Adam Walsh, CEO of the John Good Group has funded nine primary school trips to Spurn Point, giving around 270 disadvantaged pupils from Hull the chance to explore the local wildlife reserve for free. This initiative was sparked when Adam, during a corporate volunteering day, learned that the cost-of-living crisis had forced many schools to cut back on trips.
In November 2022, during his first visit to Spurn Point as part of a corporate volunteering day in Yorkshire, Adam Walsh, CEO of the John Good Group, was struck by the area’s natural beauty but saddened to hear that many local schools & parents could no longer afford trips to the area.
The John Good Group has a business philosophy that centres on three key pillars: people, planet, and performance. These values are reflected in the leadership team, with several members choosing to donate part of their remuneration to charitable projects through the Matthew Good Foundation. Adam decided that he would like some of the funds he’d donated to help more local children discover Spurn.
Adam worked with the Matthew Good Foundation to explore ways to provide this kind of support. Thanks to the Foundation’s existing relationships with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University, they were able to organise nine trips throughout 2023 and 2024, worth more than £7,000 in total, for primary schools in Hull.
The trips allowed around 270 pupils from schools including Bilton, Longhill, St Mary’s, Rokeby and Adelaide Primary Schools to visit Spurn Point over 2023 and 2024.
“We are very grateful to Adam for funding this experience. This learning experience offers some incredible interactions with nature to help children learn more about wildlife conservation, their local environment, food growing and much more. The children thoroughly enjoyed the trips.”
Rose James – CEO, Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University
In addition to the financial support, John Good Group’s Yorkshire-based employees volunteered their time, with 15 staff members contributing 112 hours to help pupils connect with the natural environment as part of the company’s “A Day to Make a Difference” programme.
The Matthew Good Foundation also supported the production of a short film highlighting one of the trips, further showcasing the ongoing work between Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University and local schools.
Having volunteered on one of the funded trips, Adam recently appeared on Hull Children’s University’s podcast, where local children interviewed him about their visit to Spurn Point and quizzed him on his role as a CEO of the John Good Group.
The impact of that first volunteering day didn’t stop there. Ben Norman, Chief Financial Officer of the John Good Group also volunteered at Spurn Point, where he noticed the maintenance team struggling with outdated tools. This inspired him to donate £4,850 worth of specialist equipment to support the team’s conservation work.
The total financial commitment to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Spurn team and Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University, encompassing support for the school trips and tool donations, was almost £12,000.
“A seed was sown that day at Spurn Point, and it’s been incredible to see how much has grown from that first visit. Spurn is such a remarkable place, and I was determined to ensure more children from Hull could experience it.
“The trips have been a true team effort between the John Good Group, Matthew Good Foundation, Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University, and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. It’s been rewarding to support both Spurn Point and the Children’s University, not only for the impact on people and the planet but also for the opportunity to involve our employees, making the experience even more meaningful.”
Adam Walsh – CEO, John Good Group
This story demonstrates the power of corporate volunteering and the potential of partnerships between businesses and local charities, building connections that provide meaningful opportunities for individuals to engage with their local community and delivering lasting, impactful change where it’s needed most.
