By Cory Belfon, co-founder, GoodtoGive

Since Des and I started GoodtoGive in 2010, most of our work has been with churches and faith charities in London and the South East. But Gift Aid doesn’t stop at the M25, and neither do the churches and charities that need help claiming it. So this autumn I headed north with my family to see more of the country and get a feel for where GoodtoGive could help next.

Starting in the hills

We began in the Lake District, driving up through the fells and walking above Derwentwater. Places like that make you think about distance. Many churches and charities up here are small and rural, run by volunteers and miles from the nearest specialist. That’s exactly where the right support makes the biggest difference.

Chester: a city built on community

Then Chester. We walked under the Eastgate Clock, raised in 1897 for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, and spent a long afternoon in Chester Cathedral.

What stayed with me wasn’t just the architecture. It was the scale of what a place like this looks after: centuries of history, services, volunteers, visitors and a wider community. Sitting in the cloister garden by the Water of Life sculpture, I kept thinking about the people behind the scenes: the treasurers, administrators and volunteers who keep it all going, and for whom every gift matters.

Why we’re looking further afield

GoodtoGive helps churches and faith charities claim the Gift Aid they’re owed, manage declarations and donations, and stay audit-ready. Across the country, a lot of eligible Gift Aid still goes unclaimed, especially on cash, envelope and offline giving.

Exploring the North West is about:

• Listening first: understanding how churches and charities outside London give, record and claim.
• Building relationships: with church leaders, dioceses, networks, accountants and local partners who already serve these communities.
• Finding the right way to grow: working out where GoodtoGive adds real value, and how to support organisations well when we’re not around the corner.

Bringing the family along

My wife Tara and our daughters came with me. Watching the girls take in the cathedral, the cloisters and the town hall square reminded me why this work matters. These buildings and communities are part of everyone’s story, and helping them stay strong is a privilege.

What’s next

Chester and the North West are now firmly on our map. If you lead, look after the finances of, or support a church or charity in Chester, Cheshire or the wider North West, I’d love to hear from you: how giving works where you are, what’s hard about Gift Aid, and what would help.