The John Good Group is a unique family business deeply committed to its social impact. We’re one of only a few organisations whose whole purpose is directly aligned with delivering additional profit into charitable endeavours, and we’re proud to do this via our charity, the Matthew Good Foundation. In 2022, the John Good Group made a significant commitment to increase funding to the Foundation, and it’s fantastic to see the substantial growth in activity and its impact on small non-profits and our local communities.
One of the key aims of the Matthew Good Foundation is to engage John Good Group employees in philanthropy and support them in supporting the causes they care about. We’re delighted to see this engagement increasing year after year, with employees supporting various causes, from children’s education to marine conservation. A real highlight for me is the increase in our volunteer days, and it’s fantastic to see some of the team providing pro bono support by sharing our skills within the business with the projects we support.
Bringing the stories and messages of small charities to life through film is an exciting development, and it’s heart-warming to learn more about the projects we’re supporting and the inspirational people behind them.
Finally, sharing our expertise within the Foundation with other businesses, who can use it as a platform to achieve their own philanthropic ambitions, is a natural step and further amplifies our charity’s impact, so it was fantastic to welcome our first partner and help connect them and their employees with local charities.
Thank you to the whole team, our partners, and all employees at John Good Group for helping us make a difference.
Adam Walsh CEO John Good Group
Welcome
2023 was another incredible year for the Matthew Good Foundation. Our giving was higher than ever during the year, with more than £300,000 granted to good causes.
In line with our strategy to support small charities, most funds awarded this year went to organisations with an annual income of less than £1m, with 46% of our giving going to micro-organisations with a yearly income of less than £50,000.
A few highlights during the year include:
• Passing the £1m giving milestone and celebrating by surprising two small charities, HER Breast Friends and Clean Planet, with £5,000 each in unrestricted funding.
• John Good Group’s Grants for Good programme increasing to £60,000, providing further funding to micro-charities in light of the cost of living crisis.
• Welcoming SDL Minorfern as one of our partners and supporting them in launching the Minorfern Foundation to support local charities and engage their employees in the charitable giving programme.
• Significantly increasing the number of films funded and forming new partnerships to deliver more films for small charities.
• Supporting 172 good causes thanks to our generous partners and supporters.
• Beginning a new project to better understand our impact on our beneficiaries and the small charity sector; with results of the study to be published in 2024.
• Funding the creation of Race Ready Run CIC, a new nonprofit and app designed to provide evidence-based medical and performance advice to participants in endurance events that will officially launch in 2024.
• Completing a rebrand of all programmes and launching our new website.
Our activities are only possible thanks to funding and pro-bono support from the John Good Group, and we are incredibly grateful for their ongoing commitment to support the Matthew Good Foundation.
We would like to thank our trustees for their continued guidance and support and the whole team of employees, partners, and volunteers who help us make a difference to our beneficiaries. We are delighted that in 2023, we have grown our giving and provided much-needed support to many small charities working so hard to make a difference in local communities.
Tim Good Chairman
Michelle Taft Executive Director
Year in numbers
In 2023, the Matthew Good Foundation granted over £302,000 to charities, non-profits and social enterprises. Not only was this a record amount, but we also helped a record number of organisations, with 172 charities and nonprofits benefitting from one or more of our funding and support packages. This has been possible thanks to new and increased funding from our partner businesses, and particularly the John Good Group, who continue to fund all of our running costs. Thanks to their support, we are able to direct 100% of funding from other businesses and members of the public to charitable organisations.
Our grants and donation amounts are extremely varied and can be anything from a £10 donation match to a large grant. Our largest grant in 2023 was £14,500.
Amplifying Small Non-Profits
Thousands of innovative local charities and non-profit organisations make a huge difference to society. Yet many are underfunded, and need more support to deliver the impact they are capable of. In 2022 we launched a new five-year strategy to target support packages and unrestricted funding at small organisations, and the majority of funds granted this year went to organisations with an annual income of less than £1m, with almost half going to micro-organisations with an annual income of less than £50,000. Most of these were unrestricted grants, giving organisations the flexibility they need to survive and thrive.
Sustainable Development
Good Health and Wellbeing
Climate Action / Life on Land / Life below water
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Reduced Inequalities
Quality Education
No poverty / Zero hunger
Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Created by the United Nations, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a blueprint for achieving a more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The varied nature of our programmes means that our grants support multiple SDGs, but where possible we aim to support those shown below. 90% of funds granted went to small non-profits (under £1m income)
Growing Programmes
In 2023, we re-launched our growing list of programmes under three new brands. We named them “Amplify” to reflect our strategy of helping small non-profits to increase their impact, whilst also empowering businesses to target giving at higher impact non-profits.
