‘Building belief from within’: Rotherham Hospice Mat Cottle-Shaw profiled in Charity Times
Our chief executive Mat Cottle-Shaw features in the summer edition of Charity Times this month, in a profile that gets to the heart of how he has led change at Rotherham Hospice — and what drives him.
The piece, titled Building belief from within, traces Mat’s unconventional path to the role — from aspiring architect to a career in the charity sector that, by his own admission, began through “a lot of luck and opportunities given to me.” It explores the values that have shaped his approach to leadership: authenticity, consistency, and a deep belief that people do their best work when they’re trusted and supported to lead.
Central to the feature is the story of how Mat arrived at Rotherham Hospice and found an organisation full of committed, skilled people who didn’t fully see their own impact. His response was to listen — meeting staff across the organisation, understanding their frustrations as much as their passion, and creating the conditions for them to thrive rather than imposing change from above.
The results speak for themselves. Under his leadership, we achieved our first ever Outstanding rating from the Care Quality Commission. Our strategy, Living Life’s Wishes, was shaped through a broad public consultation, placing patients and our community at its centre. And despite financial pressures, the training budget has been protected — because, as Mat puts it, “whilst people are here, doing their very best, the worst thing we could do is take that away.”
The article also touches on the systemic challenges facing hospice care nationally: rising demand, constrained funding, and the gap between statutory requirement and genuine financial support. Mat estimates the hospice could reach close to 3,000 people annually — but getting there requires a rethink of how end of life care is funded across the country.
It’s a thoughtful, honest read — and a timely one as Rotherham Hospice marks 30 years of care in our community.
