Leading (the leaderboard) by example: Alphatrack Systems
62 organisations supported.
57 projects completed.
186 hours delivered.
Alphatrack Systems, a fire and security systems specialist, is #1 on two Match My Project leaderboards – Hyde Housing and Hackney Giving – and for good reason.
60 blood pressure devices delivered to Hackney Congolese Women Support Group
What resources is Alphatrack Systems providing to local communities?
To name a few:
60 blood pressure devices to help members of Hackney Congolese Women Support Group better manage their blood pressure before conditions reach a critical stage.
A year of free, healthy school breakfasts for school children in South London.
8 laptops to help the efficient running of mental health support services to young people in Chichester.
Making STEM education accessible & free for 8 young people in the borough of Lambeth, with Millennium Community Solutions
It’s not just the numbers saying they’re an outstanding supplier on Match My Project. It’s also the feedback from their community partners.
Here’s a sample:
Really great Company to work with. They worked so quickly to help children living in poverty to get lovely new school shoes . Big thank you on behalf of all those happy children.
– The Rotary Club of Chichester Harbour
A big thank you to Alphatrack Systems. Your support to our charitable Youth Centre is highly appreciated and makes a big difference to the young people attending our Centre.
– The Sylvia Beaufoy Centre
Alpha Track Systems has been a fantastic partner in our community project. They were highly communicative and attentive, ensuring every detail was confirmed and met our needs perfectly. Their support has not only facilitated a smoother project execution but will also have a lasting positive impact on our community. We are deeply grateful for their commitment and exceptional service.
– Unity Support Network CIC
The impact is clearly far-reaching.
Every hour contributed, every project completed, and every relationship formed represents real change happening at the grassroots level where it matters most.
By consistently prioritising the needs of local organisations and completing their projects with genuine care, Alphatrack has set a gold standard for social value delivery.
We are proud to work in partnership with forward-thinking businesses like Alphatrack Systems that use our technology to deliver meaningful social value in local communities.
We look forward to celebrating many more success stories as our network of businesses continues to grow and thrive.
Sponsoring a theatre trip for disadvantaged young people, with Volunteer Centre Sutton
Do you want to be a part of the story? Sign up via your local authority’s Match My Project homepage here: https://matchmyproject.org/
Something special is growing in the concrete heart of London.
In Islington, one of England’s most densely populated boroughs, access to nature isn’t always a given.
In fact, 71% of residents lack access to a private garden.
But a local charity, The Garden Classroom (TGC) is fighting back at this stat.
The Garden Classroom connects urban communities with nature to foster wellbeing and inspire environmental stewardship. Their outdoor learning experiences benefit thousands of people annually.
Natural Partnerships
The Garden Classroom signed up to Match My Project in December 2024, after exploring ways to demonstrate the social value they generate in their local community and to seek much-needed funding for their nature connection programmes.
They are now registered on three local authority’s Match My Project sites: Hyde Housing Association, Hackney Giving, and Sanctuary.
The Garden Classroom matched with Just Ask Estate Services Ltd. through Match My Project to receive support for their Urban Forest School (UFS) programme.
Growing green minds
Urban Forest School provides nature-immersive education to 1,000 children in Islington and Hackney each year, prioritising schools with high numbers of disadvantaged pupils, and ensuring children from all backgrounds can experience the benefits of nature.
Urban Forest School adapts the traditional Forest School model to an urban setting, offering regular two-hour outdoor sessions that promote resilience, teamwork, and self-confidence. Children engage in hands-on learning experiences that enhance their problem-solving skills, collaboration, and emotional regulation—supporting their overall education and wellbeing.
Through Match My Project, Just Ask Estate Services Ltd. offered funding that will allow The Garden Classroom to cover the costs of a facilitator for Urban Forest School sessions. Their support will also enable the purchase of branded waterproof jackets, whittling knives, Japanese pull saws for woodwork activities, children’s binoculars for wildlife identification, fire kits, cups and flasks, slack lines, and gymnastics rings.