Helping businesses direct funds meaningfully
Our tailored packages support our partner businesses to become involved in making a meaningful difference in their local communities by fostering connections with small, high-impact non-profits. Uniquely, they also empower the business’s employees by including them in the process.
Amplify funding programmes are designed to bridge the gap between businesses looking for help to choose appropriate causes confidently, and non-profits without the resources to handle complex funding bids.
Our largest Amplify Funding Programme partner is John Good Group, encompassing multiple initiatives including a generous Employee Giving Programme (see page 13) and Grants for Good (see page 10), which accepts external applications from non-profits, issuing grants of up to £5,000.
In 2023 we have worked with our new partner, SDL Minorfern, to create the Minorfern Foundation (see page 21), issuing grants of up to £4,000.
Long-term unrestricted funding
A stronger voice for small non-profits
We often work with charities that would benefit from longer term funding. These larger grant packages of up to £50,000 over a number of years give non-profits a more secure income, freeing up valuable resources for their charitable aims and/or growth plans. Amplify Charity Grants are funded by a wide range of donors, including businesses, philanthropists, and public donations. They are selected by our internal panel based on selected sustainable development goals, and are not open for external applications.
Non-profits can struggle to access resources other than funding, including ways of communicating their message to more people. This is something we can provide additional support with, and in 2023 we offered lots of the charities and non-profits we’ve supported the additional opportunity to benefit from a professional quality short film or documentary. Films are funded by a wide range of donors, including businesses, philanthropists, and public donations, with beneficiaries chosen by our internal panel, who also consider expressions of interests from suitable non-profits.
Increased Funding
In 2023 we have expanded the range of packages we offer through all of our Amplify programmes, as well as increased the amount of funds granted. Amplify Funding Programmes has attracted a new business partner, whilst existing business partners have increased their investment into their funds. Amplify Charity Films, introduced in 2022, has had its first full year and is helping more non-profits to communicate their message. Thanks to increased funding from our donors, we have also been able to increase the amount of Amplify Charity Grants awarded.
£119,796 +30% 21 Organisations
£14,010 +139% 10 Organisations
£169,095 +20% 151 Organisations
This includes from the JGG Employee Giving Programme: £91,095 130 Organisations
The Matthew Foundation offers a range of grant programmes to UK registered non-profits. A large proportion of funds we award are in the Yorkshire & Humber area due to the location of the businesses we currently support, but the amount we fund across the rest of the UK grows every year as our funding and programmes expand.
Helping businesses direct funds more meaningfully to high-impact non-profits
Charities and non-profits in the UK are often formed at grassroots level by experts in the field, meaning they are able to make a big impact with a small amount of funding. However, they are often making their first steps into funding applications. We offer a simple, informal and friendly process that helps them to access funders who really care about the impact they are making and are proud to support them in their goals.
All of our Amplify Funding Programmes are funded by our partner businesses, who we support to become involved in making a meaningful difference in their local communities, whilst empowering their employees in the process.
“Making a positive difference to the communities we operate in and the wider environment, is core to our objectives. We’re a business that puts purpose right at the heart of our operations. The Matthew Good Foundation helps us to achieve these outcomes, by providing access to amazing, purpose-led organisations where they know our impact can make a difference. The expertise in the Foundation team makes this an easy process, helping the team here at John Good to understand, engage and have really fulfilling life experiences when delivering social impact.
Adam Walsh CEO, John Good Group
Grants for Good Men in Sheds (Hull)
Grants for Good is designed to direct funding to small and growing local charities, voluntary groups or social enterprises that are making a big impact on communities, people or the environment. Each quarter, the Matthew Good Foundation shortlists 5 micro-organisations with an income under £50,000. The amount each is awarded is decided in a vote by John Good Group employees, with the highest amounts going to those with the most votes. Annually, the fund supports 20 non-profits with £60,000 granted in total.
Men in Sheds (Hull) aims to avoid detrimental health impacts of social isolation on older men by providing a safe and inclusive space for members to come together to undertake woodworking projects, offering social interaction and a sense of purpose in the community. As well as selling the products they create, the group regularly help other community organisations in the city. The charity was started in 2014 by Barry Cooper, a retired chef from Hull who had suffered from multiple strokes, after he saw a documentary on TV about a project called Men in Sheds in Australia. In March 2023, they made the Grants for Good shortlist and attracted the most votes from John Good Group employees to secure the highest possible grant of £5,000, which Adam Walsh, CEO of the John Good Group presented to them during one of their sessions (photo left).
Humber Wellbeing Hub
The Humber Wellbeing Hub works closely with the Humber Bridge Board and local authorities to provide a much-needed community resource; A safe, welcoming environment, staffed with trained volunteers, offering wellbeing information, support and advice. Some who access the facility are referred to specialist support, whilst others just pop in for a cuppa and a chat, or to access the wide range of wellbeing activities on offer in the beautiful surroundings of the Country Park. With some sessions delivered by their own experts and volunteers, and others by external partners, they currently provide activities including menopause support groups, bereavement support groups and host Andy’s Man Club.
