Our giving back culture
At Access, charity is at the core of our values and we offer a variety of initiatives that allow our team to give something back and make a difference. Each year, our employee community nominates a cause close to their hearts to become our local charity of the year. These charities receive fundraising in addition to other support from the business. For example, with every pound raised by our staff, Access aims to double it, as we have done in previous years. A true partnership in every sense.
Our people are also able to dedicate their time to give back to their local community or chosen cause with an extra day's leave to make this possible. The Access Foundation makes a real impact in our communities. Through this philanthropy, we support causes nominated by our team and work to bridge the digital divide.
Some of our team members, including senior leaders and our CEO, Chris Bayne, took the plunge with a reverse bungee jump to raise funds for our 2024-2025 UK Charity of the Year, Young Lives vs Cancer.
A group of Access employees cycled 136 miles from London to Amsterdam and raised £87,000 in matched funds.
Colleagues, partners, and friends came together to support The Access Group's UK Charity Gala. Together, they raised an incredible amount for Young Lives vs Cancer.
Access employees completed an epic 80-mile walk through the Scottish Highlands! Their accomplishment goes beyond the finish line as they raised an incredible £84,000.
Young Lives vs Cancer was The Access Group's UK charity of the year for 2024/2025. Access committed to supporting the charity in its mission to help children, young people (0-25) and their families find the strength to face whatever cancer throws at them.
Throughout the year, a combination of employee fundraising, matched funding by the business, and grants from The Access Foundation raised £1 million for the charity.
Some of the fundraising efforts included:
- 20km circular walk - 23 people participated in a walk starting and finishing at HQ in Loughborough, raising £38,000
- Charity Gala - held in the UK, raising £85,000
- London to Amsterdam cycle - 26 employees raised £87,000
- Loch Ness trek - a 130km challenge that raised £84,000
Magic Breakfast was selected as The Access Group’s UK charity of the year for 2023/2024. The charity's mission is to combat food insecurity among children across the UK by providing nutritious breakfasts to children and young people on a daily basis. They collaborate with schools to support the most vulnerable children, making a positive impact on their lives and educational achievement.
Two of our people, Natalie and Fraser nominated Parkinsons UK for our UK charity of the year for 2023 after their fathers were both diagnosed with the condition.
Natalies story: In 2013, at just 48 years old, my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and was told he’d probably already had it for five years. For the past nine years my family and I have watched my dad slowly change. Once an avid cricket player representing the combined forces in global competitions, he’s now only able to play walking football with fellow Parkinson’s sufferers.
Now my dad’s a different man every time I see him. There’s always a new change, shuffling when he walks, loss of movement in his arms, the onset of tremors, and increasing piles of medication. The hardest part is knowing that this will only get worse.
I’m so thankful for all the amazing years we’ve had with our dad, but I dread the future and would give anything to help find a cure for this awful disease, that will rob my dad of his dignity, mental health, wellbeing and ultimately his life. It may be too late for my dad, but our support can help save other families from going through this terrible experience. Thank you for supporting Parkinson's UK.
Parkinson's UK are here for life beyond diagnosis. They’re on a mission to change attitudes, support one another and find a cure. Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition. This means that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time. Around 145,000 people live with Parkinson’s in the UK. And it's the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.
Sitting next to your child when they’re telling you that they no longer want to live is one of the very hardest things for a parent to hear. Hannah’s illness has meant that she has lost friends and family members from her life.
Extended periods of dark depression have made her working life difficult. After 25 years of struggling with life, Hannah was finally diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder but stability in her life is still fragile, even after 5 years. It took a recent admission to the Mental Health Unit to give her access to a psychiatrist and to get her current medications reviewed.
Bipolar UK has given our family the knowledge and understanding we needed to support Hannah. It has given Hannah strength and hope for the future, knowing that she is not alone. Hannah has a bright future.
Our UK charity of the year for 2021 carried over from 2020. Due to the lockdown restrictions imposed on everyone from COVID-19, our people were unable to reach our target fund amount - it was therefore agreed unanimously that we should roll it over for another year.