Hannah Hogarth, The Garden Classroom’s Urban Forest School Manager had this to say,
“Thanks to Hyde Housing Association, Just Ask Estate Services and the MMP platform, we were delighted to receive support for our UFS programme. We’ll be able to purchase much needed equipment and fund our expert facilitators who make every session engaging, fun and safe! The MMP platform has given us great exposure to companies that are looking to support charities like ours who deliver real social value in local communities – thank you!”
With green spaces becoming increasingly precious, partnerships like the one between The Garden Classroom and Just Ask demonstrate how business resources, when well directed, can contribute to healthier and more environmentally aware communities.
Join the movement
Are you a business looking fulfil your Social Value commitments? You can connect directly with grassroots organisations doing important work in local communities on Match My Project.
Are you a community organisation looking for a direct route to private-sector support? Your project could be the next to receive crucial support and resources.
Microwaves and vacuum cleaners for people moving into unfurnished accommodation, donated by Purdy Contracts Ltd
The Rotary Club of Chichester Harbour has completed 36 projects and worked with 17 suppliers through Match My Project.
As a community organisation on Hyde Housing Association’s Match My Project site, they’ve completed more projects through the platform than any other organisation.
Rotary Chichester Harbour has been providing wrap-around support to the Chichester community for over 25 years. The organisation runs a clothes bank and provides practical support for families and individuals in need. These include members of the community who are impacted by poverty, illness or domestic abuse.
This is what a supplier on Match My Project says about the organisation:
“Such a great organisation and we are delighted to have been able to support. Therese was clear in the requirement and lovely to communicate with. Highly recommend.”
– CLM Fireproofing
Laura from Match My Project had the opportunity to speak with Therese Brook, Community Chairman at Rotary Chichester Harbour, to hear more about the organisation’s work, and their experience using Match My Project. Therese shared some invaluable insights on how to make the most out of the platform – read to the end for her top tips!
Hands-on, non-sexy, non-judgemental
With over 25 years on the ground, the organisation has grown and learnt lessons over time.
When asked about how they support the community, Therese tells me that they do some of the “non-sexy” (yet indispensable) work in their local area.
What’s been important to the growth and success of the organisation, has been really listening to the needs of people, and assuming a posture of non-judgementalism,
“… because people end up in all sorts of situations through so many different things. I mean, we’re almost a bit like wallpaper. We don’t make a big fuss”.
This has established the organisation as a trusted member of the community.
The Match My Project difference
“I think Match My Project is the best thing that ever happened to us.
And I hope it continues because it has made such a difference to how we’ve been able to help people.”
While the organisation often delivers pre-loved items to people in need, being able to deliver something new (like a set of saucepans or a microwave), thanks to the donations of suppliers on Match My Project, has made a big impact.
Therese recounts a moving moment that happened while delivering items to a family: “The mother looked at me and she said, ‘I’ve never had anything new’.”
They ‘really sort of love us’
Therese on building relationships through Match My Project:
“We’re always really grateful because although we ask, we never expect. And when it happens, it’s quite a joyous moment.”
These joyous moments include:
– Kettles for families fleeing domestic abuse, donated by GCS Compliance Ltd
– Gloves, Hats and Socks for Christmas, donated by Cleanscapes Ltd
– Microwaves and vacuum cleaners for families moving into unfurnished accommodation, donated by Purdy Contracts Ltd
While seemingly basic, these are “things that, if you’ve got nothing else, give you something.
That’s going to be life-changing for somebody and bring some comfort at a difficult time.”
Microwaves donated by Hyde Property Maintenance
Kettles donated by GCS Compliance
Top tips for community-based organisations
Therese attributes Rotary Chichester Harbour’s success on Match My Project to four simple but effective practices:
1.Keep it simple
People might not have a lot of time to read through projects, so be clear, concise and honest about what you’re asking for.
2.Demonstrate the need and the difference your project will make
An item like a kettle might seem ‘basic’, but it can have a big impact on someone going through a difficult time. It’s important to indicate the ‘who’ and ‘why’ of your project.
3.Keep the business updated
A key aspect of Rotary Chichester Harbour’s success in its relationships with businesses has been asking them how they would like to be communicated with – what information would they like to be sent? Do they want, for example, receipts for what you’ve got? Do they need photographs for their newsletter?
