£44,000 boost for two North West charities

November 2025: Last month we welcomed two North West charities to our headquarters in Rochdale to each receive a cheque for £22,113.99.

The funds were raised through charitable initiatives by our people and matched by Zen. In total, £44,228 was split between Springhill Hospice, a hospice embedded in the local Rochdale community, and The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT), based in Altrincham, Cheshire, which creates unforgettable experiences for children who’ve missed out on the joys of childhood for no fault of their own.

At the same time we also announced that the Women’s Housing Action Group (WHAG) was voted for by our people as our 2025–26 Charity of the Year, alongside Springhill Hospice which is a charity Zen has supported for a number of years. In 2024, we donated £20,000 to Andy’s Man Club, a charity dedicated to men’s mental health.

“Giving back and community fundraising is embedded in our culture and purpose”, said our founder and CEO, Richard Tang. “Each year, employees vote to select their charity, or charities, to support, with the company matching the funds raised through staff-led initiatives. Every member of the Zen team also receives two paid volunteering days to contribute their time directly to causes they care about.

“From community fundraising events to awareness campaigns and sponsored challenges, Zen’s people-powered approach ensures our charitable work delivers meaningful impact across the Northwest and beyond.

“Seeing the energy, creativity, and commitment of our colleagues over the past year has been incredible – from climbing mountains for charity to sleeping out in support of those less fortunate – the team has really made a difference.”  

Tang added: “Giving back isn’t just something we do; it’s part of who we are. As a technology service provider and certified B Corp, we’re proud to be part of a growing movement proving that business can drive positive change. We consider the impact of every decision we make, on our people, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. For us, B Corp isn’t just a badge; it’s a commitment to doing business differently and using it as a force for good."

Fundraising Manager at Springhill Hospice, Sophie Anderson, said: “The overwhelming support from the whole team at Zen Internet is absolutely incredible. To celebrate their tremendous fundraising efforts and express the Hospice’s gratitude was a true privilege. The total donated to Springhill could fund 22 days of our Hospice at Home service!”

A spokesperson at CAFT, said: "We've had such a wonderful year as charity partner of Zen Internet, and are humbled by the hard work and support shown by their staff. They've helped in so many ways, both fundraising and volunteering to help us to make a difference to the children visiting CAFT. 

“Thanks to this amazing donation, we will be able to provide residential and day visits to our accessible countryside location for children from our region whose lives are impacted by illness, disability and social disadvantage – giving them an opportunity to simply be children, to play, to laugh, to learn and grow."

2025 Fundraising Highlights

Zen colleagues embraced a wide variety of fundraising events and initiatives over the past year, demonstrating creativity, determination, and community spirit:

• Three Peaks Challenge (July 2025) – Zen’s flagship charity event saw a team of colleagues scale the UK’s highest peaks, raising awareness and funds for Springhill Hospice and CAFT. A video capturing the team’s journey can be viewed here.
• Annual Sleep Out (August 2025) – Employees spent a night outside at Rochdale Football Club’s Crown Oil Arena to stand in solidarity with the homeless, securing sponsorship and donations for vital community causes.
• Raffles & Competitions – From the festive Christmas raffle to the All-Hands raffle, featuring prizes such as extra days’ leave, hampers, and gift boxes.
• Plant Sale & Golf Day – Team-led sales and charity golf tournaments contributed additional funds while engaging colleagues in fun, communal activities.
• Ongoing Giving Schemes – Zen employees can support charities via the 200 Club weekly prize draw, ‘Pennies to Charity’ salary rounding, or using their two annual volunteer days for hands-on community work.