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Source 120 / Charity & community

Giving back.
For very
personal
reasons.

Charity work has a place here because of the people who helped my family. This is the story behind it, and how I put my skills to use.

How I support charities
Andrew and his daughter Sophie canoeing together
Sophie & Andrew / Time together

01 / A personal journey

Life changed.
So did
my priorities.

In 2007, my daughter Sophie was catastrophically injured in a road traffic accident. She spent nine months in a coma and five years in hospital before coming home.

There were long stretches in hospital corridors and waiting rooms. I used some of that time to keep my web development knowledge current, alongside everything our family was facing.

Sophie eventually came home to a purpose-built house in the Meon Valley, where she lives with her family and animals. The charities and services that helped us showed me how much practical support can mean to a family in crisis.

That is why giving back became part of my work. Sometimes it means fundraising. Sometimes it means making a website or helping volunteers spend less time on administration.

02 / Sophie’s Gift Ball

£300,000+

Raised through the Gift Ball fundraising for a mobile CT scanner.

A family effort. A lasting purpose.

Helping the people who helped us.

Our family began organising Sophie’s Gift Ball, an annual fundraising event that helped raise over £300,000 for a mobile CT scanner, bringing diagnostic equipment to patients at their bedside in intensive care.

Alison and I also cycled the South Downs Way and took part in other fundraising initiatives. Over the years, our family has supported Southampton University Hospitals Trust, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, the QE2 Activity Centre and the Saints Disabled Supporters’ Association.

03 / What I can give

Useful skills.
Good causes.

The community commitments from Meon Valley Web have a home at Source 120.

01

A website, freely given.

The commitment I made through Meon Valley Web continues here: one free charity website each quarter, with responsive design and search foundations included.

02

Lower running costs.

Discounted hosting helps charities keep more of their money for the work they exist to do.

03

Support beyond launch.

Technical help and maintenance keep a charity’s website useful, secure and up to date as its needs change.

10% of profits.
Back into the community.

Alongside website support, my commitment is to give 10% of profits to charitable causes and community initiatives, and to support local businesses and projects across Hampshire.

04 / Websites with a wider purpose

Part of
something.

Charities, community organisations and independent projects supporting good causes. These are examples of support and development work over time.

Saints Disabled Supporters’ Association website

Saints DSA

Less admin. More room for the people who matter.

Charity & community work

Wessex Whisky Club website presenting tastings, membership and charitable activity

Wessex Whisky Club

Tastings, community and a charitable purpose.

Charity & community work

The Lace Guild website showing its lace-making heritage

The Lace Guild

A digital direction for a living tradition.

Development study

Two Dogs and an Awning walking website

Two Dogs & an Awning

A useful home for more than 900 walks.

Charity & community work

Sophie is a huge Southampton fan, which makes the Saints DSA connection especially close to home. Two Dogs and an Awning is run by personal friends whose walking project has raised thousands for the Trussell Trust.

Know a charity
that needs a hand?

Tell me about the cause, who the website needs to help and what would make the biggest difference. We can talk through the scope and timing together.

Nominate a charity ↗