Latest News
- Details
- Hits: 63
Excuses Will Kill You- An Evening at Hewitt's
Last week was a proud moment for everyone at Red Squirrel Property Shop as our CEO, Charlie Panayi, officially launched his first book, Excuses Will Kill You, at Hewitt's Restaurant on the Isle of Wight.
The evening brought together friends, family, colleagues, local business owners and members of the community to celebrate the release of Charlie's book and the message behind it. It was an inspiring event, filled with honest conversations, shared experiences and a genuine sense of support from everyone in attendance.
Excuses Will Kill You encourages readers to challenge the barriers that hold them back, take responsibility for their goals and push beyond the excuses that often stop us from reaching our full potential. Drawing on Charlie's own experiences in business and life, the book is packed with practical insights, motivation and lessons that readers can apply to their own journeys.
What made the evening even more special was its charitable impact. Rather than keeping the proceeds from book sales on the night, Charlie chose to donate them to Mountbatten Isle of Wight, helping to support the incredible work they do for Islanders and their families.
Thanks to the generosity of everyone who attended, more than £1,000 was raised for Mountbatten Hospice.
Giving back to our local community has always been something we value at Red Squirrel Property Shop, so seeing Charlie use the launch of his first book as an opportunity to support such an important local charity made the occasion even more meaningful.
We'd like to thank everyone who came along to support Charlie, purchased a copy of the book and contributed to such a fantastic cause. It was a memorable evening and a brilliant example of what can be achieved when our local community comes together.
Congratulations once again to Charlie on the release of Excuses Will Kill You, and thank you to everyone who helped make the launch such a success while raising vital funds for Mountbatten Isle of Wight.
- Details
- Hits: 214
Shining a Light on The Mountbatten Hospice 💛
At Red Squirrel Property Shop, we’re proud to be part of the Isle of Wight community, and we believe in supporting and celebrating the incredible organisations that make a real difference to local people.
As part of our monthly charity spotlight, we’re dedicating time to raising awareness for charities across the Island and the amazing work they do.
This month, we’re shining a light on The Mountbatten Hospice — a charity that provides vital care, support and compassion to Islanders and their families when they need it most.
Supporting Islanders and Their Families
Mountbatten provides 24/7 specialist palliative and end-of-life care to people across the Island who are facing illness, as well as supporting their families and friends through some of life’s most difficult moments.
Their work reaches thousands of Islanders, supporting over 2,500 people at any one time. A huge part of their care takes place in people’s own homes, with around 85% of their services being delivered within the community.
Alongside care at home, Mountbatten provides support through their inpatient unit, day services, outpatient services and rehabilitation at the John Cheverton Centre in Newport.
With demand for their services continuing to grow, Mountbatten now reaches around 70% of all deaths on the Isle of Wight — showing just how important their work is within our Island community.
More Than End-of-Life Care
One thing Mountbatten would love more people to know is that they are so much more than many people realise.
Although many people associate hospices with end-of-life care, Mountbatten is a place focused on helping people live as well as possible.
Specialist teams deliver person-focussed care and the vast majority of this is in the homes of the people being cared-for. Mountbatten’s work is 24/7 and incorporates clinical support and care at home.
Their support also includes rehabilitation, wellbeing services, social activities and psychological support for those experiencing bereavement. This support is also available to families and loved ones, helping people through grief and difficult times.
Mountbatten also works alongside KissyPuppy: The Sophie Rolf Trust to provide support for children and young people experiencing bereavement.
Their John Cheverton Centre in Newport is also a welcoming community space, with a café, beautiful gardens including their Chelsea Garden, an art gallery, events space and regular activities for the community to enjoy.
A Place Built Around Community
Mountbatten is not just a place of care — it is a community hub where people can come together.
The centre hosts social groups, activities and community services, providing opportunities for connection and support. They also offer guidance around planning for the future, helping people think about their wishes and preferences before they need support.
Planning ahead can help make difficult conversations easier and ensures people have the opportunity to make choices that are right for them.
The People Behind Mountbatten
Mountbatten’s work is made possible by a huge team of dedicated staff and volunteers.
From clinical teams providing specialist care, to reception, housekeeping, administration, fundraising and retail teams — every person plays an important role in creating a welcoming and supportive environment.
Their teams understand that supporting people during challenging times is a privilege, and their aim is always to provide care that is personal, compassionate and tailored to each individual.
How Can You Support Mountbatten?
As a charity, Mountbatten relies heavily on the support of the Island community to continue providing these vital services.
