Swindon Home Finders Support Best Mates

A huge thank you to the incredible team at Swindon Home Finders for choosing to support Best Mates during Mental Health Awareness Week.

The team took on a fantastic £1 per mile challenge, donating £1 for every mile their team covered, raising an amazing £381 in the process. This donation helps us continue supporting people through difficult times, providing counselling, peer support, Walk 'N' Talk groups and guidance to those who need it most.

What has made this partnership even more special is that it hasn't stopped there. Since the fundraiser, Best Mates has been featured in the Swindon Home Finders monthly magazine, which reaches homes across the region, helping raise awareness of the work we do. Jeff has also been invited to take part in social media content with the team, allowing even more people to hear about the charity.

This is a brilliant example of a business not only raising money, but truly understanding our mission and helping us spread the message that nobody should have to face life's toughest moments alone.

Thank you to Megan and the entire Swindon Home Finders team for your continued support.

Best Mates at The Care Show

We were delighted to be invited to speak at The Care Show Networking Event in Swindon.

Jeff delivered a presentation sharing the story behind Best Mates, why the charity was created, the support we provide across our communities and the impact that continues to grow through our services.

Events like these are invaluable, not only for raising awareness but for bringing together organisations that genuinely care about making a difference to people's lives.

A huge thank you to Hannah and Kevin for the invitation, their warm welcome and for organising the raffle, which also raised valuable funds to support the work of Best Mates.

We look forward to continuing those relationships and helping more people together.

Thank You, Corinne

This month, we say goodbye to Corinne Paul, who has been an incredibly important part of the Best Mates journey.

From helping shape our day-to-day operations to supporting beneficiaries, volunteers, events and everything in between, Corinne has played a huge role in helping Best Mates grow into the charity it is today. Her commitment, compassion and willingness to go above and beyond have touched so many people.

While her shoes will certainly be big to fill, we know she leaves behind an organisation that is stronger because of everything she has given.

As we often say, once a Best Mate, always a Best Mate.

From everyone here, we wish her every success and happiness in this exciting new chapter.

Thank you, Corinne. We'll miss you.

We would also like to recognise Carol Owens and Kriss Walklett, who have both decided to step back from volunteering for the foreseeable future. We'd like to thank them for the time, care and commitment they have given to Best Mates over the past couple of years. Their support has been greatly appreciated, and they'll always be welcome as part of the Best Mates family.

Thank you, Corinne, Carol and Kriss. You'll always be part of the Best Mates story.

Solus Ceramics Golf Day

This month, we were invited to attend a fantastic golf day held by one of our fundraisers, Solus Ceramics at The London Club.

Ninety golfers descended on the Kent golf club in glorious sunshine, with Carl and Lily there to promote all things Best Mates.

It was an amazing day, and the generosity from everyone was incredible as they raised a whopping £1590!

Join the Chemo to Coastline Challenge! 👣

Hi, I’m Andrew. I run the social media account at Best Mates.

After being diagnosed with follicular lymphoma at the start of 2025 and now undergoing chemotherapy, I’ve set myself the challenge of virtually walking the 11,100-mile coastline of mainland Great Britain to raise awareness and funds for Best Mates and Lymphoma Action.

The best part is that you can help! Whether you walk, run, cycle, swim, play golf or do any other form of exercise, you can donate your miles to help move me around the coastline. Every mile counts, no matter how big or small.

If you’d like to get involved, email chemotocoastline@gmail.com and I’ll send you everything you need to log your miles.

If you’d like to support the challenge with a donation, you can do so by clicking the link below.

Follow the journey on Instagram & TikTok: @chemotocoastline

Corporate Partnerships

It’s been an exciting month for us with regard to new companies following our journey and wanting to work with us.

​TriTech Search Ltd is a newly established recruitment company based in the city, working in the Cyber, Tech and Defence sectors. Co-Founder Tom Phillips explains why TriTech have chosen to support Best Mates.

"Partnering with Best Mates is more than a business decision for me; it's something I'm genuinely passionate about. The work they do is incredibly close to my heart, and I'm proud that TriTech Search can play a part in supporting their mission. Together, I hope we can raise awareness, make a lasting impact, and help create positive change for those who need it most."

​Horizn Golf is a new golf apparel brand that launched in June to bring a new feel to the golfing market. One of their founders is our own CEO, Carl McCulloch, and for him, this was a very easy way to give back and support Best Mates. Horizn Golf have committed 2% from every sale to be donated to Best Mates. Jon Nutt, Co-Founder, has also supported Best Mates since inception and had no hesitation in confirming the support for us.

“From the moment we came up with the idea of this company in a golf course bar in Spain, supporting Best Mates along the way was always going to happen. I have seen Best Mates grow over the 3 years they have been going, and I have seen the impact the work does to help people across the country. I am delighted to think that as a brand, we can help Best Mates further enhance the work they do.”

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.

Walk ‘N’ Talk Update

Our Walk ‘N’ Talk Wednesdays continue to grow across the region and we are seeing more and more people attend each week looking for connection, conversation and support in a safe and welcoming environment.

As the groups continue to expand, we are now looking for more Walk ‘N’ Talk Leaders and volunteers who would like to either:

• Start their own Walk ‘N’ Talk group within their community

• Help support existing groups

• Assist with registrations, welcoming attendees and group support

• Become part of the growing Best Mates support network

You do not need to be a professional counsellor or therapist. What matters most is compassion, reliability and the willingness to help create a positive and supportive environment for others.

Walk ‘N’ Talks are making a genuine difference to people who may be struggling with loneliness, mental health challenges or simply needing someone to talk to. With more leaders and volunteers, we can continue expanding these groups and helping even more people across our communities.

If you would like to get involved or find out more about starting a Walk ‘N’ Talk in your area, we would love to hear from you.

This month saw: 113 people use our services across the 6 groups

For more details and to sign up to any of our events, please click the button below.

Here’s a snapshot of the impact we’ve made together up to 29th of July 2026, showing how your support is changing lives.