Our colleagues Kayleigh and Adam were over the moon when baby Henry Winston Freeman was born in November 2017. At just one day old Henry failed his newborn hearing test. 10 days later Henry failed the tests again and was referred to audiologists at the hospital, and at 2 weeks old it was confirmed that Henry was profoundly deaf.
Hearing aids were fitted but didn’t work as Henry was too deaf. Fearful for their beautiful baby boy, Kayleigh and Adam reached out to the NDCS for support. The NDCS gave guidance and support on how to stimulate Henry through his other senses – such as touch and sight. They also supported the family by teaching them sign language which gave them the ability to communicate.
In 2019 Henry had an MRI scan to assess his suitability for cochlear implants. To his parent’s delight, he was put forward for surgery. Henry had a chance to hear! Henry had the complex surgery to insert the implants into his auditory system, and on the 18th April 2019, something very special happened – Henry’s hearing was switched on and he heard sound for the first time. Now, with the aid of technology, Henry can hear. The NDCS was chosen as the Access charity of the year, so that we could support them and give back to such a well-deserving charity.
UK charity DEBRA, the national charity supporting those living with genetic skin condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), was voted for by our staff to become the company’s charity of the year in 2019. DEBRA was brought to our attention through a poignant and personal connection, staff throughout the company became determined supporters after learning that a colleague had tragically lost their son to EB.
Throughout the year staff raised funds to support the charity through both companywide initiatives and activities in local offices. Gruelling physical challenges included two Access runners in the London Marathon, 49 team members taking on Tough Mudder races, and a team of five Access staff taking part in a ‘Steel Day’ that saw some complete seven 45-minute workouts in a single day.
DEBRA focuses on providing care and support to individuals and families living with EB, and to fund pioneering research to find effective treatments and, ultimately a cure EB.
Our global charity partners
Charity of the year
We’re passionate about giving back to our communities and each year we ask our colleagues from across the globe to nominate a cause they wish to support. Throughout the company, we all get involved to raise money which Access aims to match. Our people are also able to dedicate their time to give back to their local community or chosen cause, and Access gives everyone extra leave to make this possible.
This year, our locally chosen charity of the year is Dementia UK - a specialist dementia nursing charity that supports the whole family. Their nurses, known as Admiral Nurses, provide free specialist advice, support, and understanding to anyone affected by dementia.
Our fundraising events
Giving Back: Making time to make a difference
At Access we believe in creating positive change beyond the workplace. Every employee receives extra leave each year to volunteer their time and give back to local communities.
In 2025 our teams contributed 10,852 hours to causes that matter. From river clean-ups and building green spaces to helping students with CV and interview tips, creating reading corners for schools and volunteering at an orphanage, we are proud of the impact we have made together.
Giving back time is about volunteering, connection and purpose. They help us make a real difference where it counts.
The Access Foundation
The Access Foundation was set up in 2021 following the success and growth enjoyed by The Access Group over the previous decade.
While affiliated with the company in terms of its identity, The Access Foundation is a separate organisation, governed by an independent board of trustees and with its own objectives and goals.
The foundation is focused on making a real difference to people’s lives by awarding grants to charities that make a valuable and measurable positive impact.
Access Charity Software
With a team as passionate about giving back as we are, it makes sense that we develop our own Access technology to help us raise much-needed funds - and have some fun along the way.
An exciting development has been the roll out of our Access Evo software – which is an AI-assisted solution designed to help you and your team work smarter, connect with supporters more effectively, and increase your impact.
In addition, our Access Charity Suite provides software that supports volunteer management, alumni relationship management, website building & development, and Google Ad Grants management.
Former Access charities of the year
2025: Young Lives vs Cancer
2024: Magic Breakfast
2023: Parkinsons UK
2022: Bipolar UK
2021: National Deaf Children's Society
2020: National Deaf Children's Society
2019: Debra