4.‘Strike while the iron is hot’
Rotary Chichester Harbour always responds quickly to companies that make them an offer. They’ve found that being efficient and direct in their communication has helped them secure resources from businesses that express interest in their projects.
Businesses, get involved!
The Rotary Club of Chichester Harbour is currently accepting donations of coats for men (new or pre-loved). Find their project (WARM & WATERPROOF COATS FOR MEN CHICHESTER & DISTRICT) in Hyde Housing Association’s Match My Project Directory to offer your support.
They also welcome donations of basic needs items like beds, washing machines, fridges, and clothes.
Sign up to Hyde Housing’s Match My Project here, or through your existing account if you’re already registered with another authority (more on how to do this here).
Are you a community organisation interested in receiving resources from businesses on Match My Project?
Sign up via your local authority’s homepage at matchmyproject.org. Your project could be the next to receive crucial support and resources.
How Match My Project is helping create collaborative and creative spaces for local communities
Fierce Festival is a festival of theatre, performance and experiences which takes place in and around Birmingham every two years.
This year, Fierce matched with Birmingham City University on Match My Project.
From this collaboration, the perfect home for a specially commissioned participatory artwork was found.
Photo credits: Manuel Vason, Softly/Tenderly by Sheila Ghelani, Fierce Festival
Softly/Tenderly is a participatory artwork by Sheila Ghelani exploring the complicated history of gun-making and the metalworking practice within Birmingham but, as the name suggests, does so with care.
Through Match My Project, Birmingham City University and their partner, STEAMhouse, provided technical support to manage the health and safety of the event, as well as the physical space and hospitality support for the artwork to take place.
Small groups, big conversations
Hosted in small groups, those who experienced the work played a part in the manufacturing of a small precious metal object that they were allowed to keep.
Participants made their own broaches and were gifted a specially made book by the artist about the history of gun making, the idea being for them to read this in the comfort of their own space.
Photo credits: Manuel Vason, Softly/Tenderly by Sheila Ghelani, Fierce Festival
The artist explains the symbolic significance of these objects as follows:
“A gift or totem to take away, acting (perhaps) as a gentle reminder of some of the better things industrious hands can get up to – many people making together being a nod towards some of Birmingham’s more celebrated workshop industries, such as jewellery and toys.”
A print illuminating Birmingham’s role in its lesser talked about trade accompanied the work, allowing participants to engage with the heavier aspects of history.
The shows sold out across the Fierce Festival week, reaching around 100 audiences.
Photo credits: Manuel Vason, Softly/Tenderly by Sheila Ghelani, Fierce Festival
Bridging Communities Through Creative Collaboration
This work is important because it created a space for people to engage with history in a gentler, more nuanced way—transforming potentially difficult narratives into shared, creative experiences. It shows that, when we approach the past and present with care, curiosity, and creativity, we can forge pathways to a more inclusive and compassionate future.
In an increasingly politically polarised world, we at Match My Project are proud to play a part in bringing communities together. This match demonstrates how collaborative approaches can bridge divides and create meaningful connections.
Here’s how you can get involved:
For Community Organisations: If you’re running a project that supports community cohesion and well-being, sign up at matchmyproject.org. Your initiative could be the next to receive crucial support and resources.
For Businesses: Your contribution can transform lives. Register at matchmyproject.org to discover local projects that align with your values and see how you can make a tangible impact in your community.
At Match My Project, we celebrate businesses that step up to create meaningful jobs and training opportunities in their communities – and Ridge & Partners is a shining example of this commitment in action.
Ridge & Partners, a Built Environment Consultancy, recently partnered with the Greater Manchester Youth Network (GMYN) through Match My Project to deliver their flagship Carbon Literacy Training programme: Ridge Green Futures.
This partnership has enabled GMYN to champion their Build Your Future programme which supports Stockport-based young people who are or have been in care or are disabled/neurodivergent to access introductory opportunities in construction.
Ridge’s Green Futures programme promotes carbon literacy, empowering individuals to engage in the net zero transition and take action within their local communities to combat climate change.
Ridge invited GMYN to their head offices in Manchester for a World of Work visit with five of their young people. During the visit, they completed Ridge’s Green Futures certificate, which explores the effects of climate change on the built environment.
The second half of the workshop focused on Green Careers.
