Evelyn Partners picks Community Foundation as charity of the year

27th February 2025

A regional office of one of the UK’s largest wealth management firms is pledging to raise thousands of pounds for grassroots charity groups across South Yorkshire.

It comes after Evelyn Partner’s Leeds office nominated South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF) as its charity of the year for 2025.

Staff from the firm’s offices in Wellington Place will be taking part in a range of charitable activities with the highlight being a sponsored walk to the summit of the 1,345m high Ben Nevis in June 2025.

They will also be organising tree planting activities for community groups in the region as well as supporting Sheffield based charity The Suit Works, which helps unemployed people secure work by offering them styling sessions and smart interview clothing. Evelyn Partners will hold a business wear collection of any pre-loved or unwanted suits in the Leeds office throughout the year.

Evelyn Partners, entrusted with £63 billion of assets by its clients, has offices across the UK, as well as the Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands.

The company’s purpose is ‘to place the power of good advice into more hands,’ which it delivers through a range of services including financial planning and investment management along with Bestinvest, an online investment platform and coaching service for investors who prefer to make their own decisions. 

Matthew Wells, a partner from the Charity Investment Management Team at Evelyn Partners, said: ‘’We are proud to work in partnership with SYCF in 2025 and beyond. Funds raised in the year by our Leeds office will help to ensure grassroots community groups across South Yorkshire receive the funds they need to continue their valuable work.

“Our support of The Suit Works greatly aligns with Evelyn Partners’ wider charitable initiative to transform the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by securing them the help they need to succeed not only in their education, but also their careers and their lives as a whole. 

“In addition, all our employees are allocated two days a year to volunteer in the local community, and our tree planting initiative is not only a great team-building exercise but also ties in with our wider commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen through the careful management of the impact of our business activities on the environment.”

SYCF is the largest grant giving charity in South Yorkshire and in the last year awarded £1.7m to more than 400 groups across the region including The Suit Works, which has been funded through the Moving On Up programme.

As part of the collaboration, Evelyn Partners has joined SYCF’s Professional Advisors network and South Yorkshire’s Giving Network (SYGN).

SYGN is a business network run by South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation. It brings together like-minded businesses and individuals to directly fund community groups throughout Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Michelle Dickinson, head of philanthropy and programmes for SYCF, said: “We’re thrilled to have been nominated by Evelyn Partners as the Leeds office charity of the year.

“As the largest grant giving charity within South Yorkshire with nearly 40 years’ experience, we are trusted and respected experts in our field. We match the passions and values of donors with projects and initiatives that meet local needs in the communities they work in. 

“We look forward to working with the Leeds team throughout this year to generate funds which will be invested in creating a healthier, fairer and stronger South Yorkshire.”

For more information visit www.sycf.org.uk.