About Horsham Matters
Your local charity serving Horsham District
20 years of helping local people through crisis with food, guidance and compassionate support, so no one in Horsham District faces hardship alone. Horsham Matters is a Christian charity that aims to demonstrate love of our neighbour by relieving hardship through the provision of essential services in order to make a positive, long-lasting impact on people’s lives.
Our mission
To reduce hardship across Horsham District by providing compassionate, practical support that helps people move from crisis to long-term stability.
Our vision
A community where everyone feels supported, valued and able to build a more secure, hopeful future and break free from the cycle of poverty.
Who we are
Horsham Matters began 20 years ago when a group of local churches saw people in their community struggling with hunger, financial worries, and isolation. They came together with a simple belief: that no one in Horsham District should face hardship alone.
The Horsham District Foodbank, established in 2004 and part of the Trussell Trust network, remains at the heart of our services, delivering food provision across the district, including through our Hub on the Move mobile food bank.
While emergency food support remains at the heart of what we do, this small and practical response to urgent need has now grown into a holistic charity that helps thousands of local people every year. Through all of this, one thing has never changed: we are neighbours helping neighbours, offering care, dignity and hope when life feels overwhelming.
Our values
Compassion
We welcome everyone with kindness, respect and empathy. We listen without judgement and recognise the dignity and worth in every person who comes to us.
Empowerment
We do more than meet immediate need. We help people understand their situation, build confidence and gain the tools, knowledge and support they need to create lasting, positive change.
Integrity
We are honest, transparent and accountable in everything we do. Trust matters, and we work hard to earn it through consistent, reliable action and genuine care.
Collaboration
Our community is stronger when we work together. We partner with local churches, agencies, volunteers, supporters and businesses so that no one has to face hardship alone.
Sustainability
We focus on long-term solutions that strengthen our community. Through our charity shop and practical support, we help people move toward independence while reducing waste.
What we do
People often come to us when life feels overwhelming: cupboards are empty, bills are rising, and there’s no clear place to turn. We begin with what is needed right now. Through 14 weekly foodbank sessions across Horsham District and our Hub on the Move, which visits surrounding villages, we provide immediate emergency food and a friendly face at a moment of crisis. From there, we gently explore what is really happening and how we can help.
Our outreach and support team walks with people as they start to regain control. We offer budgeting guidance, benefits checks, advocacy and referrals, helping individuals and families understand their situation, access the support they are entitled to and take steps toward a more stable future.
We also run two Connecting Cafés, serving as warm and welcoming spaces where people can relax, talk and feel part of the community. If you cannot afford a meal, you will always be offered one for free. We provide low-cost children’s meals, free if needed, and during school holidays, we provide simple activities so children can play while parents take a moment to breathe.
To help sustain all this work, we run a thriving charity shop and online store, selling pre-loved furniture, bric-a-brac, jewellery, vinyl, puzzles and books. This keeps essential items affordable, reduces waste and raises vital funds so we can continue supporting people through their hardest days.
Meet our management team
Behind Horsham Matters is a passionate team that cares deeply about our community. Every conversation, every food parcel, every café session and every act of support is delivered by real people who want to make life a little easier for those who are struggling. We work together with a shared purpose: to ensure no one in Horsham District faces hardship alone.
Kelvin Glen
Chief Executive Officer
Rob Blaker
Fundraising & Marketing Manager
Karen Merriner
Outreach and Support Manager
Tracy Patterson
Charity Shop Manager
Lisa Butterworth
Finance and Office Manager
Trustees
- Linda Jane Emery, Chair
- Carolyn Watson, Trustee
- James Pestell, Trustee
- Nicola Barber, Trustee
- Helen Elizabeth Pitt, Trustee
- Rev, Thomas Martin Murray, Trustee
Whether you need support, want to give back or simply want to stand alongside your community, there is a place for you here.
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