Since the hub opened, their dedicated team of volunteers have been saving lives just by being available to talk, but they are not currently able to open every day. As part of their search for the funds, volunteers and partnerships necessary to open daily, they applied for Grants for Good.
In November 2023, the Humber Wellbeing Hub was announced as a Grants for Good finalist, and in the employee vote secured the highest possible grant of £5,000, which will go towards the cost of increasing activities at the hub including volunteer expenses, training, DBS checks & communication materials.
Since winning Grants for Good, the Matthew Good Foundation has offered to help the Humber Wellbeing Hub further to gain the exposure it needs, working with them to start production of a promotional film through the Amplify Charity Films programme, and also planning to help them with volunteering support with access to their corporate volunteering network, with many supporters from the John Good Group working just next door to the Hub. In addition, John Good Group employees have offered their support to the charity in the form of grants they can personally apply for through John Good Group’s employee giving programme.
The Humber Wellbeing Hub receiving their grant
Care Across Communities
Care Across Communities received a £2,500 grant from John Good Group’s Grants for Good programme in November 2023, to fund stationery products school children living in marginalised communities in Bangladesh.
After receiving the grant, the charity’s founder, Illina visited rural Bangladesh, travelling to Premnagar tea garden and Purba Majdehee village in Moulvibazar district, to deliver stationery products to a total of 230 children - including school bags, exercise books, pens and pencils.
Helping John Good Group employees support causes close to their hearts Employee Giving
John Good Group’s bespoke employee giving programme allows their employees to direct the business’s charitable donations to causes they care about in a wide range of ways.
As well as supporting the company in achieving its ESG aims, John Good Group reports that its giving programme helps with employee engagement, recruitment and retention of top talent, customer acquisition and loyalty.
It is also a great way of seeing their values in action, and gives employees the rewarding experience of engaging directly with the charities they support.
“Thank you to the John Good Group, Matthew Good Foundation, Turning Corners, and Dove House Hospice for making this possible.
It is a great way for me and my family to remember my Grandma and for people that are at Dove House to enjoy in the garden.
I am really grateful for the employee giving programme as the bench is not something I could have achieved on my own.”
Chloe Yarwood Good Travel Management
Champion Grants
£53,943
72 Organisations
Employees can nominate small charities and projects in their local community to receive grants of up to £1,000.
Double Match
£10,892
14 Organisations
Employees fundraising efforts are double matched when they fundraise for charity, so every £1 raised becomes £3 raised.
2023 Total
£75,279
Donation Match
£4,444
25 Organisations
Employee’s personal donations are matched, so every £1 donated becomes £2 donated.
Turning Corners
Monthly Draw
£6,000
18 Organisations
Every month, employees are entered into a draw, with the winners receiving a £250 donation to their charity of choice.
Chloe’s Grandma, Jackie had spent four days at Dove House Hospice before sadly passing away. During this time the hospice had supported not only Jackie, but her family, and Chloe applied for a £500 Champion Grant to express her appreciation to the charity. In order to maximise the impact of the grant, the Matthew Good Foundation offered instead to fund the purchase of a memorial bench for the hospice garden. A bespoke bench, arbour and planters (see photo left) were purchased from another local charity, Turning Corners, a small charity in Hull helping people recovering from mental health conditions to ease their way back into the community through woodworking workshops, where they create furniture by tender, and also for their factory shop.
Outkast Panda Crew
Outkast Panda Crew are a team of volunteers improving the lives of young adults in the Hull area who are at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour and crime by offering them a route to positive engagement and success in their community, through a subject that is interesting and accessible to them – cars. Students are able to build employability, find routes into further education improve self-esteem by building soft skills.
After learning about Outkast Panda for the first time through Grants for Good in 2022, Transport Manager from warehousing and haulage business, TEPS - Dave Senior - was inspired by what they were doing in the community, and he joined their team as a volunteer. With a keen interest in mechanics and an appreciation for the benefits the organisation brings to the local community, Dave used his skills to start volunteering for the organisation, and also supported them further with a Champion Grant of £1000.
Bridge2Bridge Fundraiser
In July, Adam Walsh - CEO of the John Good Group - completed an ambitious 212-mile cycle ride for charity. Starting at the Severn Bridge in Gloucestershire, the ride spanned seven English counties and 212 miles in just 14 hours, ending up in East Yorkshire at the Humber Bridge.
Adam raised a total of £8346, which included a £2000 Double Match from the Employee Giving Programme. Some of the funds raised went into the Matthew Good Foundation’s Amplify Fund, whilst £3,115 went directly to the Sailors’ Children’s Society and £3,115 went to Leeds Hospital Charity - both charities that are close to Adam’s heart.
