Introducing our inaugural Charity of the Year: Ignite Hubs

We are delighted to announce that Ignite Hubs will be Health Data Research UK’s first Charity of the Year, beginning a year-long partnership to support the charity’s work helping young people develop the skills and confidence for a bright future in STEM. 

Meet our Charity of the Year

Ignite Hubs are a London-based education charity supporting children and young people aged 7 to 24 years old through practical learning in coding, STEM, and creativity. The charity’s programmes are designed to broaden horizons and make opportunities more accessible, with a particular focus on girls, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.  

A partnership with purpose

Over the coming months, we’ll be bringing our colleagues together to raise awareness, get involved and fundraise for Ignite Hubs. By championing the incredible work they do we can help Ignite Hubs reach even more young people.  

For us, this partnership is about more than choosing a charity of the year. It’s about opening up opportunities, encouraging potential, and helping young people build their skills and discover what they’re capable of.

A personal connection

There’s also a personal story behind our decision to support Ignite Hubs. 

The charity was chosen in memory of Chris Milner. Chris was HDR UK’s Chief Solutions Architect  until 2025 and was known widely for bringing people together, supporting those around him, and encouraging others to learn and grow. His family chose Ignite Hubs as the charity for donations at his funeral – a choice that perfectly reflected his values and the impact he had on the world.  

This legacy was continued earlier this year when friends and colleagues raised almost £3000 for Ignite Hubs by running multiple marathons.  

We’re proud to build on that connection by making Ignite Hubs our inaugural Charity of the Year, and bringing together our colleagues, partners, and wider community to support the charity with the many innovative projects it has planned for this year.  

Tammy Palmer, HDR UK’s Associate Director of People, said:  

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Ignite Hubs as our first Charity of the Year. Their focus on making STEM and technology opportunities more accessible to young people reflects many of the values we share as an organisation – from creating opportunities to developing talent and helping people realise their potential.

 

This partnership also has a very personal significance for us. Chris was passionate about bringing people together and helping others to learn and grow, so it feels particularly meaningful to build on the connection he and his family established with Ignite Hubs.”

Creating opportunities through STEM and technology

Through its Code, STEM and Creativity Hub programmes, Ignite Hubs gives young people the opportunity to learn coding, experiment with technology, build projects, and develop skills including creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking. It is currently developing its Ignite Learning & Careers Hub, a digital platform connecting learning and skills with future education and career pathways. The charity also provides bursaries and funded opportunities to help ensure that cost is not a barrier to participation.  

Lin Vong, Founder and CEO of Ignite Hubs, said:  

“We are delighted and incredibly grateful to have been chosen as HDR UK’s inaugural Charity of the Year. Partnerships like this enable us not only to reach more children and young people, but to connect them with the people, experiences and opportunities that can help broaden their horizons and inspire their futures.

 

This partnership is particularly meaningful because it builds on the connection created in Chris’s memory and allows his legacy of supporting others to learn, grow and fulfil their potential to continue. We look forward to working with colleagues across HDR UK and building a partnership that creates a lasting, positive impact for the children and young people we teach and support.”

Throughout the partnership, we’ll explore a range of ways to support Ignite Hubs, from fundraising activities to opportunities for colleagues to get involved and share their skills.

For all involved, the goal is clear: to help more young people discover their potential and have opportunities to reach for a brighter future.  

To find out more about Ignite Hubs and its work with young people, please visit the charity’s website.