There are lots of ways people can help, including:
💛 Volunteering
💛 Fundraising
💛 Donating to Mountbatten charity shops
💛 Taking part in events and challenges
💛 Simply spreading awareness of the work they do
Events such as Walk the Wight, the Isle of Wight Randonnee and other fundraising challenges help raise essential funds to support their services.
You can also support Mountbatten by visiting their café and gardens — enjoying a coffee, cake or time in their beautiful surroundings helps contribute towards their work.
Upcoming Ways to Get Involved
There are lots of opportunities throughout the year to support Mountbatten, including:
🚴 Cycle the Isle of Wight Randonnee with Mountbatten
A 100km cycling challenge around the Island, raising money for your local hospice.
🎀 Remembering with Ribbons
A special opportunity during July and August to remember loved ones by tying a ribbon in Mountbatten’s garden.
🎆 Fireworks Night at Robin Hill
A family-friendly event returning in November, later this year.
Thank You, Mountbatten 💛
The support Mountbatten receives from the Isle of Wight community is what allows their incredible work to continue.
Every donation, volunteering time, fundraiser and act of kindness helps ensure Islanders receive the care and support they need.
At Red Squirrel Property Shop, we’re proud to support local organisations like Mountbatten and help raise awareness of the amazing work they do for our community.
To find out more about Mountbatten Isle of Wight and how you can support them, visit their website or follow their social media pages.
Donate - Donate to Mountbatten Isle of Wight | Mountbatten Isle of Wight
- Details
- Hits: 687
Red Squirrel Property Shop has been shortlisted for six categories at the 2026 Agents Giving Fundraising Champions Awards, while CEO Charlie Panayi has received a further two individual nominations.
The eight nominations recognise years of community impact, charity work, fundraising and awareness campaigns delivered across the Isle of Wight and beyond.
Founded with a vision of creating more than just another estate agency, Red Squirrel Property Shop was built around a simple principle: if a business is successful, it should give back to the community it serves.
Since launching, the company has supported countless local initiatives, charities, schools, sports clubs and community projects, becoming known not only for property services but for its commitment to making a meaningful difference across the Island.
For Charlie Panayi, community impact has always been about more than fundraising.
Following the loss of his sister Zoe to melanoma in 2020, Charlie launched Zoe's Law, a campaign dedicated to improving awareness, prevention and early detection of skin cancer.
Most recently, this work helped launch Sun Safe Schools on the Isle of Wight in partnership with national skin cancer charity SKCIN, bringing potentially life saving sun safety education into local schools.
The campaign has also led to practical preventative initiatives, including providing free sun cream through UKSA to help protect young people spending time outdoors on the Island.
Alongside his work with Zoe's Law, Charlie serves as a Trustee of Mountbatten Isle of wight & Hampshire, helping support one of the Island's most important charities and the vital care it provides to local families.
Over the years, Charlie and the Red Squirrel team have also organised and supported numerous fundraising events, awareness campaigns and community initiatives, raising thousands of pounds for local causes while helping shine a spotlight on issues that matter.
Charlie Panayi said:
"When we started Red Squirrel, the goal was never simply to build an estate agency.
We wanted to build the sort of business we would want to use ourselves, but also one that genuinely gave something back to the community around it.
These nominations mean a lot because they recognise the impact created by an incredible team of people who care about making a difference.
Whether that's supporting Mountbatten, helping launch Sun Safe Schools, providing sun protection for young people through UKSA, raising awareness through Zoe's Law, supporting local charities or helping community projects, it's all driven by the same belief.
Businesses have a responsibility to contribute to the communities that support them.
If we can use our platform to improve lives, raise awareness or create positive change, then that's something worth doing."
- Details
- Hits: 997
Walk the Wight 2026
The team at Red Squirrel Property Shop proudly took part in Walk the Wight 2026 on Sunday 10th May in memory of Zoe Panayi, while also raising awareness and support for Zoe’s Law.
Members of our team — including Zoe’s two boys — completed various trails from the 4 mile walk all the way up to the incredible challenge of the full 27.5 mile Walk the Wight trek across the Isle of Wight. Together, we joined thousands of walkers raising vital funds for Mountbatten Hospice and supporting a cause that means so much to families across the island community.
Donate to Our Walk the Wight Fundraiser
If you would like to support our fundraising efforts for Mountbatten Hospice and Zoe’s Law, you can donate here:
https://mountbatteniow.enthuse.com/pf/red-squirrel-in-memory-of-zoe-panayi
Every donation helps support vital end-of-life care on the Isle of Wight while also helping raise awareness for melanoma testing and Zoe’s Law.
What is Walk the Wight?