Adam handing over one of the fundraising cheques
Adam at the end of his cycle ride
Dave Senior (left) at Outkast Panda Crew
Employee Giving Beneficiaries
1st Haworth Scout Group
4Louis Aim Higher
Alzheimers Society
Amnesty International
Andy’s Man Club
Attic Youth Center
Banter & Brews
BBC Children in Need
Bradley Lowery Foundation
Breast Cancer Now
Bristol Seafarers Centre
British Red Cross
Bronwen’s Wish
Butterflies Memory Loss Support Group
Calington Foodbank
Callington Primary School
Cancer Campaign in Suffolk Cancer Research
Carnegie Heritage Centre
CatZero
Chasing Rainbows
Children with Cancer UK
Christian Aid
Clean Ocean Sailing
Comic Relief
Cradle Charity
DEC
Derby Mountain Rescue Team
Dove House Hospice
East of England Asbestos Patient Support Group
East Riding Community Foundation Trust
East Yorkshire Foodbank
Emmaus
Eyke Village Hall
Fans Supporting Foodbanks
Felixstowe Opportunity Group
Firefly Cancer Awareness and Support Doncaster
For the love of Gospel
Formby Beach Litter
HER Breast Friends
Hessle Open Gateway Club
HICA Shine Fund
Hull 4 Heroes
Humber Wellbeing Hub
Islamic Relief USA
Kingston Boxing Club
Launceston Food Bank
Leeds Hospitals Charity
Lewannick Primary School PTA
Lindsey Lodge Hospice
Lions Club of Felixstowe
Liskeard & Looe Foodbank
Liverpool Seafarers Centre
Macmillan Cancer Support
Magic Moments for Autistic Kids
Make a Medic
Market Weighton Scout Group
Market Weighton Youth Action Club
Matthew’s Hub
Men in Sheds (Haltemprice)
Men in Sheds (Lisvane)
Mental Health Foundation
Mentor Link
Millbrook Skatepark
Mind
Mires Beck Nursery
MS Society
Neighborhood Network (Humberside)
Nurture a Child
Oakwood Dog Rescue
Ormiston Children & Families Trust
OSPREY
Outkast Panda Crew CIC
Oxfam (Turkey Syria Appeal)
Parkstone Kids Club
Plymouth Age Concern
POW Nottingham
PTFA of Minster School
Ready Steady Read
Turning Corners
Ren’s Rescue
Sailors Children’s Society
Sands
Sarcoma UK
Save the Children
Sheffield Hospitals Charity
South Essex Wildlife Hospital
Southend Hospital Special Care
Baby Unit and Fetal Medicine
Spaniel Aid
St Andrews Hospice
St Cleer Primary school PTFA
St Elizabeth Hospice
St Leonards Hospice
St Martins Scout Group Hull
Stonewall Charity
Take Heart
TCCL Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia
Teenage Cancer trust
The Bank West Hull
The Brain Tumor Charity
The Bumblebee Childrens Charity (via Pallet Teen)
The Childrens Foundation
The Childrens Hospital Charity
The Clothing Bank
The Donkey Sanctuary
The Friends of Inmans Primary School
The Osbourne Trust
The Pilgrim Shed
The Tribune Trust
The Wheelchair Football Association
Thornbury & District Stroke Support Group
Thurmans Community Garden
Tilbury Seamans Club
UK Wild Otter Trust
Uniting Friends
Unity in Community HU6 (Foodbank)
Water Aid
Waterloo Community Counselling
Westbourne Community Centre (via Pallet Teen)
Freedom Road Creative Arts
Friends and Familes
Friends of Thorngumbald School
Harry’s HAT
Rethink Mental Illness
RSPCA Cornwall
RSPCA Hull & East Riding
Rubens Voice
WISHH Hull
Yorkshire Wolds Riding for the Disabled
Volunteering in local communities A Day to Make a Difference
We support the John Good Group by managing a volunteering programme that enables employees to take a paid day-off to make a difference in their local community with practical help.
Volunteering hours delivered +323% since 2022
“Thank you for the opportunity. It has been an amazing, informative day. Along with the children/ staff of the school, the weather was on our side and both Sue & Keith from HEY Childrens Uni were fantastic. An experience and wonderful day, we will never forget!”
Volunteer from Good Travel Management
“I thoroughly enjoyed my experience volunteering and would love to do something similar again. All of the staff and volunteers were really welcoming and advised us exactly what we needed to do but most importantly we all had fun and the children loved it.”
Volunteer from Good Travel Management
Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University
In September 2023 six employees from the John Good Group used their volunteering day to supervise children and encourage them to learn new things and explore on educational school trips to Spurn Point, organised by the Children’s University and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. During the trips across two days, they helped 61 children to take part in litter picking, insect gathering and fossil hunting. (See photo left.)
