Let Yourself Trust
Establishing itself around Martyn’s formidable music career and years of humanitarian work, Let Yourself Trust is a non-profit organization that provides funding for and informs on a wide variety of projects and justice movements both abroad and home.
Let Yourself aims to make a small difference out of great love and commitment by challenging injustice wherever it’s found, educating via advocacy, campaigning for human rights, and raising issues that have been forgotten or ignored via fundraising initiatives, thus bringing about greater awareness for beautiful people in powerless situations.Let Yourself will partner with and provide funds for suitable projects and charities within communities both globally and locally, in all segments of society, without being held hostage to a particular ideology – only one of change and hope.Let Yourself commits to identifying these organisations diligently and supporting them responsibly, through resourcing, governance and development.Let Yourself Trust focuses on the causes and consequences of injustice and partners with advocates for change, helping to provide a choice and a chance.Eyes for the hidden, a voice for the unheard.
Let Yourself Trust is the brain child of Martyn, named after one of his recent songs, Let Yourself aims to benefit both global charities and grass roots local “people” projects in the UK.Martyn is known not just for being an exceptional singer-songwriter delivering electrifying live performances, but also for his years of humanitarian work and patronage of agencies and charities throughout the world. Asked in an interview whether he considered himself primarily a musician or activist, Joseph replied, “I can’t decide … I guess it’s all part and parcel of the same thing for me.”Focusing his attention towards trade justice, third world debt cancellation and human rights, Joseph has been involved with Brazil’s MST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra), Amnesty International, Christian Aid, Central America’s Casa Alianza, Guatemala’s children’s village Project Somos, the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Jubilee 2000 and Advantage Africa. Martyn was awarded an Amnesty International accolade for his work with the Brazilian Landless Workers’ Association Movement.In May 2004, in the wake of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Joseph released a five-track EP, The Great American Novel, with all proceeds designated to War Child. Later that year, Joseph was awarded Best Male Artist at the BBC Welsh Music Awards.The launch of the Let Yourself Trust marks a desire in Martyn’s career to delve even further into combining his stunning work on stage with his compassionate work in the world.“My trip to the Middle East galvanised my thoughts on something I’d been thinking about for the last five years. I’d always been proud and privileged to lend my support to many causes during the length of my career – but I wanted to do something more and set up a visible platform alongside the music. Somewhere in the heat and dust of a Palestinian refugee camp I decided it was time to set up my own charitable trust to help fund projects at home and abroad that are making a difference in their communities.”Read all about the charity and the projects its involved with at www.letyourself.net