Walk the Wight is one of the Isle of Wight’s biggest and most recognised charity events and is considered Europe’s largest walking fundraiser of its kind. Organised annually by Mountbatten Hospice, the event brings together thousands of people each year to walk across the island in support of hospice care and bereavement services.
Walkers can choose from several different routes depending on ability and experience, including:
- The full 26.5-mile walk from Bembridge to Alum Bay
- Half-walk routes of 12 and 14 miles
- The 4-mile Schools Walk
- The accessible 8-mile flat walk
The event raises essential funding for Mountbatten Hospice, a community-funded Isle of Wight charity providing compassionate end-of-life care, support for people with life-limiting illnesses, and bereavement support for families.
Supporting Mountbatten Hospice on the Isle of Wight
Mountbatten Hospice plays a hugely important role within the Isle of Wight community and continues to support countless local families every year. Thanks to fundraising events like Walk the Wight and the generosity of the local community, Mountbatten can continue providing its services free of charge to those who need them most.
The atmosphere throughout the event was incredible once again, with amazing support, encouragement, and community spirit from start to finish. A huge thank you goes to the Mountbatten team and volunteers for organising such a fantastic event.
Raising Awareness for Zoe’s Law
Taking part in Walk the Wight was especially meaningful for our team as we walked in memory of Zoe Panayi and to continue raising awareness for Zoe’s Law.
Zoe’s Law is a campaign calling for all removed moles and skin tags — in both NHS and private healthcare settings — to be routinely tested for melanoma. The campaign was created following the tragic loss of Zoe Panayi, sister of our CEO Charlie, who sadly passed away in 2020 after a removed mole was not tested, leading to a missed cancer diagnosis.
By continuing to support Zoe’s Law, we hope to help create meaningful change, improve melanoma detection, and help prevent other families from experiencing similar heartbreak.
To learn more about Zoe’s Law and support the campaign, visit the official Linktree below:
A Huge Well Done to Everyone Involved
We are incredibly proud of everyone who took part in Walk the Wight 2026 and grateful to everyone who walked in memory of Zoe and in support of Zoe’s Law.
Whether completing the 8-mile route or the full island crossing, every participant contributed towards an unforgettable day supporting Mountbatten Hospice and the wider Isle of Wight community.
Well done to every walker, volunteer, supporter, and organiser involved in making Walk the Wight 2026 another incredible success
- Details
- Hits: 1545
When it comes to property maintenance, the smallest issues often cause the biggest headaches. A minor leak, a loose tile, or a blocked gutter might not seem urgent at first, but left unattended, these problems can quickly escalate into costly repairs and serious damage.
Being proactive with regular checks can save time, money, and stress and help protect your property long term.
Here at Red Squirrel our maintenance team help prevent these problems and here are some tips on how you can prevent these issues and save yourself money in the long run.
- Details
- Hits: 939
How to Help Your Home Sell in 2026
As we move into 2026, the property market in the UK and on the Isle of wight continues to evolve. Buyers are more informed, more selective, and often quicker to rule out homes that don’t meet their expectations. The good news? With the right preparation, you can significantly improve your chances of achieving a successful offer and sale within 2026.
- Details
- Hits: 1088
Renters' Reform Rights' act 2025
This is the biggest shake-up to private renting in decades.
From 1 May 2026 the rules around repossessions, deposits and property standards change, and that means landlords must act now.
- Details
- Hits: 1098
5 Reasons Why Your Property Might Be Overpriced (and How to Fix It)
If your home has been sitting on the market without viewings or offers, it might not be the property that’s the problem, it could be the price.
In today’s Isle of Wight property market, pricing your home correctly is key to standing out from other homes for sale and attracting serious buyers.
- Details
- Hits: 588
Why People Say the UK Property Market Is “Dead” - And Why It Really Isn’t.
If you’ve chatted with anyone about property lately, you’ve probably heard someone say, “the market’s dead.”
But here’s the truth, it’s not dead at all. It’s just different.
After several years of post-pandemic, record-low interest rates, and properties selling in days for over the asking price, the market was bound to cool. What we’re seeing now in 2025 isn’t collapse, it’s correction.
- Details
- Hits: 550
Why People Say the UK Property Market Is “Dead” - And Why It Really Isn’t.
If you’ve chatted with anyone about property lately, you’ve probably heard someone say, “the market’s dead.”
But here’s the truth, it’s not dead at all. It’s just different.
After several years of post-pandemic, record-low interest rates, and properties selling in days for over the asking price, the market was bound to cool. What we’re seeing now in 2025 isn’t collapse, it’s correction.
