Brandwatch, a startup where I was CTO from day 1 and for 10+ years, was pretty successful and eventually acquired in 2021.
To try and make a positive difference, we decided to make the following ‘Humanist Pledge’:
First, to help out charities which aim at improving the basic wellbeing of people (over, say, companies, the arts or pets), of the many (over the few), in a spirit of togetherness and rationale (over hatred, division and the irrational)
Second, to eventually donate a total of half a million pounds to these charitable causes
We are doing this with monthly donations to causes which fit within this Humanist ethos. It may take us 20 years or so to achieve our goal, but we will get there - and hopefully beyond.
donated so far
£68,658
13.7 % of the
£500,000 pledged
| Date | Charity | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2024 | Humanists.UK | Supporting their campaign against religious schools |
| Oct 2024 | UNHCR: Lebanon Appeal | Emergency relief effort in Lebanon |
| Oct 2024 | Brighton Women's Centre | Additional donation to this great organisation, matched by another donor |
| May 2024 | Labour Party | Time to get rid of the incompetent sociopaths currently running the UK |
| Apr 2024 | Just Stop Oil | The situation is only getting worse |
| Apr 2023 -Mar 2024 | Amnesty, ActionAid, Sustrans, Blueprint for all, Cancer Research | Monthly donations to a range of charities |
| Mar 2024 | Les Restos du Coeur | A second donation to this amazing initiative based in France. |
| Mar 2024 | Three cancer charities | Contributions to several fundraisers |
| Dec 2023 | B&H Citizens' Advice Bureau | A contribution to the Brighton & Hove cost of living action appeal |
| Dec 2023 | The Big Issue | The famous social enterprise helping people affected by poverty |
| Dec 2023 | Centre Point | A great charity tackling youth homelessness |
| May 2023 | Just Stop Oil | The planet is burning. Time to look up |
| Apr 2022 -Mar 2023 | Amnesty, ActionAid, Sustrans, Blueprint for all, Cancer Research | Monthly and one-off donations to a range of charities |
| Mar 2023 | Oxfam, Unicef, Red Cross, and others | Donations following the devastating earthquake in Türkiye |
| Oct 2022 | Survivors' Network | Survivors' Network supports anyone who has experienced sexual violence at any point in their life |
| Oct 2022 | FareShare | FareShare take good quality surplus food from right across the food industry and get it to nearly 9,500 frontline charities and community groups |
| Sep 2022 | Friends of the Earth | Essential charity as we are facing a lethal climate crisis |
| Sep 2022 | Stonewall | Champions of LGBTQ+ inclusion, at a time where Trans people especially are under attack from conservative groups |
| Jun 2022 | Rise | RISE is an independent, Brighton-based charity that helps people affected by domestic abuse |
| Jun 2022 | Black Minds Matter | Black Minds Matter UK connects Black individuals and families with free mental health services |
| May 2022 | Refugee Action | Standing up for refugees and people seeking asylum |
| May 2022 | The Oasis Project | Giving hope to people affected by drugs & alcohol |
| May 2022 | Amaze | Supporting families with disabled children and young people in Sussex |
| Apr 2022 | Humanists.UK | Bringing non-religious people together to develop their own views and an understanding of the world around them |
| Apr 2022 | UNHCR: Ukraine Appeal | For the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Donation matched by other donors |
| Apr 2021 - Mar 2022 | Amnesty, ActionAid, Sustrans, Blueprint for all, Cancer Research, Brighton Table Tennis club | Monthly and one-off donations to a range of charities, some in kind |
| Mar 2022 | Brighton Women's Centre | Special appeal in partnership with the Big Give, who matched the donation |
| Mar 2022 | Shelter | Helping with the plight of homelessness |
| Mar 2022 | Mind UK | Great charity tackling Mental Health |
| Mar 2022 | UNHCR: Ukraine Appeal | To help with the refugee situation in Ukraine |
| Jan 2022 | Stand Against Racism and Inequality | Essential support for victims of hate crime. |
| Jan 2022 | Stop Hate UK | Essential support for victims of hate crime. |
| Dec 2021 | Losev | Helping children with leukemia in Turkey |
| Dec 2021 | Nesin Vakfi | A foundation providing better education for children in Turkey |
| Dec 2021 | Gelecge Isik Tut Dernegi | Helping 150 children with basic school equipment in Turkey |
| Dec 2021 | Derin Yoksulluk Dayanışma Ağı | Research into deep poverty in Turkey and initiatives to address it |
| Nov 2021 | Les Restos du Coeur | Amazing initiative from the late Coluche, tackling food poverty (and more) in France. |
| Oct 2021 | Brighton Women's Centre | A great organisation which provides essential services in Brighton |
| Sep 2021 | The Good Law Project | Brilliant initiative to use Law for good: tackling the environment crisis, upholding democracy, and more |
| Aug 2021 | Save The Children: Afghanistan Appeal | Following the Taliban take-over of Afghanistan |
| Aug 2021 | UNHCR: Afghanistan Appeal | Following the Taliban take-over of Afghanistan |
| Jul 2021 | Defibrillators for Brighton & Hove Secondary Schools | Great initiative to equip local schools with public defibrillator. This should be enough for 1 defibrillator |