just think, ‘This is what community should feel like.’”

Moments like these have also changed David’s understanding of hospice care.

Like many people, he once thought hospices were places that provided end-of-life care. Supporting ellenor has given him a very different understanding of hospice care.

“It isn’t only about the person receiving care,” he says. “It’s about everyone around them who also needs support. I don’t think people always realise everything ellenor does.”

He speaks with enormous admiration for the clinical teams and everyone working behind the scenes.

“I don’t know how people do it,” he says. “I don’t think I could do a job like that, dealing with people in such difficult circumstances while maintaining that positive feeling and always doing the best for them. It’s incredible. The people who provide that care are phenomenal.”

As Esquire has grown to almost 80 employees, the partnership with ellenor has grown alongside it.

While David and Paul still choose the charities the business supports, the wider team now plays an active role in finding new and creative ways to make a difference.

“It’s become part of who we are,” David says. “We’ve got people in the business who dedicate time to thinking creatively about how we can support the charities we work with and help them reach more people.”

Although Esquire is celebrating 15 years in business, David has little interest in looking back.

“I don’t want us to rest on our laurels because we’ve raised a certain amount,” he says. “I’d much rather keep finding new ways to support ellenor, help raise awareness and make an even bigger difference.”

If another local business is considering supporting ellenor, David doesn’t hesitate in encouraging them to get involved.

“I’d encourage them to come along to one of ellenor’s events. As soon as you see and feel that sense of community, it isn’t really a question you need to ask yourself after that. You feel like you want to be part of it.”