In addition, the trips were two of six that will be funded by an Amplify Charity Grant over the next year from the John Good Group - see page 25 for more details.
RSPCA
Most RSPCA branches are heavily reliant on volunteers to help look after animals in their care, so in August, two teams of employees from the John Good Group spent a day each helping out at the RSPCA Clough Road rescue centre. The Group’s finance team used their days together as a team building day, whilst a second team was made up of animal lovers from across the Group. The volunteers helped out in the gardens, helped tab clothes in the charity shop, and of course socialised with lots of animals and walked the dogs. Chloe Yarwood from Good Travel Management said, “It was very eye opening to see the work that goes into caring for the animals and also just what some of the animals go through before they get to the RSPCA.”
OSPREY
Alex Sutton from Good Travel regularly volunteers and fundraises for OSPREY - a charity founded by her late grandma to fund research into Osteoporosis in East Yorkshire. Alex used her volunteering day to help out with their “Literary Lunch” fundraiser, which raised around £1000. As this was a fundraiser, Alex was also granted a Double Match for her percentage of the funds raised, and because she volunteers in her spare time, she was also able to Champion them with another £2000 of grants over the year. The support given to Alex is a perfect example of how the John Good Group’s extensive programme holistically supports and incentivises employees to drive charitable endeavours in their own communities.
FiND
Rich Quelch from the John Good Group shared his professional skills during his volunteering day, running a marketing workshop with the team at local charity, FiND. This gave them insight into how to create a marketing plan that would create the right proposition and generate new revenue streams for the charity. Rich said, “The day was excellent. The incredible team of five came across to John Good Group for the day and we thrashed out a marketing plan to support the charity’s future growth and awareness.” Rich has also continued to support the team with pro-bono work, and is helping to create their new brand proposition, brand execution and website to support their plans for the next 3-5 years. FiND have also received an Amplify Charity Grant from the Matthew Good Foundation this year (see page 27).
Rich has also supported FiND with a Champion Grant
In 2023, we didn’t just have a record year with more than £300,000 granted, we also hit a major milestone of £1m granted since we were founded by the John Good Group in 2011. To celebrate, we surprised two recent beneficiaries of the John Good Group’s programmes with an extra donation. The charities below were voted as the winners by John Good Group employees, and each received £5,000.
HER Breast Friends
HER Breast Friends - winner in the “People” category - is a small Hull and East Yorkshire-based charity supporting local people affected by breast cancer, offering practical help with advice, a wig bank and a bra bank, and emotional help with wellbeing days and group support from local peers. The charity has been supported for a number of years by DAN Shipping (a subsidiary of the John Good Group) employee Tracy Keenan-Smith.
Clean Planet
Clean Planet - winner in the “Planet” category - is a charity set up by hobbyist diver, Stephen Smith, who lives near the mouth of the River Tees at the top of North Yorkshire. Horrified by the amount of lost and abandoned fishing gear, termed “ghost gear,” which he discovered when diving around the coastline, he decided to take the problem literally into his own hands, removing and recycling the gear himself piece by piece.
Family-owned vehicle parts distributor, SDL Minorfern has teamed up with the Matthew Good Foundation to launch the Minorfern Foundation, which will award grants to local charities and community groups to the value of £40,000 in its first year.
With a team of more than 320 valued employees across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Yorkshire, the programme has received a wide range of excellent nominations from SDL Minorfern employees for local organisations needing support.
The first two charities to benefit were selected in 2023, with each receiving a £4,000 grant.
Further charities and non-profits will be announced as beneficiaries of the programme throughout 2024. Follow the hashtag #MinorfernFoundation to keep up to date.
“I am thrilled to announce the launch of the Minorfern Foundation on behalf of our entire team. Committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work, our foundation aims to support smaller regional charities that are truly making a difference. By the end of 2024 we aim to donate £40,000 and we look forward to actively contributing to these causes and creating a lasting, positive change in the regions where our business operates.”
Nick Holland Managing Director - SDL Minorfern
Walking 4 Hope
Walking 4 hope is a charity that supports families and young people who find it difficult to deal with the pressures that day to day life presents, including those experiencing or at risk of poor mental health. They provide recreational/leisure time activities in the interest of social welfare, and offer practical advice, support and signposting to other organisations when required. They also educate the wider public on mental health through the distribution of material produced by expert organisations.
The charity’s journey is inspired by their Director, John, who found solace in the outdoors after tragically losing his son, Jake, to suicide in 2020. John dedicates his life to ensuring that others do not suffer as he has, by sharing his love for his son and promoting the healing power of nature.
