Ten employees from DAN Shipping and Arthur Smith have directed £5,000 to Clean Planet. The volunteer-led charity removes lost fishing gear from the seabed off Redcar. Each employee nominated the charity for a £500 Champion Grant through the John Good Group Employee Giving Programme.
The grant has paid for repairs to Clean Planet’s boat, which had been out of the water for some time. As a result, the team is now preparing to return to sea.
An opportunity spotted by staying in touch
The Foundation keeps in touch with the charities it supports, because it wants to understand the difference its funding makes. During a recent review, Clean Planet’s founder, Stephen Smith, explained that the charity’s costs had suddenly risen.
The boat’s mandatory three-year maintenance uncovered serious problems with its hydrodrive leg, part of its propulsion system. The boat could not safely return to service without this repair, which cost around £7,000. At the same time, the charity needed extra qualifications and certifications to keep running the boat legally.
“These unexpected costs and requirements have created significant challenges for our small volunteer-led charity, but we remain committed to finding a way forward and continuing our marine conservation work,” said Stephen.
DAN Shipping and Arthur Smith step in
The Foundation shared the news with DAN Shipping and Arthur Smith, both marine businesses within the John Good Group. Their teams are close-knit and often look for causes to support together through their Employee Giving Programme.
In response, ten employees each nominated the charity for a £500 Champion Grant. These grants let staff choose small charities they want to support. Together, they added up to £5,000, and all of it went towards the repairs.
“We work in shipping, so the sea matters to us,” said Steve Pullen, Managing Director at DAN Shipping. “Clean Planet’s volunteers give their time to look after it. When we heard their boat was stuck on land, we wanted to help get it back in the water.”
Steve Pullen and Paul Haste from DAN Shipping recently travelled to Redcar with Megan Tudor from the Foundation. There, they met Stephen, saw the boat and presented the cheque beside it.
The DAN team were keen to learn more about the boat and Clean Planet’s work. As a result, both teams agreed to stay in touch in case DAN Shipping can help again in future.
Left to right: Paul Haste and Steve Pullen (DAN Shipping), Stephen Smith (Clean Planet) and Megan Tudor (Matthew Good Foundation).
The repairs are now complete, so the boat will return to the water this winter to carry out surveys. These will help the team plan where to lift ghost gear once the weather improves. Because lifting works best in good conditions, the team hopes to start again in spring and summer.
Why ghost gear removal matters
Ghost gear is fishing equipment that has been lost or abandoned at sea. It keeps doing the job it was made for, even when nobody is using it. For example, lost gear keeps filling with lobsters that cannot escape and later die.
This matters because lobsters are part of the local food chain. When they disappear, the other animals that share their habitat feel the effects. Sadly, larger animals can also become trapped, and people have also died after getting caught in ghost gear.
Keeping small charities going
Since 2022, Clean Planet has received £13,500 in total from the John Good Group’s giving programmes:
- £3,500 through Grants for Good in 2022
- £5,000 from a surprise employee vote in 2023, marking the Foundation’s £1million milestone
- £5,000 from these Champion Grants
Small charities like Clean Planet often run on volunteers’ time and tight budgets. That means one unexpected bill can put their work at risk. Connections and funding that arrive at the right moment can help them keep going.
Small charities and businesses often want to work together, but they don’t always know how to find each other. Helping them connect is a big part of what the Matthew Good Foundation does.
In this case, a check-in revealed a problem, and a team of employees chose to help. The result is a repaired boat and a connection that Clean Planet, DAN Shipping and Arthur Smith all value.
Find out more about Clean Planet on our Clean Planet project page.
Learn more about the John Good Group Employee Giving Programme.