Chris Worthington, founder of Cause Matcher is the latest regional professional in the hot seat as the p.ublished group of newspapers gives him just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions.

What does a typical working day for you involve?

It has to be a coffee before I do anything work related. Then I tend to head outside for 10 minutes to enjoy some fresh air, before checking and responding to emails and then writing my ‘to-do’ list for the day.

As I’m always looking for charities to help and businesses to work with in Yorkshire, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn and searching the web, before pitching to relevant businesses to encourage them to get involved with the initiative.

I always have lots of calls and zoom meetings throughout the day to tell the Cause Matcher story, explain how organisations and charities from across the region can get involved and just generally spreading the word about what I’m trying to achieve.

What makes your company special?

There isn’t really anybody doing what we are doing in Yorkshire - matching up business with good causes to do good, all for free.

Donations are great, but causes want help in other ways and companies/individuals can donate their skills. People can’t always see how a donation is spent, but they can see how they have helped by donating their time and skills.

I want to build lasting local partnerships that strengthen communities and help charities do more of what matters efficiently, effectively and for free.

I truly believe that humanity finds purpose through generosity and I have set up Cause Matcher to help facilitate that.

Do you dress up or down for work?

As I work from home, I dress down. I have presented a few times recently in person, so I will look smart and make an effort, but if a catch-up or meeting is held via Zoom, you’ll find me in a smart top and shorts!

What piece of advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

Not to worry too much, nothing is ever as bad as it seems. I can’t think of any outcome I worried about that turned out to be as bad as I thought it was going to be!!

You’re a product of your decisions, so try to make some sensible choices along the way.

Relax more, take time to actually enjoy life as it bloomin’ flies by! Remember to live in the moment - we tend to plan for the future too much and not enjoy the now.
Good things take time, and material things don’t make you happy.

What’s your favourite Yorkshire venue for an event or team away day?

Rudding Park in Harrogate - from the moment you arrive, it’s very special. The facilities, the location, and its exceptional standards always make it a great place to visit.

How do you prefer to travel for business?

Locally it will have to be the car, but longer distances the train, you can relax and get some work done. You always feel better for a meeting after a train journey than a stressful car one.

What’s your favourite place in Yorkshire to relax?

I live near York and still love wandering round admiring the history, finding streets I haven’t been down, followed by some good grub and a couple of drinks in one of its great eateries. It really is one of the best cities in the UK.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Yorkshire, and what dish do you recommend?

There are so many. It would have to be a country pub and a traditional Sunday Roast with the family. There is a local country pub in Skipwith called the Drovers Arms, which does a cracking roast!

What do you miss most about Yorkshire when you’re away?
Yorkshire is very lucky to have everything, great cities, coastlines, countryside and really decent people. But if I had to pick one, it would have to be the countryside.

Do you have any business rules that you swear by?

Always try to be nice to people, which I suppose is a bit of a life rule as well. Your business and life will be better for it!

Do what you say you are going to do. I’m not a big fan of long boring contracts, I’m a bit old-fashioned - if I say I am going to do something verbally or in an email I will do it.

Question everything and always look at ways of doing things differently, challenge the Status Quo.



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