Simon is committed to giving back, and has for many years worked with charities close to his heart. His philanthropy is rooted in a desire to support the regions and communities that have shaped him, with a particular focus on supporting young people, education, and improving health.
Young People and Education
Simon believes that higher education should be an option for all, irrespective of background or circumstance. Simon graduated with a degree in Management from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). This is one of the oldest established management degree courses in the country, dating back to 1918. In 2024, Simon donated £1.5 million to his alma mater and a new bursary was established in his name.
The Sadler Bursary provides funding for up to 36 undergraduates for each year of their course across two bursary programmes at the University of Manchester. The first provides care-experienced students with £10,000 per year for the full duration of their degree. The second supports graduates of the Manchester Access Programme (MAP) – the University’s flagship widening-participation initiative. This was designed to help high-achieving Year 12 students from Greater Manchester, offering financial assistance throughout their undergraduate studies.
Simon, who was the first in his family to attend university, described the Sadler Bursary as a way to help young people who have had “particularly complicated starts to their lives” to pursue higher education opportunities.
Health and Community
Simon’s philanthropy has helped support the vital work of healthcare and hospice organisations serving communities across the North West.
Recently, Simon and his wife Gillian have supported Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and their “More Research, Less Cancer” campaign. This included a donation to the CRUK National Cancer Biomarker Centre in Manchester. The Biomarker Centre is housed in the CRUK Manchester Institute, a partnership between The University of Manchester, CRUK, and the Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
Since 2015, Simon and Segantii have provided support to Trinity Hospice Blackpool which provides palliative care to people of all backgrounds and faiths from across the Fylde Coast in the North West of England.
His support has also extended to Derian House Children’s Hospice which provides hospice care and support for children and young people with palliative care needs in the North West of England.
Simon is closely involved with the important work of the Blackpool Football Club Community Trust. He has long believed that the Club and the Trust hold a shared responsibility to help those in need within the community.
Trust initiatives include the annual Festive Fundraiser, launched in 2020 to address the fact that 1,000 primary school children across Blackpool would go without a present on Christmas Day. It has now been running for five consecutive years with over £100,000 raised to date, funding the purchase of 6,000 Christmas presents that were delivered to children across Blackpool.
Simon and the Club support the Blackpool Pride of Place partnership through their involvement in the programme’s events and meetings, reflecting a long‑standing commitment to the town and its future.
Pride of Place is a national initiative delivered through Business in the Community, with Blackpool one of a small number of places selected to take part, focusing on strengthening local pride, opportunity, and long‑term social and economic development.
