About us
A small charity, run by people who have done the science
Duet Health Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1217999). We fund the health research, communication and education that commercial sponsors and government grants pass by.
How Duet started
Mike and Julie Matthews ran a drug development company for twenty-five years. Having sold most of it, they founded Duet to fund the work they had watched go unfunded — not because it didn't matter, but because there was no commercial return in it.
They still read every proposal. That is deliberate: it keeps decisions fast, and it means applicants speak to people who understand both the science and the regulation.
Why Duet existsOur board of trustees
The trustees are responsible for Duet's decisions. They meet quarterly and approve every grant we make.
- JA
Co-founder and Chair of Trustees
Julie Anne Matthews DipClinSci
Appointed 1 June 2026
Co-founded and ran the same company for twenty-five years. Oversees Duet's governance, partnerships and public work.
- DM
Co-founder and Trustee
Dr Michael James Matthews MB ChB
Appointed 1 June 2026
Spent twenty-five years founding and running a drug development company. Leads Duet's scientific assessment of proposals.
- KA
Trustee
Kristin Anna Croucher
Appointed 17 July 2026
- SB
Trustee
Sarah Blondell MSc, CSci
Appointed 25 March 2026
Trustee appointments are recorded with the Charity Commission. No trustee has a declared conflict of interest on record.
Read more about the board — appointment dates, biographies and how grant decisions are made.
Our team
The people you will actually speak to when you contact Duet.
- HW
Programme Manager
Hannah Wills
Duet's first member of staff. Works with applicants from first enquiry through to project reporting.
How we work
Useful before impressive
We would rather fund a small project that changes something than a large one that reads well.
Plain language, always
If we cannot explain a project in everyday English, we do not understand it well enough yet.
Quick and honest answers
We reply to every enquiry, and we say no clearly rather than leaving people waiting.
Credit where it belongs
The researchers and clinicians do the work. Our job is to make it possible.
Governance and money
01
Who decides
A board of trustees, chaired by Julie Matthews, meets quarterly. Every grant is approved by the board, with scientific assessment led by Mike Matthews.
02
Where donations go
Our founders meet Duet's core running costs, so money given by the public is spent on charitable activity rather than overheads.
03
What we publish
Annual accounts and the trustees' report are filed with the Charity Commission under number 1217999, and we will send them to anyone who asks.
How to get involved
Duet is small enough that one person's help makes a visible difference. Here are the four things people most often do.
Not sure where you fit?
Write to us at Info@duet.org.uk or call 01252 844868. A real person reads every message, and we answer all of them — including the ones we have to say no to.
Where to find us
Enquiries come straight to the team — there is no call centre in between.
Registered office
Duet Health Foundation
Terminal Building, Blackbushe Airport, Camberley GU17 9LQ
United Kingdom
Registered charity no. 1217999
Small charity, practical help
Duet is funded by our founders and by people who believe useful research should not stall for want of a modest amount of money. Every gift goes into projects.