Chris Worthington, a 52-year-old dad of two from Selby, has established Cause Matcher, a first-of-its-kind online platform for good causes in the region to find willing volunteers to fulfil their support requirements.
The unveiling of the new brand comes as research reveals that:
- Yorkshire is home to thousands of charities, including over 7,400 in North Yorkshire and almost 15,000 in West Yorkshire alone.
- Rising costs have forced one in five charities in the UK to reduce their services, according to August 2024 research.
- In 2024, over a quarter of Yorkshire residents used small charities due to cost-of-living pressures.
From IT, marketing and recruitment to assistance with electrics, plumbing, maintenance and everything in between, Cause Matcher is a platform for charities to use to identify businesses and skilled volunteers that can help them.
After working in recruitment for 21 years’, Chris found himself wanting to find a way he could support local non-profits and give back - something he’s always wanted to do but had never previously had the time to.
Speaking about Cause Matcher and his inspiration behind launching the new service, Chris said: “After working in recruitment for more than two decades, I came to the realisation that I could do far more with my time and skills to help local good causes and make a real, lasting impact.
“I quickly identified the need for a central resource that both Yorkshire-based charities and businesses willing to help them could utilise to bring them together and help them collaborate for the greater good - and so, Cause Matcher was born!
“Cause Matcher’s mission is focused on supporting local businesses and skilled volunteers in working with local worthy causes that need their help. Rather than asking for monetary donations, the impact of which is difficult to accurately measure, Cause Matcher allows people to donate their time and skills, which are often more beneficial.”
With almost 20 Yorkshire-based charitable organisations, companies and volunteers already signed up to Cause Matcher, and even more on the cusp of becoming members, Chris hopes that it will become the go-to resource for willing businesses and in-need good causes to come together and support one another.
Chris concludes: “The aim with the platform is for it to become the number one resource in the region that matches charities and businesses together to form meaningful partnerships. There’s potential for the brand to generate several million pounds worth of in-kind help and change the perception of helping valuable causes in the process.”
For more information on Cause Matcher, to sign up a charity looking for support or to volunteer your skills or services, please visit the website,