Charity & Patronages
Theo counts himself lucky that he is in unique position to help the projects and causes that he is passionate about, and encourages his thousands of colleagues to do the same. From raising millions of pounds for Comic Relief and Sport Relief over the years, to current fundraising partners and roles, Theo and the team are proud of the work they do with great causes!
The Paphitis Charitable Trust
The Paphitis Charitable Trust distributes Theo’s fees from TV appearances, speeches and his book to causes close to his heart, especially children’s charities. Funds received are then distributed by a panel of trustees to a variety of registered charities.
Theo Paphitis Charitable Trust typically assists smaller UK charities that have difficulty in gaining funds from other organisations. Recipients range from charities helping children to hospices providing children’s palliative care.
Since it launched in 2005, the Paphitis Charitable Trust has donated over £1.6 million to UK charities so far.
If you would like to contact the Trust please email charitabletrust@tprg.com
Colleague Fundraising
Starlight Children’s Foundation
Starlight is the UK’s leading charity working to put play at the heart of every child’s healthcare. Through play, they transform children’s health by taking the scare out of healthcare. Theo and his businesses have supported Starlight Children’s Foundation since 2019, including sponsoring, championing and attending the Play Therapist of the Year awards. Having donated over £300,000 since 2022, Theo and team also rallied his suppliers to donate £1000s worth of product over the years, especially during Covid where poorly children were given isolation bags during their time in hospital during the lonely Pandemic.
Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity: Theo Paphitis Dyslexia Bursary
In November 2023, Theo Paphitis and the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity launched the Theo Paphitis Dyslexia Bursary to provide funding for schools to offer free training to teachers and teaching assistants around the UK. It has so far helped hundreds of teachers and assistants
The Theo Paphitis Dyslexia Bursary aims to particularly support state schools where there are young people from low-income families, by giving them access to the expertise and guidance of Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity regarding the best ways to support young people with dyslexia.
The Bursary has helped hundreds of teachers and teaching assistants with this specialist training, benefiting thousands of young people in education.
British Dyslexia Association: Theo Is The Dyslexia Empowerment Patron
In October 2023, Theo Paphitis joined forces with the British Dyslexia Association, a leading voice for dyslexic people whose mission is to change society by removing barriers so that everyone with dyslexia can reach their full potential. The ‘Dyslexia Empowerment Patron’ role is a first for the British Dyslexia Association, focusing on the opportunities that can be created around dyslexia.
The British Dyslexia Association’s vision is to create a world where people with dyslexia can flourish. The charity campaigns for an inclusive society that acknowledges, accepts and empowers individuals with dyslexia.
Via the Theo Paphitis Dyslexia Bursary over 50 dyslexia assessments have been completed for those in need and from low-income families.
CoppaFeel! And The Eve Appeal: Boux Avenue Fundraising
Boux Avenue has worked with CoppaFeel! Since 2023. As the UK’s only youth-focused cancer awareness charity, CoppaFeel! Aims to edcuate young people on the symptons to look out for and stamp out the late detection of breast cancer. Boux Avenue has raised over £130,000 since the partnership began and continues to do great work and raise awareness with them.
The Eve Appeal is the only UK charity raising awareness and funding for the prevention and early diagnosis of all five gynaecological cancers, and to take Boux Avenue has raised over £35,000 for them since 2024.
LOOKING BACK AT FUNDRAISING OVER THE YEARS
Comic Relief
Theo was a Director of Comic Relief between 2012-2018, and along with Ryman and Robert Dyas, has proudly been a key contributor to the Comic Relief and Sport Relief cause.
Theo has personally visited projects funded by Comic Relief in both Africa in the UK and continues to be driven by the fantastic work that they carry out. In 2013 Robert Dyas joined the cause and over the years Ryman and Robert Dyas have arranged some great, and often wacky, events and fundraisers. From the store colleagues right up to the Board of Directors everyone has joined in to raise well over £4.7 million to date!
The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
Theo was a patron for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Many Hands Campaign since the launch of the first campaign in 2008 and is a cause which is extremely close to his heart. He helped to launch the Many Hands campaign, that encouraged North West businesses to support the charity by signing up to manageable fundraising targets, as Many Hands make light work!
The Many Hands initiative raised over £300,000.
Hideout Youth Zone (part of Onside youth zones)
OnSide was founded in 2008 as a boys and girls club based in Bolton, Greater Manchester. Since then, the charity has set up various “Youth Zones” across the country, designed to give young people aged 8-19 from deprived areas (up to 25 for those with a disability), somewhere to go after school, something to do and someone to talk to - occupying them with engaging activities, helping them to develop new skills and socialise in a safe, positive and accessible environment. Activities involve sports, dance, arts & crafts, boxing, climbing walls, cookery lessons, and much more. The Zones are visited by over 500,000 young people each year.
One of the latest sites is the Hideout Youth zone, based in Gorton, East Manchester. The Zone is expected to reach over 3,000 young people from central and east Manchester within its first year of operation. Having grown up in the area, Theo supported the development of the site as one of its Founder Patrons.