The Children’s Hospital Charity
The money raised through donations to The Children’s Hospital Charity supports specialist treatment from head to toe, by funding life-saving equipment, new facilities, a comfortable environment and vital research at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, which changes paediatric care for thousands of children from across the world.
Sheffield Children’s is at the heart of everything The Children’s Hospital Charity does, delivering over and above the NHS provision and ultimately enhancing the patient and family experience, working with Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust to ensure that children and young people can receive the very best care, in the best possible environment.
Long-term unrestricted funding is the key to growing our high-impact charities
Unrestricted funding is one of the hardest types of funding for charities to find, as it relies on trusting the charity to decide what the funds are best spent on as their needs evolve. Also, impact data can take a long time to be realised. Whilst these drawbacks put some funders off, we believe that unrestricted funding can be a powerful and rewarding way to support nonprofits and charities, providing a solid foundation for them to work towards their long-term goals.
We often support these projects for at least three years, so we get to witness firsthand the incredible impact that these growing initiatives are making on our world.
“Thanks to the generous support of the Matthew Good Foundation we were able to deliver our Ocean Well Being project to disadvantaged communities in Cornwall. Ocean Well Being brings together marine conservation and positive social outreach. In 2023 we supported 55 participants from all walks of life, some who have been through the criminal system, many who are homeless, war veterans, refugees, and many who suffer from mental health issues”
Monika & Steve Clean
Ocean Sailing
Clean Ocean Sailing
Clean Ocean Sailing was founded with the aim of cleaning our coasts and oceans sustainably under sail and raising awareness about ocean plastics. The family-run team of volunteers remove and recycle plastics using their sustainable sail-powered 116-year-old restored boat – the Annette - around the rivers and coastline of the UK’s South Coast. In 2022 they collected more than 50 tonnes of plastic waste.
Having previously supported Clean Ocean Sailing with Champion Grants through the John Good Group Employee Giving Programme, in 2023 The Matthew Good Foundation agreed to support Clean Ocean Sailing with a grant of £30,000 delivered over the next three years for their latest mission –the Ocean Well Being Project.
The Ocean Well Being Project aims to bring together marine conservation and positive social outreach, offering individuals from disadvantaged communities the opportunity to participate in ocean clean-up missions.
During three-day sea voyages on the Annette, participants experience sailing, kayaking,
wild swimming alongside activities with a positive environmental impactbeach cleaning, processing marine plastics for recycling and repurposing. This is accompanied by three self-development workshops, each consisting of a presentation, group conversation, practical tasks plus Q&As led by a qualified mental-health nurse and a stress management consultant.
Through participation in challenging outdoor activities, working as a team, the project aims to build self-confidence and a sense of achievement. The beach cleans allow for a deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of human impact on our marine ecosystem. The workshops provide practical tools and greater understanding of the benefits of physical activity, time spent in nature, interpersonal relationships and having a sense of purpose along with coping skills to take away, making a lasting difference in participants lives.
Hull Children’s University
Hull Children’s University works with children growing up in disadvantaged areas of Hull and East Yorkshire who may not have the same opportunities as others, by providing experiences that broaden horizons and raise aspirations.
The John Good Group have agreed to fund six Hull Children’s University trips in 2023 and 2024 for around 180 children to visit Spurn. The decision to do this came after Adam Walsh, John Good Group CEO volunteered at the site and learned that educational school trips to the nature reserve had reduced in recent years. With help from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, children who otherwise may never have visited the area were able to explore and learn about this important local environment.
As well as organising the funding for the school trips, the Matthew Good Foundation also coordinated a team of volunteers from the John Good Group (see page 18), and provided further funding through the Amplify Charity Films fund, capturing a film of the trips.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Spurn Point’s Yorkshire Wildlife Trust site is a popular volunteering destination for many of the employees at the John Good Group. However, whilst volunteering at a habitat maintenance session, employee, Ben Norman noticed that the team were struggling with old equipment that desperately needed replacing to make tasks quicker and easier for volunteers.
Working with local family business Vowles Hardware, the John Good Group and the Matthew Good Foundation funded new equipment, including a power scythe and electric brush cutters, which are now making it easier for Spurn’s team and volunteers to maintain the nature reserve.
The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust were also granted funds for hosting activities on Hull Children’s University trips (featured above).
Hull Children’s University Trip
Ben delivers new tools to the YWT team
Race Ready
In 2023 the Foundation funded the launch of a non-profit start-up that is very special to us.
The Foundation was the idea of Tim Good and Matthew Good, both sixth generation custodians of their family business – the John Good Group. Tragically, while creating the Foundation, Matthew passed away suddenly while taking part in the Humber Half Marathon to raise money for charity.
Matthew was a fit and healthy young man, accustomed to strenuous sports, and it was a huge shock to learn that his death was not related to any unknown underlying condition.
