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The Bates Wells Foundation focuses on positive, sustainable social change by empowering organisations taking action to address pressing issues in our world today. In 2015, the Foundation established its signature initiative, the Stephen Lloyd Awards for early-stage innovations targeting areas of great need which, if well supported, bring real hope of social or environmental change. As an annual competition, the Awards offer financial assistance and access to expertise from across the charity, social enterprise and purposeful business sectors to organisations that might otherwise struggle to afford these services. By providing resources to socially-driven initiatives, the Awards helps amplify their impact, allowing them to reach wider audiences, secure additional funding, and address challenges effectively. The Foundation also runs a smaller matched funding programme, in support of the charitable causes which are close to the hearts of people within Bates Wells. This is done by matching the amount (up to £1,500) a group of five or more Bates Wells people raise for a particular charity through their involvement in fundraising events.