YORK-BASED housebuilder Persimmon is launching a £400,000 charity giveaway to mark its 40th birthday – with one lucky charity set to win a new three bedroom detached house worth £250,000.

The company will also give a further £138,000 in cash to charities across England, Wales and Scotland.

A spokeswoman for Persimmon Homes Yorkshire said it was encouraging charities in its region to enter and be in with a chance of winning the new home, or one of the 23 runners-up prizes of a £6,000 donation.

She said Persimmon was founded in 1972 by current life president Duncan Davidson and had grown to be one of the largest and most successful housebuilders in the UK.

Persimmon Homes Yorkshire’s managing director, Andrew Bowes, said the company was giving back to the communities it had worked with over the past 40 years.

He said:“In the first instance, we are asking charities with a turnover of no more than £10 million to tell us in 250 words or less why their charity deserves to win our brand new house. Supporters of charities can also nominate.”

The winning charity will be announced at a special Persimmon Homes birthday charity lunch in September.

• To enter the competition, charities and their supporters should go to persimmonhomes.com/40