Learning that this was not uncommon, and many runners die each year around the world whilst taking part in endurance events, we began our first project to promote safety and best practice in race medicine and hopefully, as a result, reduce the number of deaths in perfectly healthy adults.
Since 2011 the Foundation has funded research projects, and helped to create and fund the International Institute of Race Medicine (IIRM), which later joined with World Athletics Health & Science Department to form the World Academy for Endurance Medicine.
In a bid to get more information directly into the hands of runners, in partnership with the World Academy for Endurance Medicine, we have helped found a new non-profit - Race Ready Run CIC - which has developed a freeto-use app - Race Ready.
will raise awareness of medical issues that can affect runners both during training and racing, and provide recommendations to keep runners safe based on the latest research, featuring gamified content covering medical, performance and nutrition topics.
The content is written by Dr Amy Boalch, doctor and running coach, and reviewed by Professor Rob Galloway, Dr Paulo Emilio and Professor Courtney Kipps.
Get the app and discover more on the Race Ready website
FiND
FiND (Families for individual Need and Dignity) are an East Yorkshire based charity offering a diverse range of person-centred support to young people with severe learning disabilities and/or autism, aiming to improve their quality of life and independence through providing learning, social and wellbeing activities.
The charity was founded in 2001 by local parents who could not find the services they and their sons and daughters required to meet their needs.
FiND operates from two sites in Cottingham and Hessle, offering a wide range of daytime activities for adults and school leavers.
Individuals using the day service are provided with meaningful experiences with the help of a key worker, with tailored activities to suit their needs, personality and interests. Their facilities include both social and sensory rooms, as well as excursions.
As demand grows for FiND’s services, they would like to develop and expand their current sites to be able to accommodate more serviceusers. To help the charity cover its core costs whilst it embarks on it’s expansion plans, the Matthew Good Foundation has agreed to provide £15,000 of funding over the next five years.
In addition, we’ve been able to help FiND connect with a skilled volunteer through the John Good Group volunteering programme. Rich Quelch – Chief Marketing Officer at the Group – has been using his company volunteering time, as well as his own personal time, to help FiND develop their branding and communications, helping them to raise their profile and source additional funds for their cause (see page 19).
The Junction
The Junction Community Hub provides a range of sessions through the week for elderly or vulnerable people, those with Dementia, and anyone needing companionship in the Hedon area. Visitors find a friendly face, coffee and cake, a warm atmosphere and a programme of activities such as singing, crafts, quiz and more. The Foundation has been supporting the project since 2019, and in 2023 we renewed our support with a £15,000 grant over 3 years. As demand for the hub’s services are outgrowing what volunteers alone can provide, the grant will go towards funding for a community manager to develop their support service.
Learn about more Amplify Grant projects on our website
Race Ready Run CIC £11,905
Reef World Foundation (Green Fins Project) - £10,000
Scotland The Big Picture (Northwoods Project)- £10,000 The Junction - £5,000
The Stephen Hughes Foundation - £3,000
Wilberforce College Community Award - £100 WISHH - £1000
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
£5,582
Amplifying the voices of small non-profits through the power of film
The leadership of a small charity are often working with limited resources, perhaps even voluntarily or part time, yet making an amazing impact due to their absolute dedication to their cause. However, it can be challenging for their small teams to find all of the resources and expertise they need to efficiently communicate about their cause.
The Matthew Good Foundation helps charities to fund and co-ordinate professional quality films that tell their story in a compelling way and can have a huge impact on them achieving their goals, be that attracting funders, reaching out to service users or building advocacy.
“I am pleased to inform you that the Access the Dales film has been widely shared by various partners and supporters of the charity. The film has been instrumental in providing lasting memories for many.
Seeing people enjoying the Dales puts a big smile on my face. I’ve witnessed tears of joy, and I don’t think I will ever get used to seeing people enjoying themselves so much, as they do when they can access the wheelchairs to get out into the Dales.”
Debbie North Access the Dales
Access the Dales
Access the Dales exists to break down the barriers that prevent people living with disabilities from enjoying the great outdoors by making all-terrain mobility vehicles available across the Yorkshire Dales, with numerous hubs where people can borrow all-terrain wheelchairs to access walks on the fells which would otherwise be inaccessible. The hubs are well used by both families and school groups, helping to offer an inclusive experience for all children, whatever their ability.
After meeting Access the Dales and its founder Debbie, when the charity was a successful Grants for Good finalist in 2022, the Matthew Good Foundation went on to fund a film to help raise awareness.
