The UK’s financial support system is complex and fragmented. Grants, benefits and local council schemes are spread across different providers, making it difficult for people to understand what help they are entitled to and how to access it.

Lightning Reach is changing this by bringing financial support into one platform, connecting people with the funding and assistance available to them.

After being named the winner of Chatsworth’s 2025 Fintech for Good competition, Lightning Reach received six months of pro bono communications support to raise its profile, strengthen its media presence and increase awareness of its mission.

During the campaign, Lightning Reach was acquired by European Technology Group. 

Our approach

Our strategy focused on establishing Lightning Reach as the authoritative voice on financial support, financial inclusion and the role technology can play in connecting people with essential services.

We began by delivering an expert media training session for Head of Partnerships Dave Farquharson, followed by dedicated broadcast training ahead of a series of national and regional radio appearances.

Using targeted newsjacking, we inserted Lightning Reach into the issues shaping the financial support landscape, including rising energy bills, the UK Warm Homes initiative, Ofgem’s debt consultations, the King’s Speech and International Women’s Day.

Alongside this, we delivered a consistent thought leadership programme exploring debt stigma, budgeting and the potential for technology to simplify access to financial support.

To strengthen Lightning Reach’s authority, we developed and delivered a major research campaign in partnership with TSB. Chatsworth managed the process from start to finish, from drafting the survey questions and analysing the findings to developing the press release and securing national media and broadcast opportunities.

We also raised Lightning Reach’s standing within the fintech industry through a targeted awards programme, identifying opportunities and drafting submissions that showcased the company’s technology, growth and social impact.

Results

Over six months, our campaign significantly increased Lightning Reach’s profile across national, trade and broadcast media:

• Secured more than 70 pieces of coverage with a potential reach of over 144 million
• Featured in leading outlets including Sky News, The Independent and Yahoo Finance
• Secured multiple broadcast interviews with LBC and Radio News Hub
• Placed thought leadership articles in The Big Issue, LocalGov, Finextra and Enforcement News
• Won the Fintech for Good category at the Fintech Awards London and earned recognition in the TechRound Fintech Top 50 and NatWest SE100 Pioneer Awards

Overall, our work helped establish Lightning Reach as an influential voice on financial support and inclusion, while raising awareness of the platform among consumers, partners and the wider fintech industry.

Ren Yi Hooi, CEO and Founder of Lightning Reach, said:

“The Chatsworth team are proactive, easy to work with and genuinely invested in our growth. They bring sound judgement, strong media relationships and a clear understanding of our business. Working with them has felt like having a trusted extension of our team, giving us the confidence that every opportunity and strategic recommendation is approached with the same care and attention as if they were part of the business.”