This included what a career in the green space could look like and entry routes. Participants also took part in a Q&A with two members of Ridge’s Sustainability Team. The young people quizzed them on their career journeys and the types of activities they get up to in their roles.
A real highlight for the young people was enjoying the skyline of Manchester from the 9th floor of Ridge’s building. They spent some time looking at all of the new developments springing up across the city and got to appreciate Manchester’s rich architecture from this unique viewpoint.
A young attendee commended Ridge’s Green Future programme, saying, “It was interesting to hear how they are trying to use less energy and save resources in building, I didn’t know there would be jobs like that in construction.”
Laura Perry, Social Value Project Consultant at Ridge, who delivered the programme, had this to say:
We were delighted to partner with Greater Manchester Youth Network as part of their Work Readiness Programme to host our Flagship Ridge Green Futures workshop for young people from Stockport. After listing our offer on Match My Project and matching with Greater Manchester Youth Network, I worked closely with Julia Hannam [Programme Coordinator at GMYN] to tailor the programme so it could be of maximum benefit to the participants.
Ridge received some impressive feedback about the programme:
6 out of the 7 attendees reported at least a one-point increase in their carbon literacy as a result of the workshop
Two attendees are considering a career within the sustainability field after being presented with green career opportunities and participating in the Q&A with Ridge’s Sustainability Team
One workshop, one opportunity, one moment of inspiration can spark a career of purpose.
This success story between Ridge and GMYN shows how your organisation’s expertise can shape tomorrow’s talent pipeline.
Businesses: don’t wait to make a difference. Post your jobs and training opportunities on Pathways To Work today and help build the workforce of tomorrow.
According to mental health charity Mind, 2 million people are currently stuck on waiting lists for NHS mental health services.
Mental health stigma is a significant issue. People are being left behind by a broken mental health system.
We’re in the middle of a mental health crisis.
Today, we’re highlighting some organisations that have used our platform to write better narratives, ones that empower those who struggle with their mental health.
Here are 7 recent projects on Match My Project that champion Mental Health:
The Suspended Coffee Scheme creates a stronger sense of community by providing immediate assistance to those facing financial hardship or food insecurity. This scheme aims to foster a stronger sense of community solidarity and ensures that everyone can access a warm drink or meal when needed.
The cost of living crisis has resulted in fewer people being able to purchase suspended coffees (coffees paid for in advance as an anonymous act of charity).
The growing number of individuals experiencing emotional and financial hardships has increased the demand for free coffee, necessitating additional resources to meet the needs of the Gaia Coffee community.
Continuous Dataprint provided funding, enabling Gaia Coffee to give out suspended coffees to people in need in their community.
Gaia Coffee emphasises the impact this generosity has made in the following words:
“We want to express our heartfelt thanks for the financial support provided for our Suspended Coffee Scheme. This generous contribution has had a huge impact on our community. The scheme has not only ensured that those facing financial hardship can enjoy a warm drink, but it has also fostered a stronger sense of solidarity and kindness within our community. By providing immediate support to those in need, the Suspended Coffee Scheme has truly made a difference in the lives of many, creating a more compassionate and connected community. Thank you for helping us make this possible.”
SAD Lamps for use during group mental health sessions
Self Care Creatives CIC 🤝 John Lewis & Partners Cheadle
Self Care Creative’s workshops help individuals struggling with their mental health focus on their own version of gratitude and success. They promote self-worth and upskill participants through embroidery, journaling and vision boarding.
Self Care Creative partnered with John Lewis & Partners Cheadle to support people suffering from seasonal affective disorder to feel brighter through the use of SAD Lamps during well being focused activities
Sun lamps positively impact the body’s regulation of melatonin (a hormone that helps control the sleep-wake cycle) and serotonin (which helps regulate one’s mood).
John Lewis donated a SAD Lamp to promote wellbeing in the community-building workshops hosted by Self Care Creatives.
Both organisations had positive feedback:
“We are thrilled at Self Care Creatives CIC to have connected and matched with John Lewis Cheadle through Match My Project. We kindly received a Wellbeing SAD Lamp donation which will have a positive impact on our participants who attend our self care focused thread journaling and vision board workshops. Match My Project is such a fabulous way to connect businesses who care with uplifting projects in the local community.”
