GETTING STARTED IN ETHICAL INVESTMENT
Lunar Green Investments was set up by our founders – Rob Garbutt and Patrick Doyle – to utilise their entrepreneurial expertise to help develop new businesses through ethical investment and hands-on mentorship.
The pair spent much of the 21st century in the data centre and ISP network industry, where they developed two companies. First with UK Grid, then with LDeX, they became well-known, trusted names in the provision of data centre services and connectivity, supporting many global businesses. In 2014 and 2015 LDeX was listed as one of the UK’s fastest growing companies. They eventually sold it in 2018, but their legacy continues as LDeX remains a leader in providing mission-critical data centre and connectivity support.
After nearly 20 years in this sector, and the successful exit of their two companies, UK Grid and LDeX, the two decided to turn their focus to investing in and mentoring other businesses, with an emphasis on ethical practice.
In March 2020, in the midst of the unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic, Rob and Paddy wanted to help. NHS and care-home staff were, and are, putting themselves at risk every day to take care of those of us and our friends and family who have contracted the virus. They’re working crazy hours and at a pace that few of us can appreciate. They haven’t the time to prepare packed lunches or pop out for a quick bite at lunchtime. Rob and Paddy wanted to take care of just one aspect of their day by providing them lunch, showing them that the country recognises their hard work and appreciates their sacrifice. And so Lunar Green Response’s first charitable venture was born in the form of The Big NHS Lunchbox, which later became The Big Care Home Lunchbox after adjusting its focus in May.
Key to our early efforts was Subway’s agreement to provide us with sandwiches and cookies at cost price, which allowed us to make the most of the donations we’d received from all over the country. Indeed, our founders’ initial seed donation of £4,000 bought 1,330 lunches for the first wave of deliveries we made back in March. Since then we’ve raised over forty thousand pounds and turned that into over thirteen thousand lunches, which our fantastic volunteers have delivered to hospitals and care homes all over the North West and South East.
Now that we have turned our attention towards the amazing staff at our nation’s care homes, we hope to keep delivering lunches for as long as the lockdown lasts, and with each one say a huge thank you to our NHS and care home heroes.
