Since my teenage years I have worked with a number of charitable organisations, including VSL (Worksop), local MIND & Council for Voluntary Services, School Governor, The Shack (Falkland Islands), Port Stanley Cathedral Council (Falkland Islands), Friends of Mental Health (Skegness), MattDotCom, APAS, Nursing Council for Alcohol, Franklin Friends, Lindsey online, Coastal Sound, Lincoln City Radio and Old School Rhythm Machine.

David with a teenager getting a laptop

I have set up a number of charitable ventures – always aimed at helping those under the age of 23.

I have also been a director of a community radio station which aims to provide younger people the opportunity to gain media skills.

The Target Toy Appeal was founded in 1984 and ran it until 1994. Each year in conjunction with the local newspaper people were asked to donate new toys and books for distribution to local children. Each child was also given fresh fruit. It helped hundreds of children in the Grimsby and Cleethorpes area.

When I went to the Falkland Islands I took idea of Toy Appeal and set up “Flying Santa Toy Appeal” supported again by the local paper and this time the RAF.

With my wife, Athane & Graham Alexander, I co-founded MattDotCom, which originally was the idea of our son (1984-2004). This charity provides teenagers with cancer and other life threatening illnesses access to modern technology. This then enables the teenager to continue their education, maintain communication with their peers and have an element of distraction when undergoing painful treatment. These are the three main goals of MattDotCom. MDC has helped 139 teenagers to date.

MattDotCom

Our quiz nights have raised over £4,000 and you can still donate towards this figure by clicking here Quiz night donations and joining those who also could not make it on the night but have donated.