Active projects

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At Matts BBQ, we believe that community care extends far beyond the festival season. For over five years, we have partnered with Calling London to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our London community stay warm during the harshest months of the year.

What started as a grassroots initiative in 2017 has grown into a cornerstone of our social impact strategy, mobilising our patrons and partners to donate high-quality winter clothing to those in need.

The reality of winter poverty in London faces a hidden crisis every winter. While the city celebrates, thousands of our neighbours are forced to make "heat or eat" choices that leave them exposed to the elements.

• 1 in 4 Londoners: Approximately 2.3 million people in London are currently living in poverty—the highest rate in the UK. This includes families who simply cannot afford the upfront cost of essential winter gear.
• The "Coat Gap": National research suggests that 1 in 7 parents struggle to afford a warm coat for their child. In London, nearly 40% of parents of young children (ages 0-5) report that they will struggle to buy a winter coat or snowsuit this year.
• Fuel Poverty Crisis: Over 31% of London households are in fuel poverty, meaning they spend more than 10% of their income on energy just to stay warm. For many, a donated coat is the only way to stay warm inside their own homes.

• 2017: Launched our first drive, collecting 163 jackets for direct distribution 
• 2018: Expanded our reach with 150+ jackets donated by the Matt's BBQ family. (St
• 2019: Strengthened our community response, collecting over 200 jackets.
• 2020: Despite the global challenges of the pandemic, our community showed unprecedented resilience, donating over 400 winter items to support those who lost jobs and homes.

• 2021: Collaborated with Calling London UK and the CC Foundation for our 5th annual drive, successfully collecting over 300 winter items for distribution across London.

• 2025: Collaborated with Calling London UK, Kantar UK and The Jerk Shac, to run 2 consecutive coat drives for the first time. This allowed us to bring our Winter Coat appeal to a corporate space and helped us collect over 400 winter items.

To date, we have distributed over 1,200 winter items, providing an estimated £30,000 in direct material savings to low-income families.

Our Winter Coat Appeal delivers more than just clothing; it provides:

• Immediate Crisis Support: Every item collected is directly distributed to homeless individuals and families in financial crisis via local Crisis centres.
• Community Resilience: By partnering with organisations like the CC Foundation, we ensure our impact reaches the heart of marginalized London boroughs.
• Dignity and Health: Providing warm, high-quality clothing reduces the health risks associated with winter exposure for those living in temporary or no accommodation

London Air Ambulance

Following the success of 2016’s event we donated £1000 of proceeds to London Air Ambulance. We recognised that there is an issue with Knife and Gun crime in London and as such, donated to a charity working on the frontline to deal with the immediate aftermath of these atrocities - London's Air Ambulance.

BBQ for the homeless

From our love of putting on BBQs and giving back, we decided to put together a BBQ for the homeless on Christmas day. The response and support we received for this was amazing, as donations of food, clothes and support on the day came flooding in. All food and clothes that were left over on the day were then directly distributed to the homeless by our local Crisis centre.

Urban Synergy

After another successful event some of the team attended a local school to join up with Urban Synergy who are. a charity doing fantastic work at schools across South London, mentoring, coaching and preparing our young people for working life as adults. The community is close to our hearts and we were delighted to be able to give £1000 to this crucial charity on behalf of all of our attendees.

BBQ for the homeless

On Christmas day, we went back to the location we were at in 2016 to do another BBQ for the homeless. The homeless people and people who just wanted some company on Christmas day were so appreciative the previous year, we had to return and do it all again. In line with our philanthropic principles our donations were then distributed to the local Crisis centre.

Youth Link Networks

2018 and 2019 saw more success and growth for. the MattsBBQ brand, with this came the decision in 2018 to support and donate £1000 to a charity founded in our community - Youth Link Networks.

Youth Link Networks provides hygiene products to schoolgirls and works to build youth hubs in Uganda. In 2019, an optional 50p donation button was added to ticket sales, with proceeds used to purchase land and begin construction of a youth center in eastern Uganda

Sue Ryder

We decided our chosen charity for 2021 would be Sue Ryder. They had been looking after our amazing late friend and regular BBQ'er Cassie at one of their hospices. We wanted to show our appreciation for caring for her before she sadly passed and the work they do with so many others, so we donated £1000 to them.

Mentivity

In 2022, we made a donation of £1,000 to the charity Mentivity, as part of our community giving efforts.

Mentivity is a UK-based charity focused on supporting young people through mentoring, education and community programmes. They work with schools, families and local groups to provide one-to-one mentoring, group learning, youth clubs, sports and wellbeing activities that help young people build confidence, stay engaged in education and feel supported as they grow. 

Cianna's smile

In 2023 & 2024, we chose to support & donate £1000 to Cianna's Smile, a charity that are dedicated to helping children, young people and families affected by sickle cell conditions.

They aim to reduce isolation, raise awareness of sickle cell disease, and provide practical support and community activities such as family events, educational workshops and peer-connection opportunities. Their work also includes campaigns to improve understanding of the condition and resources that help families cope with the challenges it brings.

NHS blood donation sign up

In 2024, we were proud to partner with the NHS by hosting a dedicated stall at our event to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation, particularly for those affected by sickle cell. Their presence had a meaningful impact, creating opportunities for engaging and informative conversations with attendees while encouraging more people to take action. As a result, 28 new donors registered on the day, each with the potential to help save up to three lives. This collaboration highlights the power of community in supporting vital health initiatives and making a real difference.

Fundraiser for Jamaica post hurricane Melissa

We joined forces with the team at Dancehall Karaoke to put on a special fundraiser in support of people affected by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. Thanks to the generosity of everyone involved, we raised over £4,000, with all funds going directly towards helping families rebuild their homes and recover after the devastation caused by the hurricane.