“Just glad John Lewis Cheadle was able to help this amazing community group. This connection will hopefully lead to many other exciting opportunities together.”
Sponsor-A-Plot at Petworth Community Garden
Petworth Community Garden CIC 🤝 AD Construction Group
The Community Garden in Petworth has been working with their local community in the heart of a social housing estate since 2005. They offer over 100 disadvantaged locals access to free organic food and support with mental wellbeing through a variety of gardening and therapy projects. They also provide free hot lunches and community cooking lessons.
Finding funds each year for all their projects is becoming increasingly harder. They had an increase in costs since running their Food Boxes project – which delivers fruit & veg from their garden to families experiencing food poverty.
AD Construction Group provided funding that is enabling the Petworth Community Garden to run their gardening and wellbeing projects, helping those dealing with mental ill health, isolation and food poverty.
Petworth Community Garden is looking for more businesses and individuals to ‘Sponsor-A-Plot’ for a year. There are 10 plots in total and for between £100 – 300 a year, you could be the proud sponsor of a strawberry, rhubarb or raspberry plot to name a few!
Find out more and donate to this wonderful project here:
St Sidwell’s Centre 🤝 Bradfords Building Supplies Limited
St Sidwell’s Centre provide 1:1 support sessions for their community – from a listening space, to help accessing specialist support services.
With more local services facing cuts, long waiting lists for specialist provision and challenges in accessing services, many people approach the centre for help with a wide range of challenges.
The increasing demand for St Sidwell’s Centre’s services meant they needed extra funding.
Bradford’s Building Supplies have made a generous donation which will provide staffing and contribute to room hire for 30+ 1:1 support sessions held by St Sidwell’s Centre.
St Sidwell’s Centre thanked Bradford’s Building Supplies, saying that “providing ongoing wellbeing support within our community is essential and it’s so important to have the resources to offer this.”
Mental well-being through animal interaction
Brinnington SEND 🤝 POSSABILITIES CIC
Brinnington SEND started delivering animal therapy sessions to promote mental health wellbeing for families with children and young people with additional needs and disabilities.
Interactions with animals are proven to have a calming effect and reduce stress levels. Brinnington SEND noticed positive emotional responses among participants and fewer behavioural issues reported after these interactions with animals.
They used Match My Project to secure the funding which would enable them to run this initiative on a long-term basis.
POSSABILITIES CIC has agreed to fund sessions that will host 400 people. They said,
“We are really looking forward to working with Brinnington SEND on this project. Debbie spoke passionately about the aims and aspirations of her organisation. I’m confident that this project not only fills a critical gap in support provision for SEND children in Stockport, but will also bring a lot of joy and happiness!”
Sport in Mind – Brent
Sport in Mind 🤝 Anglian Building Products (ASHI Group)
Sport in Mind started running a weekly stretch and movement exercise session at Brent Hub for Hyde residents and local people struggling with their mental health. This activity is free and people can be referred via the GP/NHS or self-refer.
These sessions help to reduce loneliness and isolation, providing a regular weekly activity with other local people.
The funding they had received for this activity was running out but they wanted to continue to offer it for free. They also wanted to offer residents attending a free wellbeing journal to encourage being active, eating healthily, and other healthy lifestyle tips.
Anglian Building Products provided funding which will pay for an instructor and venue costs. This generous donation will improve the lives of adults experiencing mental health problems through sport and physical activity. They said,
“Great organisation to work with and we look forward to working with you again in the future.”
Counselling for young people and families
Ignite Life 🤝 4Ward Group LTD (T/A Wascle)
Ignite Life have provided over 100 young people and families with counselling sessions to help them through periods of mental health challenges, bullying and other barriers.
Poor mental health amongst young people is rife and they receive referrals for their counselling service every day.
To make their service free-of-charge for the user, they rely completely on funding to ensure these sessions can go ahead. Ignite Life needed more funding to keep up with the demand for their counselling service.
Ignite Life matched with 4Ward Group to fund professional 1:1 and family counselling for marginalised young people and families who face barriers to support. This generous donation is now supporting staffing costs and enabling Ignite Life to maintain up-to-date safeguarding training.
