MATTHEWS FRIENDS
To publicise the ketogenic diet and make it a first line treatment for childhood epilepsy instead of a last resort.To give parents and informed choice and an alternative to medicationTo support parents/carers and children once on the diet.To provide finding to help with education and training in the administration of the ketogenic diet to make it more available
Objects
The relief of people with known complex and intractable epilepsy and the specific neurometabolic disorder GLUT1 deficiency syndromeby providinga) Information and advice on the Ketogenic Diet (an alternative treatment to medication), and support for patients/parents/carers once on the diet, andb) Any charitable means which the trustees decide including:a) To publicise Ketogenic Dietary Therapies and make them more available to all those who should need it, be it child or adult.b) Together with our medical board, give parents and patients an informed choice about the Ketogenic Diet and to source and provide the latest information available.c) To support families and patients through their dietary therapy.d) To support professionals in their administration of dietary therapies by way of literature, ketogenic starter packs and files, educational conferences and training meetings and provide funding, where possible.e) To support Research projects into the efficacy of these dietary treatments for use in Epilepsy and other conditions, working with medical professionals to ensure our information is safe, relevant and current.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a net outgoing resource of £92,271 for the year ended 31 March 2025, resulting in a decrease in unrestricted reserves from £397,623 to £305,352. The trustees consider the financial performance satisfactory and confirm there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
What the accounts disclose
“The charity's reserves policy is to hold back sufficient funds to cover committed grants, the fixed charity running costs, salary/freelance costs for 12 months and any essential variable costs necessary for healthy growth of the charity, which equates to £40,000 (2024: £40,000).” — page 8
“During the year Matthews Friends charity provided educational funding of £12,339 to Ketocollege Ltd (formerly Matthews Friends Clinics Ltd), a company owned and controlled by trustee J Fountain (2024: £42,043). During the year Matthews Friends charity provided support services of £5,929 and premises hire of £6,656 to Ketocollege Ltd (2024: £16,408). There were no outstanding amounts at the year end (2024: £55,121). During the year Matthews Friends Charity received Ketogenic Cookery Services and used the facilities of Maureen Benn and Benn Bros who are related to the trustee Mrs Julie Fountain. The total invoiced for these services during the year was £1,798 (2024: £1,815). During the year, reimbursement of £284 admin expenses was made to INKS, a company that the trustee R Aldridge is also a trustee. There were no amounts outstanding at the year-end (2024: £284)” — page 23
“Matthew's Friends Clinics Ltd (re-named Ketocollege Ltd in the year) is an independent limited company owned by Julie Fountain” — page 9
Policies the charity declares
- Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
- Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
- Complaints handling
- Complaints policy and procedures
- Conflicting interests
- Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
- Financial reserves policy and procedures
- Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
- Internal risk management policy and procedures
- Investing charity funds policy and procedures
- Investment
- Paying staff
- Risk management
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
- Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
- Social media policy and procedures
- Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
- Trustee expenses policy and procedures
- Volunteer management
From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025
- Volunteers: 4
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024
- Volunteers: 4
Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2023
- Volunteers: 5
- Trustee benefits, answered Yes to: any trustee benefit; payments to trustees for services to the charity
Annual return filing dates (Charity Commission record)
Of its last 5 annual returns with a recorded received date, 1 was received after the due date: year ending 31/03/2021 (received 01/02/2022, 1 day after the 31/01/2022 due date).
Corporate structure
- Trading subsidiary: KETOCOLLEGE LIMITED Companies House 07208695 · Financial health read from its filings
- Profit before tax: £6k
- Received educational grants from parent charity: £12,339 (2024: £42,043). Used support services and premises hire from parent charity: £6,656 (2024: £16,408). Amount owed to parent charity at year end was £nil (2024: £55,121).
Trustees
- JULIE FRANCES FOUNTAINchair
- RICHARD ALDRIDGE
- Susan Jill Anderson Wood
- VALERIE MARY ALDRIDGE
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £68k | £161k |
| 31/03/2024 | £97k | £214k |
| 31/03/2023 | £134k | £170k |
| 31/03/2022 | £477k | £489k |
| 31/03/2021 | £112k | £141k |
Common questions
Is MATTHEWS FRIENDS financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net outgoing resource of £92,271 for the year ended 31 March 2025, resulting in a decrease in unrestricted reserves from £397,623 to £305,352. The trustees consider the financial performance satisfactory and confirm there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.
Who funds MATTHEWS FRIENDS?
Funders whose own accounts filings name MATTHEWS FRIENDS as a grant recipient include SYDNEY AND PHYLLIS GOLDBERG MEMORIAL CHARITABLE TRUST.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SYDNEY AND PHYLLIS GOLDBERG MEMORIAL CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2023 | £15k | To increase the awareness of the effects of epilepsy in children and to provide support and educate and advise on the welfare of the child. |
| SYDNEY AND PHYLLIS GOLDBERG MEMORIAL CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2024 | £15k | To increase the awareness of the effects of epilepsy in children and to provide support and educate and advise on the welfare of the child. |
| SYDNEY AND PHYLLIS GOLDBERG MEMORIAL CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2022 | £15k | To increase the awareness of the effects of epilepsy in children and to provide support and advise on the welfare of the child. |
| SYDNEY AND PHYLLIS GOLDBERG MEMORIAL CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2021 | £15k | To increase the awareness of the effects of epilepsy in children and to provide support and educate and advise on the welfare of the child. |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 11/03/2015 | £10k | Ketogenic Cooking Recipe Demonstrations and Tutorial Films |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 11/02/2009 | £10k | My Ketogenic Diet - Home Files |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 22/11/2005 | £3k | Provision of T-shirts and booklets to use for fundraising |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE JOSEPH ROWNTREE CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £95k |
| HOLLYHOCK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION | 1 | £94k |
| DORSET COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | 1 | £74k |
| THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £50k |
| THE LANKELLYCHASE FOUNDATION | 1 | £45k |
| THE INDIGO TRUST | 1 | £45k |
| THE BLAGRAVE TRUST | 1 | £39k |
| THE HELEN ROLL CHARITY | 1 | £34k |
Charities like this
- INTERNATIONAL NEUROLOGICAL KETOGENIC SOCIETY
- OUR SPECIAL FRIENDS
- BEFRIENDERS WORLDWIDE
- FRIENDS FIRST
- THE MATHS SOCIETY
- ABOUT WITH FRIENDS
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATTHEWS FRIENDS | £68k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| INTERNATIONAL NEUROLOGICAL KETOGENIC SOCIETY | £30k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| OUR SPECIAL FRIENDS | £231k | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |
| BEFRIENDERS WORLDWIDE | £40k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| FRIENDS FIRST | £132k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| THE MATHS SOCIETY | £32k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |