Our Story

“Meeting my goals and magic practice gave me the confidence to do things even others my age struggle with. I’m the strong one at something.” — Amaira, Young Magician

“The programme has been life‑changing for Zakariyya.” — Parent

Our partnership with Breathe Arts Health Research went well beyond a £10,000 grant. We provided more than 50 hours of pro bono meeting space, saving the charity over £2,500, and offered practical staff development through workshops on pitching, social media and professional skills. Our colleagues also shared expert guidance and helped create valuable networking opportunities, building confidence and capability across the organisation.

This funder‑plus approach strengthened Breathe’s resilience during a challenging period and showed how skills‑based support can create long‑term, sustainable impact.

Parents described the day as uplifting and restorative. One father shared how the event allowed his daughter, who has a terminal condition, and the whole family to relax and enjoy time together. Families who couldn’t attend received Hamleys teddy bears – a small gesture with a big emotional impact. Others spoke about children who usually struggle socially feeling at ease in what they called a “magical” environment.

For us, these reflections are more than testimonials – they help us understand impact, shape future events and make sure we’re meeting the needs of the families we support.

After a 2025 session, every participant reported feeling more confident about seeking employment, a strong sign of how effective tailored, hands‑on support can be. Feedback from Money Ready and our volunteers consistently shows how these days help young people feel at ease, understand their next steps and develop essential workplace skills.

We’ve seen outstanding success: two young people who first joined as participants are now employed at Quilter. Their journeys show how these sessions can spark real, life‑changing outcomes.

We’ve already delivered these days in our Southampton, Belfast and Glasgow offices, with growing interest from other regions. The combination of accessible financial education, practical employability support and genuine volunteer engagement continues to create lasting, measurable impact for the young people who attend.

At the Quilter Foundation, we work in close partnership with the charities we support. Open conversations and shared responsibility help us track progress in a fair, constructive way.

We set clear goals with our partners and agree simple, practical ways to measure success. We treat monitoring as a chance to learn and improve rather than a box‑ticking exercise. Regular check‑ins and shared insights help us turn feedback into action.

We also bring in independent experts to review key programmes. Their assessments give us an objective view of what is working well and where we can have even greater impact. These findings guide future funding and help build trust in our approach.

By learning and adapting as we go, we stay responsive to the needs of the communities we support. This flexible way of working helps show the real impact of our programmes and strengthens our strategy over time, so we can keep making a positive, lasting difference.