As we observe World Mental Health Day, these seven projects serve as powerful reminders of the impact we can make when businesses and community organisations come together.
Here’s how you can get involved:
For Community Organisations: If you’re running a project that supports mental health and wellbeing, sign up at matchmyproject.org. Your initiative could be the next to receive crucial support and resources.
For Businesses: Your contribution can transform lives. Register at matchmyproject.org to discover local projects that align with your values and see how you can make a tangible impact in your community.
Ridge & Partners, a Built Environment Consultancy with eleven locations across the UK, recently signed the Care Leaver Covenant. The Covenant is a promise made by the private, public and voluntary sectors to advocate for care leavers aged 16-25.
As part of their pledge, Ridge agreed to offer twelve work experience opportunities to care leavers in the local community.
They chose the Match My Project platform to fulfil this commitment. Four successful candidates were referred to Ridge by the Greater Manchester Youth Network and the Stockport Leaving Care Team.
Diversifying Workforce Practices
Philippa Wilkinson is the passionate Post-16 Lead at the Stockport Virtual School. She explains that it is not a “real” school, but rather, a team of teachers and other professionals that support the educational attainment and employment aspirations of people aged two to twenty-five, who have been looked after by the local authority.
I asked her about the main challenges that care-experienced individuals face in entering the workforce.
She cites disrupted education patterns of these young people, including suspensions, exclusions, and low attendance, as major factors that often become barriers to entering the workforce in subsequent years.
The Stockport Virtual School advocates for these oft-misunderstood individuals: “So we’re trying to make the best opportunities for them, and get companies to understand that and make allowances for this group of young people.”
Matching with Ridge through Match My Project has allowed the virtual school to promote quality employability opportunities for young people. Phillipa explains that the successful candidate was treated like a “proper” employee at Ridge: they were given a laptop, and their own email address, and included in meetings at different levels. They were made to feel a part of the working environment at Ridge, and given personalised support throughout the two-week placement.
The work placement went so well that the candidate was offered an ongoing mentorship.
What stands out to me most about my conversation with Phillipa is the point that care-leaver work placements add value to the hosting business as much as they benefit the candidate.
Phillippa puts it this way:
“As adults and professionals, we do tend to think our way is the best way … but it’s not necessarily the case. Sometimes for a company to take a young person who has a care-experienced background might give them another dimension, another viewpoint in meetings, another way of looking at things. It diversifies their own workforce practices.”
Adding Another Dimension
Laura Perry, Social Value Project Consultant at Ridge, agrees that care-experienced individuals bring immense value to an organisation.
She tells me that, as part of the work placement, the candidate was tasked with researching charities in a local area that Ridge was submitting for work in. The care-leaver happened to have had first-hand experience with many of the local charities. They were able to give insights into these organisations that, as Laura points out, the team would have had no other way of finding out.
Laura goes on to explain the impact that the student had on her team:
“With the knowledge of charities and being a service user – that was huge – money can’t buy that kind of first-hand experience. I think we all learnt a lot from them. They’re resilient; they spoke really openly about their experiences or some of their challenges, and it was a really open conversation … it helped us understand more some of the challenges that care-leavers face … it was a massive learning curve for us.”
Match My Project is Helping Overlooked Individuals into Work
The testimonials from the Stockport Virtual School, Greater Manchester Youth Network, and the team at Ridge & Partners illustrate the immense value that Match My Project’s Pathways to Work feature can bring to both businesses and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
By posting work placement and job opportunities through the platform, companies can quickly and directly connect with organisations supporting overlooked groups like care-leavers. The successful Ridge work placement shows how care-experienced individuals can provide fresh perspectives and diversify workforce practices.
For businesses looking to make a positive social impact while tapping into an underutilised talent pool, Match My Project’s Pathways to Work is the ideal solution. Post your employment opportunities on the platform today – here’s how.
For VCSE’s looking to access quality opportunities for local people, look no further than Match My Project. Watch this video on how to navigate Pathways to Work as a community organisation.
To learn more about Pathways to Work watch this video in which our CEO Dan explains the value of the new feature.
By partnering with Match My Project, your organisation can join the movement towards building a more inclusive workforce and equitable society for all.
