Matrix

What Matrix does

Matrix is a registered UK charity (The Matrix Trust, Charity Number 1081852, Company Number 03977050) founded in 2000 and headquartered at Allen House Pavilion, Eastgate Gardens, Guildford. It provides free, in-person early-intervention and prevention services for vulnerable young people aged 8–18 across Guildford Borough in Surrey, operating through four programme strands: Nurture (school-based one-to-one sessions, group work, community wellbeing, Year 6-to-7 transition coaching), Inspire (innovation workshops, Youth Steering Group, Ready4Action social-action weekend), Connect (Youth Cafe / The Hideaway, school drop-ins, volunteering, fundraising), and Empower (work experience, THRIVE Youth Leadership). Mental Health First Aid-trained youth workers deliver the bulk of services via schools (Guildford County School, George Abbot School, Christ's College), a community youth café, and detached youth work across six neighbourhoods (Stoughton, Stoke Park, Slyfield, Guildford Town Centre, Bellfields, Bushy Hill). The organisation serves 1,000+ young people annually, delivering 2,566 sessions and 1,283 hours of face-to-face support in the most recent reported year.

Matrix has no proprietary technology platform — services are delivered in-person and the technology footprint is limited to a website, Facebook and Instagram presence, and email. The business model is non-commercial: all services to young people are free, funded by individual donations, fundraising events (dinners, quizzes, raffles, skydives, golf days), Gift Aid, legacy giving, and grants or sponsorship from partners including the Community Foundation for Surrey, The Cinnamon Network, Ubisoft, and the High Sheriff Youth Awards. A sub-brand, The Hideaway, operates as an accredited social-enterprise café providing earned income via on-the-job training placements. Matrix is a founding partner of the Surrey Wellbeing Partnership and delivers services through Mindworks Surrey, the county-wide children and young people's emotional wellbeing and mental health service. Leadership comprises CEO Dan Setterfield, Head of Finance Juliette Milton, and Head of Operations Tim Littlewood, supported by 15+ named programme, practitioner, and coordination staff.

Name

Matrix

Legal name

The Matrix Trust

Website

https://matrixtrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Matrix Trust is a Guildford-based Christian charity providing free, in-person mental-health, wellbeing, and employability support to vulnerable young people aged 8–18 across Guildford Borough, funded by donations, fundraising events, and grants, and delivered via schools, a youth café, and detached neighbourhood work.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Community Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Youth support services
• Community youth work
• School-based mentoring
• Mental health charity
• Youth wellbeing programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Guildford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Matrix relies on donations from individuals and communities, fundraising events (dinners, quizzes, raffles, skydives, golf days), and charitable giving programs including GiveMatch donation matching, Gift Aid, legacy bequests, and EasyFundraising partnerships.
2. Fundraising Appeal: Annual fundraising campaign targeting £12,000 from 1000 supporters giving £1/month each to fund youth work activities including meals, youth worker conversations, and year-long support for young people.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Matrix Trust (Matrix) is a Christian youth support charity delivering free, in-person mental health, wellbeing, and developmental services to vulnerable young people aged 8–18 across Guildford Borough. Services are organised under four programme strands—Nurture (school one-to-one sessions, group work, community wellbeing, transition coaching), Inspire (innovation workshops, Youth Steering Group, Ready4Action), Connect (Youth Cafe/The Hideaway, school drop-ins), and Empower (work experience, THRIVE Youth Leadership)—delivered directly in schools and community settings by Mental Health First Aid-trained youth workers.

Product overview

Matrix operates as a youth support charity offering a unified set of services organised into four interconnected strands: Nurture, Inspire, Connect, and Empower. The Nurture programme provides early intervention mental health support through school-based one-to-one sessions, group work workshops, community wellbeing services, and school transition coaching. The Inspire programme builds confidence through innovation workshops, a Youth Steering Group, and the annual Ready4Action social action weekend. The Connect programme creates safe spaces via the Hideaway Youth Cafe and school drop-ins. The Empower programme focuses on work readiness through placements and the THRIVE Youth Leadership project. The Hideaway Youth Cafe functions as an accredited social enterprise providing employment experience and mentoring. These programmes work together to support young people aged 8-18 across Guildford Borough.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Hideaway: An accredited social enterprise café initiative of Matrix, providing young people who need a boost into employment with valuable on-the-job experience, mentoring and life skills training.
• Youth Hideaway
• Mindworks Surrey
• Surrey Wellbeing Partnership