The Peel Project
The Peel Project was launched in 2021 at Peel Street Park in Central Ward in Hull’s City Centre. It helps families in the area, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds and socially deprived areas, improving fitness and wellbeing, and making the park a safe place for families. Having seen its service users double with 730 children accessing activities, they were keen to demonstrate their local impact and attract more funds. We funded films of just two of the many events held at the Peel Project over the summer in 2023. Since filming, we were also able to arrange a donation of unused laptops from the John Good Group to help volunteers carry out their work.
Scan or click to see the films
Diversified
Diversified was founded by Kaydi when she was 14 years old. Having been recently diagnosed with Autism and not had the support she needed, she did not want other young people to struggle in the same way she had. Now 16, Kaydi runs a successful neurodivergent led charity helping hundreds of people. They run social groups, sell sensory toys online to increase accessibility and raise funds, have a young person’s board, train mentors, and advocate for change in the education system. We first met Diversified when they were a Grants for Good finalist in 2022. We went on to help them produce a series of films to tell their story and promote advocacy in schools.
Outkast Panda Crew
The Matthew Good Foundation have supported Outkast Panda Crew through John Good Group’s Grants for Good and Employee Giving programmes in recent years (see page 13), and we have come to know their organisation well. They have a high-impact on their local community in really creative ways, and are aiming to attract more attention from more funders in order to keep running.
Their 11-minute mini-documentary aims to demonstrate the impact of their important work with young adults to potential funders. The film takes you behind the scenes at the Outkast Panda garage, and features interviews from the local politicians, councillors and police force in support of the initiative, as well as students benefitting from the project.
Outkast Panda Crew filming and launch night
Turning Corners
Turning Corners (previously called Recycling Unlimited) are an independent charity supporting people who feel excluded from their local communities because of mental health problems or other barriers to social inclusion. At their joinery workshop in Hull, they recycle used timber into garden furniture to be sold at their factory outlet. The work and training they provide helps recovery from mental health problems through routine, making people feel valued and part of a team producing real products. Their film was produced to help the charity introduce their services to local referring organisations, and to give potential services users a look inside the charity.
Market
Field Farm
Market Field Farm enables young adults with a learning disability, autism and/or ADHD to access meaningful paid employment. Working with local people, companies and parish councils to conserve natural habitats, create wildlife-friendly gardens and help maintain public spaces with conservation and nature in mind, the charity gives young people with learning disabilities a stepping stone into work.
We first met Market Field Farm when they received one of John Good Group’s Grants for Good in 2021. Since then, they have been going from strength to strength as they expand, and in 2023 we have funded a film for them.
Looking Ahead
With our biggest giving year yet in 2023, we’re proud to see that charitable donations have risen from a modest £2,000 in 2012 to more than £300,000 in 2023, surpassing the £1m milestone for our total giving since 2011.
In addition to the programmes we manage for the John Good Group, we’re now managing several donor-advised funds for individual philanthropists and businesses who share in our vision of amplifying small charities, and we look forward to developing further partnerships over the coming years.
Looking forward, you can expect to see the following:
Strengthening our board of trustees
Jane Nash and Seamus Jennings will retire as trustees in 2024. We are incredibly grateful for their support over the years and thank them for their commitment and role in our journey so far. For this reason, at the end of 2023, we began recruiting new trustees, who
will join our team in 2024 who can help us on our mission to support small non-profits. The new trustee board will include expertise in fundraising, the small charity sector, small charity leadership, and film/media.
Supporting businesses to deliver social impact
With over a decade of harnessing the power of business to be a force for good, we’re now starting to help other companies find and fund small charities and not-for-profits in a meaningful way by delivering flexible charitable giving programmes that create personal connections, engage employees in decision making and empower small non-profit leaders. Building on our success in 2023, we’ll develop our support packages for businesses to make it easy for companies to support small and local charitable projects in their communities.
Sharing our impact measurement findings
We’re already working hard behind the scenes on our impact measurement, which will help us understand more about how our programmes help small charities. This information will help us plan for the future and ensure our activities maximise value for our beneficiaries.
Exploring Funder-Plus Models
We already provide additional support to some of the non-profits we fund, which complements our monetary grants. Our Amplify Films Programme is one example, but we also offer pro-bono support from our own team, or by connecting our beneficiaries with a skilled volunteer. We will look to build on this area to add more value to our charities, and we’ll be looking to provide further support over the coming years.
Moving
into our new home!
We’re very excited to be moving to a new home in April 2024 - Quarry House, the new head office of the John Good Group. Not only will this offer us a fantastic working environment, but we’ll also have the opportunity to share this space with local community groups and charities to ensure the office benefits the wider community.
Thank you to the John Good Group and our other generous donors for their continued funding, without which our work wouldn’t be possible.
Thank you to all the Matthew Good Foundation representatives who help us spread the word, our Trustees, and all the John Good Group employees who give up their time to support our work.
Special thanks also go to all the central services teams within the John Good Group who provide pro bono support to the Foundation.
