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Your August Update: Best Mates in Action
Published 13 days ago • 6 min read
Welcome to the August newsletter
It’s been another busy and positive month for Best Mates, with plenty happening across the charity and some exciting steps forward as we continue to grow.
This month feels particularly special as we welcome Emma to the Best Mates team. Emma already knows our community incredibly well, and we’re delighted to have her alongside us as we look towards the next stage of the charity’s journey.
Behind everything you’ll read in this newsletter are people. People giving their time, raising money, joining our events, volunteering as Mates, attending our Walk 'N' Talks, supporting our work and simply telling someone who might be struggling that Best Mates is here.
That continued support allows us to keep doing what we set out to do from day one: be there for people when life gets tough.
We’ve got plenty to share this month, including what we’ve been up to, what’s coming next and two fantastic events still to come before the end of the year.
Thank you, as always, for being part of Best Mates and for helping us continue to make a difference.
This month marks a really exciting step forward for Best Mates as we welcome Emma Matlock to the team as our new Charity Operations Coordinator.
As Best Mates continues to grow, so does the number of people reaching out to us, the Mates supporting them, our Walk ‘N’ Talk groups, events, partnerships and everything that goes on behind the scenes to make it all happen. Bringing Emma into the team is a big moment for the charity and will help us continue that growth while making sure the people who need us remain at the heart of everything we do.
And we couldn’t have asked for someone who understands Best Mates better.
Emma brings a wealth of experience, but she also comes with something you simply can’t teach. She gets it.
She has her own story, she’s volunteered with Best Mates, and she’s been a Mate herself, supporting others through difficult times. She understands our philosophy, our approach and why sometimes having the right person beside you can make such a difference.
In her new role, Emma will be involved across all areas of the charity, supporting our beneficiaries, Mates, volunteers and Walk ‘N’ Talk teams, as well as helping us continue to develop and strengthen Best Mates as we reach more people.
For a charity that started with a simple idea of people helping people, being able to welcome Emma into this role feels like another important milestone in our journey.
We’re absolutely delighted to have you with us, Emma. Welcome to the Best Mates team. We can’t wait to see what the next chapter brings.
And if you see Emma at a Walk ‘N’ Talk, an event or out and about representing Best Mates, make sure you go over and say hello!
Two Big Events. Two Chances to Get Involved.
We’ve got just two major Best Mates events left this year, and we’d love you to be part of them.
Every ticket bought, every team entered, and every person who comes along helps us continue doing what Best Mates exists to do: supporting people through difficult times and helping change lives.
So, get some dates in the diary...
See below for more information, and how to book! ⬇️
🏁 Best Mates Go Kart Grand Prix | 5th September
Think you’re quick behind the wheel? Time to prove it!
Our Go Kart Grand Prix promises a day of high-octane competition as teams of four battle it out on the track to find out who will be crowned the Best Mates Grand Prix Champions.
And this isn’t just any karting circuit. Buckmore Park is part of British motorsport history. It’s the track where a young Lewis Hamilton raced before being spotted by McLaren boss Ron Dennis, a moment that would eventually help launch one of the greatest careers in Formula 1.
Now it’s your turn. Get your team of four together, settle the arguments over who’s actually the best driver and get yourself on the grid.
Places are limited and this one has almost sold out, so don’t hang around.
Then in November, it’s time to swap the racing suits for something a little smarter!
Our Winter Ball is our chance to bring everyone together, celebrate what Best Mates has achieved and, most importantly, raise the funds that allow us to keep supporting people who need someone in their corner.
Expect fantastic food, entertainment, music and plenty of dancing, all while helping us make a genuine difference.
Bring your friends, bring your partner or get the whole team together and make the Best Mates Winter Ball your Christmas party for 2026. Have a brilliant night out and know that, while you’re enjoying yourselves, you’re also helping us continue changing lives.
We’d love to have you there and celebrate another incredible year of Best Mates together.
As we have ticked past the halfway point of the year, we can now see the support from our corporate partners. Each of them has undertaken various challenges and activities to raise vital funds and awareness for Best Mates, and it really has made a huge difference.
To date, they have raised an amazing £42,000 through bike rides, walks, payroll giving, event auctions, and donations! The difference this will make to people cannot be underestimated. And as we always say, it doesn’t take a lot to change a life.
£500 will provide 10 hours of counselling or therapy for someone.
£900 will allow us to put someone through an addiction clinic.
£1500 will help us to reintegrate a veteran into society.
We are so grateful to our corporate partners and their staff who have given up their time to help make a difference.
Best Mates Golf Day at Cumberwell Park
Our 3rd Annual Golf Day saw 84 golfers hitting the fairway, or not hitting the fairway in some cases, for a good cause. On the back of another heatwave, the sun continued to shine down and set us up for an amazing day.
Playing a Texas Shamble format, we had some great, and some not so great scores coming in and there were prizes for many!
We can’t make these days as successful as they are without the help and support of a lot of people.
This support and the generosity of our guests meant that we raised £10,889 from the day!! Thank you all so much!!
A Silver Winner at The Great British Business Awards 2026 🥈
We’re incredibly proud to share that Best Mates – wegotya has been named a Silver Winner in The Great British Business Awards 2026!
This recognition is a fantastic achievement for our team and a brilliant acknowledgement of the work, passion and impact behind what we do. And there’s still more to come; we could even go one step further and advance to Gold at the awards night on 25th September🏆
We’re thrilled to be recognised alongside so many inspiring British businesses and would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported Best Mates – wegotya along the way.
Silver today, with our eyes firmly on Gold!
Could You Become a Mate?
As Best Mates continues to grow, so does the demand for the support we provide, and we're looking for more Mates and volunteers to join our incredible team.
If you've been through a difficult period in your own life and have come out the other side, your experience could help someone who is facing that same challenge today.
Being a Mate isn't about having all the answers. It's about listening, understanding and showing someone that they're not alone because you've walked a similar path yourself.
We're also looking for volunteers who can support our fundraising events, Walk 'N' Talk groups, community activities and day to day charity operations.
If you're looking for a meaningful way to give something back, we'd love to hear from you.
Together, we can continue building stronger communities where nobody has to face life's toughest moments.
Meet Your Mates
Name: Jenny Kyson
Favourite food: Steak and peppercorn sauce 😋
Holiday destination: Crete
Pet hate: Cruel people, it's so easy to be kind, and if you can't be kind at least be quiet!
Fun fact: I love Rock and nu metal music and going to festivals.
Why I became a mate: I became a mate mainly because I understand how support and connection are so important for us as humans and that when we feel alone, depressed or whatever it is connection that gets us through. I love to talk to people and have experienced a lot of adversity in my own life, and I know for a fact if I didn't have someone to talk to I wouldn't be here now.
Area of Support: I bring a lot of personal life experience, such as being a domestic abuse survivor who's also had mental health crisis. I’m neuro divergent, and have home educated my children who are SEND, so I can empathise with how lonely that can be. I also have experience of supporting teenagers who self harm, and have worked within the homelessness sector for many years, then moving on to work within the criminal justice system. I currently am a sole carer for my youngest daughter.
Turning Support Into Real Impact
Here’s a snapshot of the impact we’ve made together up to 27th of August 2026, showing how your support is changing lives.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletters and hear all about the work we are doing to support people experiencing life's challenges, because we believe that no-one should face them alone.
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