adminGamesAid 2025/26 activity brought six new trustees to the organisation’s board and generated £82,000 for four charities supporting children and young people. The funding was shared equally, while the appointments add experience from across the games industry and related sectors.
GamesAid 2025/26 board appointments
Dom Shaw, founder of Sussex Games, has taken on the role of vice chair. Catherine Anderson of Green Man Gaming is the new secretary, and Amelia Suchy, co-founder and director of Mom to Mum, has been appointed treasurer.
Anderson succeeds Mark Washbrook, head of studio at Beat Games, as secretary. Suchy takes over the treasurer role from Gavin Smith, senior commercial manager at Arbuthnot Latham. For readers following the board changes, these appointments identify both the new office-holders and the outgoing trustees.
Three further trustees have joined the board:
- Greg Weller, head of gaming partnerships at Generation Media
- Jon Paterson, games and creative innovation lead at Barclays
- Matthieu Gras, co-founder and CEO of CineRPG CIC
Together, the six appointments bring a range of professional backgrounds to GamesAid’s governance. The organisation’s announcement also recognises the contributions of the trustees leaving the secretary and treasurer positions.
Image credit: Left to right; Dom Shaw, Catherine Anderson, and Amelia Suchy.
How the £82,000 was distributed
Four charities received an equal share of the money raised during 2025/26. AFK, Autistica, Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity, and Solving Kids’ Cancer UK each received £20,500. Equal allocations mean each organisation can direct the same amount of support towards its work with children, young people, and families.
The money came from fundraising activities including events, tombolas, raffles, and other initiatives. The funds were formally presented at a cheque-giving ceremony in May 2025. GamesAid also raised £30,070 at Develop:Brighton through activities that included Stand Up for GamesAid and Mark Ward’s Charity Poker Tournament.
What the charity funding supports
The donations are intended to help each charity deliver specific services. AFK provided specialist mobility equipment for children. Rays of Sunshine plans to grant gaming-related wishes for 15 seriously or terminally ill young people.
Autistica is piloting an Employment Readiness Program for neurodivergent young people, while Solving Kids’ Cancer UK is expanding its Family Support Service. These examples show how the funding supports a mix of practical equipment, meaningful experiences, employment preparation, and family assistance.
When reviewing charity fundraising announcements, it is useful to distinguish between money raised, money distributed, and the particular programmes each recipient says it will support. In this case, the four equal grants and the stated activities provide a clear overview of where the £82,000 is going.
GamesAid 2025/26 and community support
GamesAid chair Sara Veal said the organisation was proud of what its community had achieved. She thanked people who gave time, energy, and support, whether by attending events, joining tombolas, buying raffle tickets, or sharing information. Veal also highlighted the work charities do for children and young people across the UK and said the funding would help them extend their reach.
The appointments and donations together underline two parts of GamesAid’s work: maintaining its board and supporting charitable services. GamesAid 2025/26 resulted in six trustee appointments and £82,000 for four organisations, with each charity receiving £20,500 for work benefiting young people and their families.