Products and services

• Nurture Programme (Schools 1:1 Sessions, Group Work, Community & Wellbeing, School Transition Coaching) Free early-intervention support for vulnerable young people aged 8–18 in Guildford Borough, comprising Mental Health First Aid-trained youth workers delivering school-based one-to-one sessions, group work workshops (e.g. friendship, anxiety management), community wellbeing services, and Year 6 to Year 7 school transition coaching.
• Inspire Programme (Innovation Workshops, Youth Steering Group, Ready4Action) Confidence and self-esteem-building programme for young people in Guildford Borough, featuring innovation workshops, a Youth Steering Group that lets young people shape Matrix projects and interview new team members, and the annual Ready4Action social-action weekend where volunteers complete practical tasks for community members in need.
• Connect Programme (Youth Cafe / The Hideaway, School Drop-ins, Volunteering) Free safe-space provision for young people aged 11–18 across Guildford Borough, including the Matrix Youth Cafe (The Hideaway) operating Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 3:30–5:30pm during term time at Allen House Gardens, weekly lunchtime school drop-ins, and volunteering opportunities for supporters.
• Empower Programme (Work Experience, THRIVE Youth Leadership) Work-readiness support for young people in Guildford Borough, providing work experience placements with local businesses, the THRIVE Youth Leadership initiative equipping young people to advocate for themselves and engage in their community, and access to The Hideaway social enterprise cafe for on-the-job mentoring and life-skills training.
• The Hideaway Youth Cafe (Social Enterprise) Accredited social enterprise cafe located at Allen House Gardens, Guildford, providing young people aged 11–18 who need a boost into employment with on-the-job experience, mentoring, and life-skills training; operates during term time and functions as both a safe space and a vocational pathway.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2566 sessions held and 1283 hours of face-to-face support provided in one year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mindworks SurreycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatrix offers services as part of Mindworks Surrey, the children and young people's emotional wellbeing and mental health service. This partnership integrates Matrix into Surrey's coordinated mental health support system for young people.
• Surrey Wellbeing PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatrix is a founding partner of the Surrey Wellbeing Partnership, a joint venture of local and national charities with a common goal to work with children and young people in the community to improve wellbeing and mental health.
• TLG (The Learning Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with TLG for the Transition Project providing trained volunteer coaches for Year 6 students transitioning to secondary school.
• Guildford County SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding school partnership with Matrix youth workers running weekly drop-ins and providing pastoral mental health support.
• George Abbot SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partnership with regular lunchtime drop-ins and access to Matrix youth workers for student support.
• Local Businesses and OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWork experience placement providers offering opportunities for young people lacking connections or confidence to gain meaningful employment experience.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• YMCA England & Wales: Large UK charity providing youth work, housing, and wellbeing services across the country. Comparable to Matrix as a non-profit delivering youth support and personal development programmes, though at substantially greater national scale.
• Centrepoint: National UK charity for young people experiencing homelessness and disadvantage, providing support services and personal development programmes. Comparable to Matrix in working with vulnerable 16-24 year-olds, though with a focus on housing.
• Barnardo's: Major UK children's charity running services for vulnerable children and young people including mental health, early intervention, and school-based support. Comparable in mission and beneficiary focus, but operates at national scale with statutory funding.
• Action for Children: Large UK charity supporting vulnerable children, young people, and families with services including mental health, family support, and early intervention. Comparable to Matrix in mission focus on vulnerable young people.

Direct peers

• The Children's Society: UK charity focused on disadvantaged and vulnerable young people, providing mental health, emotional wellbeing, and participation programmes. Closely comparable in target population (8-18 year olds) and free-access service model.
• Catch22: UK social business working with vulnerable young people in education, mental health, and early intervention. Comparable to Matrix in delivering school-based youth work and emotional wellbeing services, including community-led programmes.
• Youthscape: UK youth charity delivering community-based youth work, mental health support, and schools projects from a Christian foundation. Highly comparable to Matrix on faith-based identity, target age group, and service mix including youth cafés and school work.
• The Mix: UK charity providing free, multi-channel support for under-25s on mental health, wellbeing, and life issues. Comparable to Matrix in serving young people with free wellbeing services, though predominantly delivered digitally.

Regional players

• London Youth: UK charity supporting a network of youth organisations delivering community-based youth work and personal development. Comparable to Matrix as a youth work infrastructure body, though with a London regional focus.
• Caritas Surrey: Faith-based social action charity supporting disadvantaged communities in Surrey including young people and families. Comparable to Matrix on faith-based identity and same geographic region (Surrey).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thematrixtrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/thematrixtrust
• Xx.com/thematrixtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matrix-guildford

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Matrix