Professional Builder’s Lee Jones talks to a decorator who is, in every sense, one of the good guys.
Over the course of the pandemic stories have abounded of builders going the extra mile for their clients, but for one south London decorator giving back to the community is embedded in the very business model of his company. Good Guys Decorating founder, Cyle Carth reveals how he combines a flourishing commercial enterprise with his charitable endeavours: “I knew that I wanted to support some of the people I saw struggling around me every day, and that was the real inspiration,” explains Cyle. “We guarantee a high-quality decorating service but, for every job we undertake, a percentage of the profit goes into a fund that pays for a charitable project. Whether it’s a makeover of a child’s bedroom who’s living in poverty, or for someone with mental health issues, we’ll improve their domestic space completely free of charge.”
With the support of Carney’s Community, Cyle was able to develop the network of connections he needed to make his idea a reality, and the Battersea-based charity continues to provide him with many of the contacts of people that are in need of help. “We are indebted to Carney’s,” enthuses the 31-year-old decorator. “They believed in us from the start, put us in touch with organisations that could advise on starting a business and funded our initial branding.”
The first project his new venture embarked upon was to redecorate the bedroom of a 17-year-old suffering from mental health issues. “He’d been released from hospital following a suicide attempt just three weeks before we started the work,” recalls Cyle, “and the living conditions he was returning to were extremely poor. In fact, it was more akin to a prison cell than a teenager’s room. At the time we weren’t sponsored by some of the brands we are now, but one of our clients personally put up the money to be able to include additional furnishings and fittings. As a result, we were able to get him a brand-new bed, TV and a PlayStation, as well as bedside table, and wardrobe. That initial experience is a testament to the support we’ve received throughout with almost everyone we’ve approached wanting to contribute on some level.”
Rather than being just passive recipients a guiding principle of Cyle’s work has always been to involve the individuals he’s helping as much as possible. “As we’ve done ever since, we let the young man shadow us throughout the work, so hopefully he can learn a few skills that would help him maintain his own space in the future. It sounds like such a small thing, but I don’t think you can underestimate the value of even a lick of paint and a brighter,more welcoming environment for someone in the midst of a personal crisis.”
With every project, the publicity has increased exponentially, and on one of his give back jobs Cyle even enlisted acclaimed rapper, Stormzy as a willing helper. “In this instance, the schoolboy recipient was selected through Carney’s because of the positive journey he’d been on in turning his life around. He didn’t actually know we we’re doing the work and came home to find Stormzy doing some painting in his room, and we also got a BBC crew in to film it.”
Good Guys Decorating is based on a simple premise and, since its launch in 2018, it has also attracted considerable and often high-profile support from the building industry. “We now have Dulux providing paint,” reveals Cyle, “and we’re developing links with the Dulux Academy, so we can refer those who want to pursue a career in the trades for further training, whilst we’re also sponsored by Very and Dunelm.”
Cyle now has four decorators working for him full-time and is able to devote one week of every month to a give back project. He also believes that the free decorating he undertakes for the disadvantaged attracts client who want to buy into the idea. “We live in a society where a lot of people want to help but they don’t necessarily know how, and we can facilitate that for them. The idea for giving back was motivated by the investment that was made in me as a young man. I’ve been there myself and know that children don’t have any control over their own environments but, with a small business and a skill, I have a platform from which I can help, and perhaps provide a positive role model at the same time.”
For further information on Good Guys Decorating visit https://www.goodguysdecorating.com/
