CHARITY – Matt Haycox helps a young boy with cerebral palsy

Posted by Editor on May 9, 2017 in Charity | Leave a comment

We catch up with Matt Haycox to find more about his brand new charity, the Matt Haycox Foundation.

-What makes your charity different from any other charities?

One of our mission statements is about wanting to not just make ‘a’ difference, but to make ‘the difference’. We are looking to not just support cases, but take complete ownership of them to provide all the financial and emotional support needed whilst also maintaining an ongoing relationship with those we have helped. We won’t just be throwing a bit of money around, but building a community and family we can be proud of.

-You have your own charity, have you ever thought of setting up a charity event in London?

I wouldn’t rule it out. I am from Leeds and it’s an area where I am pretty well known, so feel I can make a difference by calling on my contact base and putting my name to it. However, I am spending more and more time in London and could certainly see me doing something in the not too distant future.

-Where do you see your charity in 5 years?

I’ve never been a long term planner, I just tend to put a strategy in place and take each day as it comes. But 5 years is a long time, so if we haven’t supported many hundreds of cases during that time, whilst throwing some great fundraising parties at the same time, then I will be very disappointed.

-What influences your charity work most?

In any aspect of my charity work, I want to make a difference and have a great time doing it. I am lucky enough to feel that way about most of my time in business and feel I can now do the same in my charity work too. Knowing I can make a difference to people less fortunate or those unable to help themselves is a great feeling and I just wish I could have been so deeply involved years ago. I am certainly going to be making up for lost time now!

-You started your charity after you met a young boy with cerebral palsy, how did he inspire you?

I met Alfie at a time that I had just done particularly well in a deal and seeing someone in need with a problem I could solve, just felt like the natural thing to do. I wasn’t out looking for a cause to support, it was just a case of being in the right place ay the right time – for both of us! Buy as soon as I got involved with supporting Alfie, I knew it was just the beginning.

Alfie is such a happy young guy, despite what life has thrown at him and it jas been my most inspiring and humbling experience to date.

-How do you like people to remember you when you’re gone?

Hopefully, they won’t be saying too many bad things about me. No, seriously – I would just like to be remembered as someone who always did my best for myself and others whilst having a great time doing it.

-What is your favourite place in London?

So much choice! If I am eating to drinking with clients, then I could have every meal at Novikov – I totally love that place. And when I am hanging out with my daughter, we end up in Ripley’s, believe it or not, every single time. And for some reason, it never gets boring looking at the world’s heaviest man or a Tibetan skull bowl.

-As a businessman, what is the best aspect of London, business wise?

Aside from the buzz that I get every time I am working with such a vibrant city, from a business perspective it is a city with so much opportunity and so much money. I work in the finance and investment business, there is no better place to be than in the heart of the action.