MattDotCom is the brainchild of Sharon and David Harding-Price who with their teenage son Matthew after he was admitted to hospital in 2000 with cancer, became aware that when teenagers go into into hospital it becomes very difficult for them to continue with their education, maintain contact with their peers and schools.

Most hospital schools only have a couple of laptop computers and these tend to be taken back into school at the end of the day, resulting in teenagers not being able to work in the evenings or use the computer for entertainment.  Also as teenagers move into GCSEs and A levels it becomes harder for them to access the programmes and machines for long periods so as to complete project work.

In October 2001 with support from friends, MattDotCom was launched. 2002 saw them start fund raising from the friends and then from the wider community in Lincolnshire.  By the end of 2002 donations were coming from all over the United Kingdom.

In 2003 we started to lend out equipment to teenagers.  Spring of 2004 we purchased first 8 laptops, which were lent to teenagers within days of their arrival.  In late summer we were given 6 more laptops and we purchased another 2.  These also left at the speed of light.  By the end of the year we had helped 20 teenagers.  During 2005 we purchased 8 more laptops and were given another one.  These went to teenagers across the whole of our catchment area and now we also helped some teenagers outside our 50 miles radius.  By the end of 2005 we had helped 38 teenagers.  During 2006 we have just purchased 10 more laptops.  5 of these are to replace older models.  By end of 2006 we will have helped 50 teenagers across the East Midlands and even further afield.  Our 50th teenager being Laura (see above) from North Lincolnshire.

Committee year of joining                                                                                 2000 - Matthew Harding-Price, Sharon Harding-Price, David Harding-Price (Co-founders)                                                                                                           2002 - Guy Seymour, Gavin Kirk and Pat Seymour become Proberty Trustees          2003 - Jenny Hyman join MattDotCom                                                                      2004 - Jackie Wilmer, Abi Harding-Price join MattDotCom                                      2005 - Will Strange join MattDotCom                                                                         2006 - Helen Rutherford, Charlotte Harding-Price join MattDotcom                           2007 - Abi Harding-Price takes over as President                                                     2008 - Launch of e-zine and electronic returns

Martin Chatterton of Louth is our Independent Examiner.                                                                                                                            The Rt Rev Dr. John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln is our Independent Referee                                                                                                                                  First President - Matthew Harding-Price (2000 - 2004)                                                    Second President - Will Hobby (2004 - 2006)                                                                Third President - Abigail (Abi)  Harding-Price (2007 - )

MattDotCom's trustees are Sharon Harding-Price, Guy Seymour, Rev Canon Gavin Kirk, Jenny Hyman, Pat Seymour, Helen Rutherford and David Harding-Price.

Registered Charity number 1099037

If you are not familiar with our organisation and this is your first contact with us, we would be pleased to hear from you.  If you are a teenager with a life threatening illness please let us know what your IT needs are and we will try and help.  Professionals working with teenager with a life threatening illness can request applications forms at any time.  Anyone with questions we will be more than happy to try and answer them.

Photographic evidence from 2001 that David and Matt occasionally worked.  Here caught fixing the MattDotcom car.  If you believe that you will believe anything!  What this does show is that even with cancer and a titanium implant Matt was determined and able to do the things he wanted.  He was a quiet inspiration to all teenagers with cancer.  R.I.P.