A group of employees at John Good Group Maritime companies – Arthur Smith and DAN Shipping – in Grimsby have banded together to nominate Women’s Aid North East Lincolnshire for grants worth £6,500 pounds, through the John Good Group Employee Giving Programme.
Can you imagine spending Christmas – a time of year where families normally come together – living under the threat of violence from a partner or parent? Unfortunately, this is a reality for many living in the UK.
Women’s Aid was set up in 1974 to provide support to those impacted by domestic abuse up and down the country for over fifty years through their regional branches. The services that the North East Lincolnshire branch (Women’s Aid NEL) offers include a 12-unit self-contained refuge offering safe accommodation and support for women and children, which is consistently full with a waiting list. Alongside this they deliver practical and emotional domestic abuse outreach support to up to 200 families at a time.
Impact of the Employee Giving Programme
John Good Group’s £6,500 donation was sparked when the wife of David Smith from Arthur Smith raised over £1,000 for the charity through her own fundraiser, following the passing of her mother, who had been a long-term supporter of Women’s Aid. David applied for her donation to be double-matched through the employee giving programme and the first money was sent to the charity. The sum: an additional £2,000!
At the same time, David’s daughter, Lucy – who also works for Arthur Smith – nominated Women’s Aid NEL as her charity of choice to receive a £500 Champion Grant – another feature of the John Good Group’s employee giving programme, allowing staff to nominate small charities to be given grants. The initiative nurtures a sense of pride amongst employees, who are able to direct support in their own local community, creating a positive impact in society and recognising the value of charitable efforts outside of the workspace.
The generosity didn’t stop there and, after David and Lucy shared their personal connection to the charity with their team, a further eight employees across Arthur Smith and DAN Shipping also chose to nominate Women’s Aid NEL for a grant. In their applications, many praised how the charity helps their local community.
“Supporting Women’s Aid NEL was important to us because of the vital role they play. They don’t just offer short-term assistance; they provide life-changing services that empower women and children to rebuild their lives free from violence. For me personally, this choice was deeply meaningful because of it’s personal link too.”
Lucy Starkey, employee at Arthur Smith
Lucy also has plans to use her paid day off for volunteering – another part of John Good Group employee giving programme – to help at Women’s Aid.
How Employee Giving Funding was Used
The funding helped provide gifts, essentials and safe, positive activities for children and families affected by domestic abuse, particularly over the Christmas period, with remaining funds supporting school holiday activities such as half-term and Easter trips.
Gift packs made up for service users of the refuge over the christmas period.
“No-one wants to live in fear or as a victim of domestic abuse, and no-one wants to live in a refuge, but the feedback from our residents and clients is emotional, grateful and forever thankful. Donations like this allow us to give families and children not just support, but positive experiences – especially at Christmas – when it often isn’t safe for families to be together.”
Kate Ranson, Head of Operations – Women’s Aid NEL
Discover more about our Employee Giving Programmes
This grant represented just one of the many grants the Arthur Smith and DAN Shipping teams, along with other companies within the John Good Group made in 2025 to charities close to employees’ hearts.
If you are considering how to set up an employee giving programme, you can learn more in our John Good Group Case Study.
You can find more information on the women’s aid website: Home | Women’s Aid NEL